Best Activation Exercises
In this post we provide activation or warm up programmes that can be used to prepare for running, strength training or aid in recovery from more strenuous sessions throughout the week.
Some of these activation exercises require a small looped band.
Three Activation & Warm-up Ideas
Activation A
This series of exercises will require a small looped resistance band. These activation exercises for lower body do not require a lot of space.
Perform all three exercises on both legs. These exercises are called isometrics as they are held statically. Try holding each movement for 45 seconds each side and complete one round. This should take less than five minutes to complete.
| Exercise | Note |
| Band Clamshell | Lay fully extended on your side |
| Band Laying Abduction | Bottom leg stays on the ground |
| Band Fire Hydrant | Keep arms extended throughout the hold |
Activation B
This series of exercises does not require any equipment. These full body activation exercises can place stress at the shoulder joint so caution is advised if you are dealing with any shoulder issues.
Perform all three exercises on both sides. These exercises are called isometrics as they are held statically. Try holding each movement for 45 seconds each side and complete one round. This should take less than five minutes to complete.
| Exercise | Note |
| Quadruped Hold | Opposite arms and legs extended |
| Side Plank Bridges | Hip touches the ground each rep |
| Single Leg Hold | Slight knee bend on planted foot |
Activation C
This series of exercises will require a small looped resistance band and some wall space. These activation exercises do not require a lot of space and can be completed prior to gym based workouts or sports training.
The first two exercises should be completed for 45 seconds each side with a looped resistance band. The final exercise should be completed for 1 minute. This series should take four minutes to complete.
| Exercise | Note |
| Band 3-Directional Lower | Slight knee bend on planted foot |
| Band 3-Directional Upper | Push into the wall and keep arms extended |
| Laying Press | Full extension to finish each rep |
Summary
If you find that you get easily bored you can rotate your activation exercises each day for training. For example, you could use the activation series A on Mondays, B on Wednesdays and C for your Friday warm-ups.
You could also combine all the activation series from above and create a mini home workout. If you combine A, B, and C and complete two rounds of each exercise this should provide you with a 30 minute workout.
Video Demonstrations
Video demonstrations can be found on our YouTube channel or below.
