10 Dynamic Warm Up Exercises for Youth Athletes

By Angela Bekkala

Simply performing static stretches prior to exercise doesn't help you one bit. In fact, it can hurt your athletic performance. So if you or your young athlete are still doing static stretching before your workout, practice or game--change it up.

What's the difference between static and dynamic stretching?

Static stretching involves holding a position for 30 seconds or more to elongate the muscle while a dynamic warm up involves stretching through a range of motion.

Your body needs to warm up by slowly increasing your heart rate and breathing rate. In doing so, you are lubricating your joints, which will give you better range of motion and better elasticity in tendons and ligaments.

These 10 simple exercises work as a dynamic warm up for kids of any age or sport. Do each exercise for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat as necessary.