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We’ve all done it. We’re behind schedule or feeling lazy, so we just hop on the treadmill and do a “light 5 minute run” for our warm-up. Maybe follow it up with some toe touches and arm swings if we’re feeling really keen. This tactic could cause more harm than benefit before the workout begins. “But after running my body is warm. It's a warm up. I’m warmed up!” I know, I know - and that’s true. But we want to go into movement preparations beforehand, particularly ones that you will be performing in the workout and even some foam rolling. ​​ Alright, so how is a movement prep and foam roll getting you warmed up for your workout when a simple run gets you warmer? The proper warm up should obviously do just that - get you warm, but more importantly a warm up should consist of some muscle activation for the under active muscles. The glutes (your butt) is one of the most under active muscles in a general population. So the butt, is a good start. Along with engaging some weaker muscles you will want to increase some flexibility in muscles that get shortened (tight), while going about your day-to-day business. Joint lubrication plays a role with flexibility as well. We want those joints gliding smoothly while we put external stress on our bodies. Quite annoying to have “achy knees” or “grindy shoulders” while running, squatting or pressing right? Having prepped muscles and lubricated joints also comes with increased blood flow. We know that blood carries oxygen throughout our body. This is important for getting the body warm, while also giving the body that feeling of being more awake. Out of all the reasons listed, the biggest importance behind a proper warm-up is injury prevention. All the above mentioned put your body in a ready state of physical activity, which greatly lowers your risk of injury. It really sucks when you're motivated, ready to start a new fitness program, just to get hurt and take 3 weeks off. Proper warm-ups all are about prevention. One of the best analogies I’ve heard came from my friend, and fitness expert Jessie Mundell, “Would you start driving your car without letting it warm up in the middle of an Edmonton deep freeze? Answer: NO. Don’t treat your car better than your body.” “Alright Shane, but how do I really perform a proper warm-up?” Listed below is a typical warm-up routine that anyone with no limitations can typically perform. A warm-up shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes. 1. SMR (self-myofacial release) The muscles targeted here are typically tight muscles -- the quads, pecs and lats For more on this particular method, click here. 2. Kneeling Hip Flexor
: You will want to get into a half kneeling or what I like to refer to as the “proposal stance”. Get down on one knee resting on the floor (or a foam pad for comfort), the other leg forward with the knee at 90 degrees. You will let want to contract the glute on the same side as the knee touching the floor, to help get a more effective stretch in the front of that hip. 3. Glute Bridges
: Lying flat on your back, with the small of your back pressing into the floor, ribs down engaging the core. You will then squeeze the glutes and raise the hips. Engaging the glutes first, will help from having the erector spinae (low back) from doing the work. 4. Thoracic Spine Rotations: You will want to get down into the classic “fetal position”, bring both arms extended forward with palms touching. Squeezing the knees together you will then bring your top arm up and rotate around to the opposite side. The head will then follow that arm - doing this will have the cervical spine and thoracic spine going in the same direction. Try to get the shoulder as close to the floor as possible. Hold for a few deep breathes and then return the arm back to start. Repeat for desired rep numbers and then perform the same for other arm. 5. Lateral lunges
: Take one step out to the side bending that moving knee. Sit slightly back onto that hip. Think of it as making an, "L" shape motion. First part is the back of the letter, second part is the bottom of the letter. 6. Body weight squats
: Perform your standard body weight squat (weight on the heels, push through heels, toes down, chest up). 7. Jump squats
: If you have no knee pain and can perform compact movements perform these only asking to keep the chest up and contact quiet and light (ninja jumps). 8. Arm rotations: Standing upright rotate your arms forward in circular motions, and repeat in backward circular motions. If you have any questions, please email here.

YOGA. I've learned this word may appear like not much, but this is not the case. If you're like me, yoga is kinda frightening and for sure challenging. However, I admit it has many positive benefits. I’ve done yoga several times before but I've never made it a priority. A yoga session was always on an annual basis and the 60 minutes were always unplanned and was someone else's suggestion. Though infrequent, how has yoga benefited me? Chapter 1: Warning Signs In the summer of 2012 I had injured my left hip. I am still not certain what the initial incident was, but the pain was more of a nuisance than anything. Nothing serious. With stretching and corrective techniques I was able to progress where there was no pain - just tightness in the glute and hamstring. I was in great condition, until the end of summer. I was enjoying the end of summer at a friend’s lake lot. We went out on the lake where I was on a tube behind a boat (tubing and boating is the bees knees). My friend decided to step on the gas and cut it sharp. If you're familiar with tubing, you know that once this happens, a large dip in the water occurs. If you hit this, there is a large blow to the tube and you’re thrown in the water. If you manage to escape you will slide rapidly across the water, flipping a couple hundred times. I experienced the later of the options. ​​ Chapter 2: The Incident Upon flipping I managed to grasp the tube's handles, then was submerged under the water. I held on for some time. I mean why give The Caption of the boat the sweet satisfaction of winning this battle? No, thanks. Well, my endurance ran out -- I had to let go. I got back on the boat, dignity somewhat intact and noticed my left hip felt off.  This was the start to a painful inconvenience. Chapter 3: The Aftermath Following the weekend the pain was similar to what was experienced in the beginning of summer - annoying, but tolerable. The only difference this time was the pain started to escalate, then began giving impressions of sciatica. I couldn't effectively train my clients. Soon after, I couldn't get out of bed. This happened all within 10 days. I had to make an desperate appointment with a chiropractor. The chiro performed some excruciating active release on my hip, then realigned my spine. It was painful, but I felt better. The chiro also couldn’t pinpoint exactly what went wrong. It was concluded the muscles in the left hip became so tight, causing it to shift more and more to the left. The blow from the tubing incident was too much and pulled my hip out of its proper alignment. After about 4 weeks of treatment I felt better. Still tight in my left leg - you know, the usual. Nothing significant happened after that. Chapter 4: The Yoga Class One evening some coworkers attended a yoga class and persuaded me into attending. I was due for my annual 60 minute yoga anyway. I drug my heels into the class, to which I then found out was actually 90 minutes (the profanity running rampant in my mind LOL). Two days following the 90 minutes of personal hell, I noticed my hip never felt better. My leg never felt looser and my lifts felt stronger. I forgot how amazing it felt to actually have a full range of motion. Though I don't get into a yoga class as much as I should, I acknowledge the importance and benefits behind the practice. Moral of my story: Sometimes you need to push your ego aside. Get help when needed. It will save you time, money and stress every time. Push yourself out of your comfort zone. New challenges bring growth. Stretch. Your body needs it. By no means am I a Yogi, but the practice of yoga changed my life and could well change yours. Do you want more? Sign up here for the monthly newsletters that feature content from exercise, food and mindset.