The Best Warm Up Ever

By Lauren Bertolacci

Here is a warm-up video that incorporates all of the dynamic stretches that the Gloucester Catholic Cross Country Team does, and a description of each of the warm up components from Lauren Bertolacci.
http://vimeo.com/13390804

"Warm-ups are so important for your session, and this one is a beauty.
It gets you going, gets you mobile, explosive and feeling ready for anything.
As I mentioned the whole thing is great, there are lots of things you can add and take away to suit you best, however this kind of warm up is good for keeping you mobile. It can even work as a separate session. remember to do everything twice, and to jog back in between.Here are the components of the warm up in order and some teaching points.

Jog- Simple, jog up and down twice.

Knee to Chest- Walk, pull your knee to your chest and come up on your toes

Butt Sits- Ankle to knee, and sit down, hold it for one second. Concentrate on actually sitting.Hamstring Walk- Simple dynamic stretch for your hamstring

Quad Walk- Simple dynamic stretch for your quads, try and jerk slightly at the end like I do to get that stretch.

Side Step- Just to keep things moving, although the jog back should do that just fine.

Lunge to instep- Take your elbow to your instep, great stretch for almost everything.

ITB Walk- Dynamic stretch that targets your ITB and the side of your butt, the foot that is in front is the side that you go. I did one the wrong way!

High kicks-Simple high kicks for your hammies.

Skip with Arm Swings- Just something for your arms.

Hip Overs- Taking your foot over something imaginary, skip in between.

Skips- Pretend there is a bar coming out of your ankle and skip over it, fast.

Lunges- Put your arms in the air to get that fascia stretch.

High Skips- Same as skips but very high, use more power, you’ll be warm by now.

REMEMBERDo everything twice, even though it is done once in video.
Jog back every time, you have to keep moving to warm up properly."

Here is a link to Lauren Bertolacci's fitness website:

http://www.laurensfitness.com/2008/07/24/best-warm-up-ever/

For more information on dynamic and static stretching: http://ramscrosscountry.blogspot.com/2008/04/real-stretcher.html