The CrossFit Reignited Games are Coming: How to Warm up Like a Pro

The Reignited Games are coming!

As a performance physical therapist and CrossFit enthusiast, I have you covered! Workout number one is a true test of endurance, power, and skill, with a combination of dumbbell thrusters, handstand push-ups, and double unders. These movements will challenge your full-body strength, coordination, and cardiovascular capacity. To ensure you're primed for optimal performance and injury prevention, we’ve designed a dynamic warm-up to get your muscles firing, enhance mobility, and sharpen your focus for the grueling competition ahead.

Dumbbell thrusters are sneaky. They require great mobility and stability at your ankles, hips, knees and shoulders. Handstand push ups also require great shoulder mobility and stability. Lastly, double unders require good coordination, core control and calf strength. Keep reading below if you’re ready to warm up like a pro!

Start with 2-3 minutes on a cardio machine of your choice to get your blood flowing! 

Once you get off the machine, find some space on the floor to get your brain (neural networks) and fast twitch muscles firing. You’ll get into a split stance and perform a split stance jump into a broad jump. The goal is to keep your hip, knee and ankle in one straight line (limit knee from caving in) and make the transitions quickly. Perform 1-5 split jumps into a broad jump. Perform 3 reps on each side.

Next, grab a light to moderate KB and let’s get your upper back and shoulders moving. The arm bar with rotation is the perfect drill to accomplish this. Make sure to drive through your heel and keep that foot in contact with the ground to limit the rotation coming from your lower back. Start with one set of 3-5 reps per side. One rep = one arm bar plus 3 rotations to your end range. If you feel extra stiff today, perform a second set.

Now let’s get your ankles moving. Stand on the edge of a plate with your knee bent to perform the single leg eccentric soleus drill. This exercise is one of my favorites because it targets one of your calf muscles that is often overlooked, plus it’s a two-for-one, strengthening AND lengthening! Start with one or two sets to fatigue on each leg. After finishing this drill, perform a set of walking lunges to put your new ankle mobility to good use! Alternatively, if you want to get some squat reps in, grab a band and perform a banded goblet squat

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Finally, let’s put everything together. We’re continuing to get your fast twitch muscle fibers and nervous system primed, plus working your hips and shoulder through their full range of motion. Let’s finish with a few American KB swings. When you’re completing these reps, focus on the power coming from your hips and letting your arms go along for the ride, just like in your thrusters where the primary momentum should be coming from exploding through your hips rather than your shoulders when getting the dumbbells overhead.

This warm-up is designed to get you moving smoothly through each element of the workout while gradually increasing your intensity and confidence in the movements. Let’s get ready to crush it!

In good health,

Dr. Eliza Cohen

Performance Physical Therapist + Wellness Consultant

Wilmington, NC 

Follow here for more performance and nutrition tips: @conquermovementpt  @doctor_cohen14