Pre-training warm-up
Easy laps, stretching and light cardio before every session, never skipped
Ten to fifteen minutes of jogging, dynamic stretching and gradually harder movement before the real work starts. Raising muscle temperature and heart rate first lowers injury risk and makes the first hard set or sprint feel less brutal, which is why professional squads never skip it even on a light day. Footballers do it as a team ritual on the pitch, usually a few laps and then stretches in a circle. Gym-goers get the same effect from a jog to the gym, a few minutes on a bike, or a light first set of whatever they are about to lift. It costs nothing beyond a quarter of an hour, and most people who drop it bring it back after the first strain.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Cristiano RonaldoDoes it
Footballer · Portugal captain and five-time Ballon d'Or winner
A few laps of the pitch, stretching and cardio warm-up exercises. That is how his training starts. He tells amateurs to copy the idea, even if that is only a jog to the gym or a few minutes on a treadmill or bike.
Source: Goal: What are Cristiano Ronaldo's diet, workout and fitness secrets? - Sam SulekDoes it
Bodybuilder and YouTuber · Spring Bulk gym vlogs
First movement of the day is deliberately light: rope extensions or a chest-supported row, squeezed and held. Starting that way, he says, leaves the muscle pumped and activated so the nastier reps later in the session feel good.
Source: Fitness Volt: Sam Sulek Builds a Huge Back With Intense Workout 5.5 Weeks from the 2026 Arnold Classic - Novak DjokovicRecommends
Tennis player · Record 24 Grand Slam singles titles
His book tells readers to take ten to twenty reps of walking high knees, high kicks, squat thrusts, lunges and inchworms, straight through with no rest between them.
Source: EssentiallySports: All You Need To Know About Novak Djokovic's Training Routine
Aimed at the same thing
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Daily stretching
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Stability and mobility work
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