My Dynamic Warm Up Routine for Home Gym Exercise, Shadow Boxing - Full Body and Stretching (Part 1)
This is expanding on my YouTube video showing Part 1 of my exercise warm-up routine. Please see the video if you want to see exactly how I performed the exercises. This is just a summary of the exercises I do and why I do them. Thanks!
Warming up is super important. Through years of experience the more I’ve come to realise this. Not only does warming up give you a better exercise session (improved performance) it also reduces your chances of getting injured. Making sure everything you’re going to be using is stretched and limber is something I always took for granted. Not any more!
DISCLAIMER: Zach Ascot is not qualified to give any fitness or medical advice. Consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained in this video/article/blog post. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Zach Ascot for any losses, injuries or damages resulting from any and all claims that arise from your use or misuse of this video’s content. Zach Ascot makes no representation about the accuracy or suitability of this content. Use this video at your sole risk. Thank you for your understanding.
- Achilles wall stretch (both legs hold for 30 seconds each) (Super important to keep the calf muscle and Achilles tendon flexible and ready for jumping around. I do a lot of moving around and bouncing with my shadow boxing. I’m also generally very stiff and barely flexible so it’s critical that I keep things loose to avoid injury)
- Achilles step strengthening (Both sides 5 to 15 reps depending on how my Achilles feels) — This is an exercise I actually forgot about during my filming. This is supposed to strengthen the tendon. I stand on the edge of a step (whilst supporting myself or balancing) and bring the foot up on the edge of the step and then lower it back down below where the foot would be level. Dropping the rear of the foot down at an angle.
- Toe loosening (Pull out hold for 15 seconds, out to the side hold for 15 seconds, deep joint massage 15 seconds. Both toes. [Optional: flex bend back and forth also for 15 seconds] (I’m undecided to whether I need to do the full bend of my toes. I keep my big toes loose and stretched out to deal with impact as they take the majority of the load. Generally it’s not a good idea to land heavily, but it does happen.)
- Bed hip stretch (Together, 15 seconds hold) Opens up the hips, helpful for slipping in boxing. (Also good for losing your dignity!)
- Knee stretch (standing x2 –15 second hold) — Wakes up the knee. Super important to keep the knee happy. I always avoid any new exercises that give me knee pain, or at least try and find a different way of doing them.
- Wrist limber and wrist walk (5 reps) (Gets wrist used to pressure and ready for push ups. Also apparently good for the shoulders.)
- Shoulder reset [lean back and row 3 motion movement] and W Raises (15 reps) — Opens up the shoulders. Strengthening for external rotation which is critical to shoulder health.
- Crisscross arms (16 reps) waking up the shoulders.
- Big circles with arms (both ways) — 15 reps — waking up the shoulders
- Small circles with arms (both ways) — 15 reps each direction — wakes up the shoulders
- Hyperextension prevention x2 (both ways) [15 reps] — I found this online when I was searching for ‘boxing warmups’. This is apparently to help prevent overextension when you throw a punch. It’s quite uncomfortable on your elbows when you overextend and you definitely don’t want to do it very often. I have noticed an improvement when it comes to how often I feel that overextension pain on a punch. Or maybe I’m just better at throwing punches? Who knows, either way, I’m going to keep doing it.
- 2kg dumbbell palm out to side raises (16 reps) — for shoulders.
- 2kg open up (15 reps) for shoulders
- Front ‘surgery’ raise 2kg (15 reps) — for shoulders
- 2kg dumbbell bird wings out to the side (15 reps) shoulder strength
- L shoulder lifts no weight (15 reps) for shoulder, external rotation
- L shoulder lifts 2kg (15 reps) for shoulder, external rotation. NOTE: when I say ‘2kg’ I mean two 2kg weights. One in each hand.
- Swimming breaststroke motion 2kg (15 reps) My shoulders always felt great after swimming on holiday. I’m trying to replicate it here with this exercise. Also, I think it’s a good idea to keep your swimming muscles strong and active. You never know when someone might try and drown you!
- One leg 2kg row x2 (x2 means do both sides) (15 reps) Balance. Also prep for pushups.
- One leg run on the spot 2kg x2 (15 reps)
- Knee push ups on a towel. (5 reps)
- Good form ‘proper’ push ups — (10–15 reps) (2 sets) This really wakes my shoulders up for shadow boxing. I’m not very good at push-ups, but I am building them up. So far they haven’t hurt my shoulders. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep this in my routine.
- Limber back, front, side stretches (touch toes) — Loosen mid of the body to get ready for slipping and fast movements.
- Neck limber — (5–10 reps) — Important to have the neck nice and loose when you swing your body around and change directions violently. Also when simulating slipping punches you have to get your head out the way quickly!
- Hip stretch (10 reps) Really opens up the hips and also helps towards flexibility.
- 5 squats — Wakes the legs up
The end! Thanks for reading! Please be sure to check out the video if you haven’t already! Best of wishes!
Warming up is super important. Through years of experience the more I’ve come to realise this. Not only does warming up give you a better exercise session (improved performance) it also reduces your chances of getting injured. Making sure everything you’re going to be using is stretched and limber is something I always took for granted. Not any more!
DISCLAIMER: Zach Ascot is not qualified to give any fitness or medical advice. Consult with your healthcare professional before doing anything contained in this video/article/blog post. You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Zach Ascot for any losses, injuries or damages resulting from any and all claims that arise from your use or misuse of this video’s content. Zach Ascot makes no representation about the accuracy or suitability of this content. Use this video at your sole risk. Thank you for your understanding.
- Achilles wall stretch (both legs hold for 30 seconds each) (Super important to keep the calf muscle and Achilles tendon flexible and ready for jumping around. I do a lot of moving around and bouncing with my shadow boxing. I’m also generally very stiff and barely flexible so it’s critical that I keep things loose to avoid injury)
- Achilles step strengthening (Both sides 5 to 15 reps depending on how my Achilles feels) — This is an exercise I actually forgot about during my filming. This is supposed to strengthen the tendon. I stand on the edge of a step (whilst supporting myself or balancing) and bring the foot up on the edge of the step and then lower it back down below where the foot would be level. Dropping the rear of the foot down at an angle.
- Toe loosening (Pull out hold for 15 seconds, out to the side hold for 15 seconds, deep joint massage 15 seconds. Both toes. [Optional: flex bend back and forth also for 15 seconds] (I’m undecided to whether I need to do the full bend of my toes. I keep my big toes loose and stretched out to deal with impact as they take the majority of the load. Generally it’s not a good idea to land heavily, but it does happen.)
- Bed hip stretch (Together, 15 seconds hold) Opens up the hips, helpful for slipping in boxing. (Also good for losing your dignity!)
- Knee stretch (standing x2 –15 second hold) — Wakes up the knee. Super important to keep the knee happy. I always avoid any new exercises that give me knee pain, or at least try and find a different way of doing them.
- Wrist limber and wrist walk (5 reps) (Gets wrist used to pressure and ready for push ups. Also apparently good for the shoulders.)
- Shoulder reset [lean back and row 3 motion movement] and W Raises (15 reps) — Opens up the shoulders. Strengthening for external rotation which is critical to shoulder health.
- Crisscross arms (16 reps) waking up the shoulders.
- Big circles with arms (both ways) — 15 reps — waking up the shoulders
- Small circles with arms (both ways) — 15 reps each direction — wakes up the shoulders
- Hyperextension prevention x2 (both ways) [15 reps] — I found this online when I was searching for ‘boxing warmups’. This is apparently to help prevent overextension when you throw a punch. It’s quite uncomfortable on your elbows when you overextend and you definitely don’t want to do it very often. I have noticed an improvement when it comes to how often I feel that overextension pain on a punch. Or maybe I’m just better at throwing punches? Who knows, either way, I’m going to keep doing it.
- 2kg dumbbell palm out to side raises (16 reps) — for shoulders.
- 2kg open up (15 reps) for shoulders
- Front ‘surgery’ raise 2kg (15 reps) — for shoulders
- 2kg dumbbell bird wings out to the side (15 reps) shoulder strength
- L shoulder lifts no weight (15 reps) for shoulder, external rotation
- L shoulder lifts 2kg (15 reps) for shoulder, external rotation. NOTE: when I say ‘2kg’ I mean two 2kg weights. One in each hand.
- Swimming breaststroke motion 2kg (15 reps) My shoulders always felt great after swimming on holiday. I’m trying to replicate it here with this exercise. Also, I think it’s a good idea to keep your swimming muscles strong and active. You never know when someone might try and drown you!
- One leg 2kg row x2 (x2 means do both sides) (15 reps) Balance. Also prep for pushups.
- One leg run on the spot 2kg x2 (15 reps)
- Knee push ups on a towel. (5 reps)
- Good form ‘proper’ push ups — (10–15 reps) (2 sets) This really wakes my shoulders up for shadow boxing. I’m not very good at push-ups, but I am building them up. So far they haven’t hurt my shoulders. Hopefully, I’ll be able to keep this in my routine.
- Limber back, front, side stretches (touch toes) — Loosen mid of the body to get ready for slipping and fast movements.
- Neck limber — (5–10 reps) — Important to have the neck nice and loose when you swing your body around and change directions violently. Also when simulating slipping punches you have to get your head out the way quickly!
- Hip stretch (10 reps) Really opens up the hips and also helps towards flexibility.
- 5 squats — Wakes the legs up
The end! Thanks for reading! Please be sure to check out the video if you haven’t already! Best of wishes!
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