We shouldn’t have to stress the importance of warming up before training. But there’s too many MMA trainers that do not warm up before training or even before they participate in a match. What these athletes don’t realize is that their bodies are more prone to injury when they don’t complete simple drills.

So, what warm ups should trainers add to their routine?

Here’s a few of the top drills for MMA trainers:

• Running Patterns - this includes skipping, high knees, butt kicks, among others to get the heart rate up and the body ready for a session.
• Dynamic Warm Ups - this consists of full range of motion exercises like arm circles, hip circles, lateral lunges and more to get their muscles ready for training.
• MMA Specific Motions - adding motions like takedowns, striking, and others at a lower intensity and speed can also help the muscles prepare for training at full speed.

Additionally, athletes should incorporate any warm up activities, at a minimum of 5 reps per action, that focus on range of motion, balance and stability as those will help their body prepare for the training session to come.