This page contains a number of exercises that can be included in a dynamic warm-up and below the videos I've included links to peer-reviewed articles and recommended chapters that address the topic of warm-ups for health and performance.
Prior exercise at the right intensity can increase performance in subsequent efforts (e.g. DeLorey et al, 2007)
There are a number of recommended warm-up strategies for optimal sports performance (e.g. McGowan et al, 2015)
Athletes in different sports will undertake sport specific warm-up protocols - e.g. Cycling - Christensen & Bangsbo (2015); Swimming - McGowan et al. (2016); Running - Van den Tillaar et al. (2017); Football - Abade et al (2017).
There is inconsistent evidence as to whether pre-exercise stretching is able to reduce injury (e.g. Shrier, 1999; Pope, 2002; Herbert et al, 2002; Hart et al, 2005; Thacker et al, 2004; Young et al, 2003)
Pre-exercise stretching could decrease a range of subsequent performance indicators such as force production, power, running speed, reaction time and strength/endurance (see Kay & Blazevich, 2012; Simic et al, 2013 for systematic reviews)
For participants with health issues (e.g. coronary heart disease) there are additional reasons for taking a more progressive approach to commencing exercise or physical activity (e.g. Tofler & Muller, 2006)
McGowan, C. J., Pyne, D. B., Thompson, K. G., & Rattray, B. (2015). Warm-up strategies for sport and exercise: mechanisms and applications. Sports Medicine, 45(11), 1523-1546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0376-x
Systemizing and Planning the Warm-Up by Scott Kuehn - https://complementarytraining.net/systemizing-and-planning-the-warm-up/
Mark Burnley (@DrMarkBurnley) - How to warm up like a Pro - Oxygen uptake kinetics part 3: Priming exercise
Tumminello, N. (2016) Building Muscle and Performance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics [publisher link]
Tumminello, N. (2018). Your Workout PERFECTED. Human Kinetics.
Joyce, D., & Lewindon, D. (Eds.). (2014). High-Performance Training for Sports. Human Kinetics. (Ch 8 by Larson)
(These two books contain some of the best examples of Warm-Up routines that I've seen published. There are several sequences in both books arranged into in-place and large space routines and making use of different equipment such as weight plates, kettlebells or just using body weight)
Abade, E., Sampaio, J., Gonçalves, B., Baptista, J., Alves, A., & Viana, J. (2017). Effects of different re-warm up activities in football players' performance. PLoS One, 12(6), e0180152. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0180152
Altavilla, G., & Gaetano, R. (2018). Physiological effects of warm-up and problems related to team sports. Sport Science, 11(1), 83-88.
Beardsley, C., & Škarabot, J. (2015). Effects of self-myofascial release: a systematic review. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, 19(4), 747-758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.08.007
Behm, D. G., & Chaouachi, A. (2011). A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. European journal of applied physiology, 111(11), 2633-2651. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00421-011-1879-2
Behm, D. G., Blazevich, A. J., Kay, A. D., & McHugh, M. (2015). Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, 41(1), 1-11.
Bishop, D. (2003) Warm Up II: Performance Changes Following Active Warm Up and How to Structure the Warm Up Sports Medicine, Volume 33, Number 7, 483-498(16) [abstract]
Bishop, D. (2003) Warm Up I: Potential Mechanisms and the Effects of Passive Warm Up on Exercise Performance Sports Medicine, Volume 33, Number 6, 439-454(16) [full text]
Boullosa, D., Del Rosso, S., Behm, D. G., & Foster, C. (2018). Post-activation potentiation (PAP) in endurance sports: a review. European journal of sport science, 18(5), 595-610. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1438519
Chaouachi, A., Castagna, C., Chtara, M., Brughelli, M., Turki, O., Galy, O., ... & Behm, D. G. (2010). Effect of warm-ups involving static or dynamic stretching on agility, sprinting, and jumping performance in trained individuals. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 24(8), 2001-2011.[full text]
Chen, C. H., Nosaka, K., Chen, H. L., Lin, M. J., Tseng, K. W., & Chen, T. C. (2011). Effects of flexibility training on eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 43(3), 491-500.
Christensen, B., Bond, C. W., Napoli, R., Lopez, K., Miller, J., & Hackney, K. J. (2020). The Effect of Static Stretching, Mini-Band Warm-Ups, Medicine-Ball Warm-Ups, and a Light Jogging Warm-Up on Common Athletic Ability Tests. International journal of exercise science, 13(4), 298. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32148636
Christensen, P. M., & Bangsbo, J. (2015). Warm-up strategy and high-intensity endurance performance in trained cyclists. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 10(3), 353-360. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2014-0228
DeLorey, D. S., Kowalchuk, J. M., Heenan, A. P., Dumanoir, G. R., & Paterson, D. H. (2007). Prior exercise speeds pulmonary O2 uptake kinetics by increases in both local muscle O2 availability and O2 utilization. Journal of applied physiology, 103(3), 771-778. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.01061.2006
Faigenbaum, A.V., McFarland, J.E., Schwerdtman, J.A., Kang, J. and Hoffman, J. (2006) Dynamic Warm-Up Protocols, With and Without a Weighted Vest, and Fitness Performance in High School Female J Athl Train. Vol. 41, No.4, 357–363 [full text]
Gabbett, T. J., Sheppard, J. M., Pritchard-Peschek, K. R., Leveritt, M. D., & Aldred, M. J. (2008). Influence of closed skill and open skill warm-ups on the performance of speed, change of direction speed, vertical jump, and reactive agility in team sport athletes. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research,22(5), 1413-1415.[full text]
Gremion, G. (2005). Is stretching for sports performance still useful? A review of the literature. Revue medicale suisse, 1(28), 1830-1834.
Haddad, M., Dridi, A., Chtara, M., Chaouachi, A., Wong, D. P., Behm, D., & Chamari, K. (2014). Static stretching can impair explosive performance for at least 24 hours. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 28(1), 140-146.
Hammami, A., Zois, J., Slimani, M., Russel, M., & Bouhlel, E. (2018). The efficacy and characteristics of warm-up and re-warm-up practices in soccer players: a systematic review. J Sports Med Phys Fitness, 58(1-2), 135-149. https://doi.org/10.23736/s0022-4707.16.06806-7
Hart, L. (2005). Effect of stretching on sport injury risk: a review. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 15(2), 113. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.jsm.0000151869.98555.67
Herbert, R. D., & Gabriel, M. (2002). Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review. BMJ, 325(7362), 468. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7362.468
Herbert, R. D., de Noronha, M., & Kamper, S. J. (2011). Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (7).
Ingham, S. A., Fudge, B. W., Pringle, J. S., & Jones, A. M. (2013). Improvement of 800-m running performance with prior high-intensity exercise. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 8(1), 77-83. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.8.1.77
Judge, L. W., Craig, B., Bellar, D., & Wanless, E. (2012). Preactivity Stretching Research and Current Coaching Practices : Why the Disconnect ? Strength and Conditioning Journal, 34(5), 74–77.[abstract]
Jeffreys, I. (2017). RAMP warm-ups: more than simply short-term preparation. Prof Strength Cond, 44, 17-23. [ResearchGate]
Jeffreys, I. (2007). Warm up revisited–the ‘ramp’ method of optimising performance preparation. The UKSCA Journal, 6, 15-19.[full text]
Jeffreys, I. (2019). The Warm-up: A Behavioral Solution to the Challenge of Initiating a Long-Term Athlete Development Program. Strength & Conditioning Journal, 41(2), 52-56. DOI: 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000466
Kallerud, H., & Gleeson, N. (2013). Effects of stretching on performances involving stretch-shortening cycles. Sports Medicine, 43(8), 733-750. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0053-x
Kay, A. D., & Blazevich, A. J. (2012). Effect of acute static stretch on maximal muscle performance: a systematic review. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 44(1), 154-164. [www]
Kilduff, L. P., Finn, C. V., Baker, J. S., Cook, C. J., & West, D. J. (2013). Preconditioning strategies to enhance physical performance on the day of competition. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 8(6), 677-681. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.8.6.677
Little, T., and Williams, A.G. (2006) Effects of differential stretching protocols during warm-ups on high-speed motor capacities in professional soccer players. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(1):203–207 [full text]
MacIntosh, B. R., Robillard, M. E., & Tomaras, E. K. (2012). Should postactivation potentiation be the goal of your warm-up?. Applied physiology, nutrition, and metabolism, 37(3), 546-550. https://doi.org/10.1139/h2012-016
McCrary, J. M., Ackermann, B. J., & Halaki, M. (2015). A systematic review of the effects of upper body warm-up on performance and injury. Br J Sports Med, 49(14), 935-942. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2014-094228
McGowan, C. J., Pyne, D. B., Thompson, K. G., & Rattray, B. (2015). Warm-up strategies for sport and exercise: mechanisms and applications. Sports Medicine, 45(11), 1523-1546. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-015-0376-x
McGowan, C. J., Pyne, D. B., Raglin, J. S., Thompson, K. G., & Rattray, B. (2016). Current warm-up practices and contemporary issues faced by elite swimming coaches. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 30(12), 3471-3480. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001443
McMillian, D.J., Moore, J.H., Hatler, B.S., and Taylor, D.C. (2006) Dynamic vs. static-stretching warm up: The effect on power and agility performance. J. Strength Cond. Res. 20(3):492–499[full text]
Mytinger, M., Nelson, R. K., & Zuhl, M. (2020). Exercise Prescription Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Patients in the Absence of a Baseline Stress Test. Journal of cardiovascular development and disease, 7(2), 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd7020015
Nuzzo, J. L. (2020). The case for retiring flexibility as a major component of physical fitness. Sports Medicine, 50(5), 853-870. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01248-w
Parr, M., Price, P. D., & Cleather, D. J. (2017). Effect of a gluteal activation warm-up on explosive exercise performance. BMJ open sport & exercise medicine, 3(1), e000245. http://bmjopensem.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000245
Pope, R. P., Herbert, R. D., Kirwan, J. D., and Graham, B. J. (2000) A randomized trial of preexercise stretching for prevention of lower-limb injury. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., 32(2), 271–277 https://doi.org/10.1097/00005768-200002000-00004
Rubini, E.C., Costa, A.L.L. and Gomes, P.S.C. (2007) The Effects of Stretching on Strength Performance Sports Med Vol.37, No.3, 213-224. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200737030-00003 [full text]
Sá, M. A., Matta, T. T., Carneiro, S. P., Araujo, C. O., Novaes, J. S., & Oliveira, L. F. (2016). Acute effects of different methods of stretching and specific warm-ups on muscle architecture and strength performance. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 30(8), 2324-2329. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001317
Schroeder, A. N., & Best, T. M. (2015). Is self myofascial release an effective preexercise and recovery strategy? A literature review. Current Sports Medicine Reports, 14(3), 200-208. https://journals.lww.com/acsm-csmr/Fulltext/2015/05000/Is_Self_Myofascial_Release_an_Effective.16._2)
Shrier, I. (1999). Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature. Clinical journal of sport medicine: official journal of the Canadian Academy of Sport Medicine, 9(4), 221-227. https://doi.org/10.1097/00042752-199910000-00007
Silva, L. M., Neiva, H. P., Marques, M. C., Izquierdo, M., & Marinho, D. A. (2018). Effects of warm-up, post-warm-up, and re-warm-up strategies on explosive efforts in team sports: A systematic review. Sports Medicine, 48(10), 2285-2299. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0958-5
Simic, L., Sarabon, N., & Markovic, G. (2013). Does pre‐exercise static stretching inhibit maximal muscular performance? A meta‐analytical review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 23(2), 131-148.
Tofler, G. H., & Muller, J. E. (2006). Triggering of acute cardiovascular disease and potential preventive strategies. Circulation, 114(17), 1863-1872. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.105.596189
Turner, A. P., Bellhouse, S., Kilduff, L. P., & Russell, M. (2015). Postactivation potentiation of sprint acceleration performance using plyometric exercise. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 29(2), 343-350.
Thacker, S. B., Gilchrist, J., Stroup, D. F., & Kimsey Jr, C. D. (2004). The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 36(3), 371-378. https://doi.org/10.1249/01.mss.0000117134.83018.f7
Van den Tillaar, R., Vatten, T., & von Heimburg, E. (2017). Effects of short or long warm-up on intermediate running performance. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 31(1), 37-44. https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000001489
Witvrouw, E., Mahieu, N., Danneels, L., & McNair, P. (2004). Stretching and injury prevention. Sports medicine, 34(7), 443-449. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200434070-00003
Woods, K., Bishop, P. and Jones, E. (2007) Warm-Up and Stretching in the Prevention of Muscular Injury Sports Medicine, Vol.37, No. 12, pp. 1089-1099(11) [abstract]
Young, W. B., and Behm, D. G. (2003) Should static stretching be used during a warm-up for strength and power activities? Strength Cond. J. 24: 33–37 [full text]
Zois, J., Bishop, D. J., Ball, K., & Aughey, R. J. (2011). High-intensity warm-ups elicit superior performance to a current soccer warm-up routine. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 14(6), 522-528.[full text]