What is a dynamic warm-up?

It's a warm-up made of active, moving stretches — arm circles, leg swings, lunges — rather than long static holds. It raises your heart rate and range of motion to prepare you for exercise, which static stretching alone doesn't do as well beforehand.

How long should a warm-up be?

Around five minutes is enough for most sessions. This routine runs three to eight minutes, and you can pick the length to match how much time you have.

Should I stretch before or after a workout?

Do dynamic moves like these before, to warm up and mobilise. Save longer static stretches for afterwards, as a cool-down — there's a guided one for that too.

Workouts & Recovery · Mobility

General dynamic warm-up

A short, guided dynamic warm-up that preps your whole body before any session — joints, hips, hamstrings and shoulders. The app names each move, cues the form and previews what's next, so you flow through it without thinking. It's the five minutes everyone knows they should do and usually skips, made one-tap and impossible to get wrong.

Moves: 5
Length: ≈ 4 min
Level: All levels

Also known as dynamic warm up, full body warm up, 5 minute warm up.

How the session works

1Give yourself a small clear space and a wall for balance.
2Press start. The app names each move, previews the next, and keeps it flowing.
3Move smoothly and let the range build — a warm-up wakes the body, it doesn't tire it.
4Run it once at the 3, 5 or 8-minute length, then start your session.

The moves

Arm circles30s
Small circles building to big — both directions.
Leg swings30s · each side
Hold a wall and swing from the hip — don't force the height.
Standing torso twists30s
Feet planted, rotate from the waist with loose arms.
Inchworm walkout30s
Hinge, walk your hands out to a plank, then walk them back.
Hip-opener lunge30s · each side
Drop into a lunge and rotate gently toward your front leg.

What it's good for

Preps the whole body — shoulders, spine, hips, hamstrings and ankles.
Dynamic moves raise your temperature and range without tiring you out.
Named and previewed throughout, so you never wonder what's next.

The evidence. A dynamic warm-up raises muscle temperature and range of motion and is widely recommended before exercise; the active, movement-based style suits warming up better than long static holds.

Safety

Keep every move smooth and within a comfortable range — a warm-up is never forced.

Frequently asked questions

What is a dynamic warm-up?: It's a warm-up made of active, moving stretches — arm circles, leg swings, lunges — rather than long static holds. It raises your heart rate and range of motion to prepare you for exercise, which static stretching alone doesn't do as well beforehand.
How long should a warm-up be?: Around five minutes is enough for most sessions. This routine runs three to eight minutes, and you can pick the length to match how much time you have.
Should I stretch before or after a workout?: Do dynamic moves like these before, to warm up and mobilise. Save longer static stretches for afterwards, as a cool-down — there's a guided one for that too.

Try another routine

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Disclaimer. This guided session is low intensity and intended for healthy adults, but it is not medical advice. Move within a comfortable range, stop if anything hurts, and check with a clinician first if you're pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or managing a heart, joint or blood-pressure condition. FitHQ may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page.