12 Best Dynamic Stretches For Any Workout, From A Trainer

"The motion is the lotion!"

I used to roll my eyes at any pre-workout stretch. Little did I know, skipping those moves was holding me back. Dynamic stretching before a sweat sesh is key for optimizing performance, reducing the risk of injury, and preparing muscles for maximum efficiency.

"Dynamic stretching is an active form of stretching where your muscles and joints move through your full range of motion," says Jessica Chellsen, DPT, CSCS, physical therapist and founder of Vibrant Coast Physical Therapy & Wellness. "It incorporates whole body movements rather than just one muscle group and uses similar movement patterns as the sport or workout you are going to perform," she explains.

Meet the experts: Jessica Chellsen, DPT, CSCS, is a doctor of physical therapy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and founder of Vibrant Coast Physical Therapy & Wellness. Kendall Green, DPT, CSCS, is a doctor of physical therapy and certified strength and conditioning specialist at Myodetox. Joseph Bryan Lipana, DPT, CSCS, is a doctor of physical therapy, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and owner of FYZICAL Punta Gorda.

Basically, performing dynamic stretches before a workout sets you up for success. They elevate your heart rate and warm your muscles in preparation for the activity, which is crucial for injury prevention, Chellsen adds.

Another bonus? Dynamic stretching is an excellent way to break up the workday. "If we spend many hours in a fixed position, like when sitting at a computer or driving to work, we may become prone to staying in that fixed position and lose the ability to move through the entire range of motion," says Kendall Green, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist at Myodetox. "Taking micro breaks and performing dynamic movements every 12 hours after being in a fixed position will help prevent this."

Ready to loosen up and reach your full fitness potential? Keep scrolling for everything to know about the benefits of dynamic stretching and dynamic stretching routines for warming up, running, and when sitting at a desk all day.

You’ve likely done both types of stretching and may not even realize it. Static stretching is when you hold a muscle in its lengthened position for a sustained amount of time to stretch muscles and tendons, says Joseph Bryan Lipana, DPT, CSCS, a physical therapist and owner of FYZICAL Punta Gorda. While the purpose of static stretching is to decrease muscle stiffness, when this occurs, it can temporarily decrease the power and force ability of the muscle, adds Chellsen.

In fact, static stretching has been found to reduce your maximum voluntary muscle strength and power, which is why most trainers program dynamic stretching prior to an athletic activity, adds Chellsen.

Remember that, during dynamic movements, muscles are working to create and control movement in both shortened and lengthened positions, explains Green. This means dynamic stretches are best for before a workout since they help to warm up the muscles and stimulate activation.

In contrast, static stretching only involves elongation of muscle fibers and is most successful when the muscle being lengthened is relaxed, she adds. As a result, opt for static stretching after a workout since they help to cool down your muscles and promote relaxation.

Dynamic stretching is best used before any activity (think: running, playing tennis, golf, pickleball, or HIIT workouts) to improve performance and prevent injuries, says Lipana. "It's especially important to perform dynamic stretches before activities or sports with a higher risk of injury (think CrossFit, heavy lifting, or sprinting)," he adds.

Adding in dynamic stretches before weightlifting is also a good idea, says Chellsen. "When weight lifting, your goal is to increase your strength and power through your functional range of motion, and dynamic stretching allows you to prepare for this as well as warm your body up to reduce the risk of injury."

You can also sprinkle it into your workday, too. Dynamic stretching is a great "it's the middle of the workday and I’ve been sitting for hours" activity, notes Green. This will help stimulate blood flow, activate your muscles, and promote muscular coordination, adds Lipana.

Why it rocks: Jumping jacks are a great warm-up for any type of movement because they work your shoulders, adductors and abductors (inner and outer thigh), calves and glutes, says Lipana. You’ll also fire up your heart rate and neurological system which will set you up for a killer workout.

How to:

Why it rocks: This exercise dynamically stretches your hamstrings while also warming up your core, shoulders, and chest, says Chellsen. You can also expect a little core and oblique workout as you shift your weight back and forth between your hands.

How to:

Why it rocks: The TWY stretch opens up muscles on the front of the body including the pecs and the biceps, while activating muscles on the back of the shoulder blades and spine, says Green.

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Why it rocks: Hip openers are an excellent move for warming up your core and your hips, as well as preparing your body for any single leg movements, says Chellsen.

How to:

Why it rocks: "The squat to heel raise will help athletes get into a full squat position which requires 90 degrees of hip flexion required for running," says Green. "The calf raise at the top is a great way to load the calve muscles in preparation for running as these muscles are responsible for eight times bodyweight in force when running."

How to:

Why it rocks: "The reverse lunge with knee drive simulates running," says Green. "The hop at the top utilizes triple extension since the hip, knee, and ankle are all in a push off position, which is the same as single leg push off in running."

How to:

Why it rocks: "This exercise works on lateral movement patterns and is warming up your gluteus maximus and medius and quadriceps," says Chellsen. "It also emphasizes single leg movement patterns which is important because running requires a lot of time on one leg."

How to:

Why it rocks: High knees are one of Chellsen's go-to dynamic stretches for a reason. They prime your body for a similar movement pattern as running, and they significantly increase the core body temperature and heart rate, she explains. They also warm up the core, quadriceps, and hip flexor muscles, she adds.

How to:

Why it rocks: "The superwoman with arm extension opens the front line of the body including the pec muscles, the abdominals, the hip flexors, and the quads," says Green. "It is super important to open up the front line because when we are sitting, all of these muscles are in a shortened position so it's essential to lengthen them throughout the day to avoid these muscles getting permanently shortened."

How to:

Why it rocks: This move lengthens the muscles on the back of the legs (the posterior chain) including the glutes, hamstrings, and calves, says Green. "Again, when we are sitting, these muscles are all in a shortened position, so lengthening them is essential," she explains. It also helps reverse the common rounded shoulder posture.

How to:

Why it rocks: "The lateral lunge opens up the inner thigh and groin (adductor and gracilis muscles) in addition to opening up the thoracic spine (mid back), lats, and obliques as you reach to the opposite side," says Green.

How to:

Why it rocks: "The chair dips also open up the front line of the body, specifically targeting the pecs, biceps, posterior deltoid further promoting that lengthening of the front of the body to avoid that rounded shoulders slumped posture," says Green.

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Andi Breitowich is a Chicago-based writer and graduate student at Northwestern Medill. She's a mass consumer of social media and cares about women's rights, holistic wellness, and non-stigmatizing reproductive care. As a former collegiate pole vaulter, she has a love for all things fitness and is currently obsessed with Peloton Tread workouts and hot yoga.

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