Yoga warm-ups – 13 exercises for your whole body

Lots of warm-ups or stretching exercises have their roots in yoga. We’ve put together 13 of these ‘asanas’ for you. They’re suitable for beginners and keen climbers alike – and you can, of course, use them to warm up for other kinds of sport, too. These positions are designed as easy warm-up exercises. If you do them before going climbing, you can then head over to the hangboard, try out simple holds or focus your training on specific muscles for climbing.

 Want your warm-up to target particular muscles and joints? Go straight to the exercises for your: 

Warming up your neck

You can do this exercise seated or standing. Relax your shoulders and breathe in as you turn your head towards your right shoulder. Breathe out as you turn it towards your left shoulder, and repeat these two movements five to ten times.

After the final turn towards your left shoulder, stay still for a moment. Keep breathing and move your chin over your left collarbone, down towards your breastbone, and back up to the right-hand side. Then, do this in reverse. Perform this semi-circular movement another five times. This asana helps you warm up your cervical spine, which includes your neck.

Shoulder circles

Bend your elbows and place your right hand on top of your right shoulder, and your left hand on your left shoulder. This sounds strange, and it’s not a particularly intuitive position, either. Once your hands are in place (with your thumbs at the back and fingers at the front), start circling your arms forwards. 

Reverse the direction after 10 to 15 circles. Focus on pulling your shoulder blades together as your elbows move backwards. Once you’re finished, briefly shake out your arms and hands. 

This yoga exercise helps you prepare your shoulders for the extra strain they’re under when you’re climbing.

Skandha Chakra: shoulder rotation

Bend your arms and grab your shoulders from above. This movement may sound odd, and it’s not entirely intuitive for many people. Once your hands are in position (thumbs at the back, fingers at the front), start rotating your arms forward (elbows touching at the front, if possible).

Change direction after 10 to 15 rotations. Here, your focus should mainly be on pulling your shoulder blades together when your elbows point backwards. Afterwards, give your arms and hands a quick shake.

This exercise helps you prepare your shoulders for the extra strain they’re under when climbing. It also activates the synovial fluid in your shoulders.

Eagle arms to mobilise your shoulders for hanging 

Remember the macarena? Extend both arms forwards. Move your left arm slightly towards the middle, then put your right elbow above your left elbow, before bending your left arm, then your right arm, upwards. Put the fingers of your left hand into the palm of your right hand. Extend your elbows forward and slightly raise them as you breathe in. 

As you breathe out, pull your elbows to your thighs and roll your spine downwards. Breathe in to bring yourself upright again. Repeat the exercise five to ten times, then change sides. The gentle stretch in your shoulder blade is perfect preparation for active hanging. 

Warming up your wrists

Extend your arms in front of you and relax your shoulders. Breathe in as you angle your hands upright, leaving your fingers pointing as vertically as possible. Breathe out as you flip your whole hand downwards. Repeat the exercise ten to fifteen times.

You’ve doubtless noticed that this exercise does train your fingers, but it primarily puts your wrists and forearms to the test. 

Roll your wrists

Interlace your fingers and roll your hands by making relaxed wrist circles. You can start the movement from your arms. Continue for around 20 seconds before swapping sides. 

Warming up your wrists and the backs of your hands 

Start this yoga exercise on all fours. Begin to move your upper body in circles over your wrists. You can determine the intensity of this movement yourself: if you push your upper body further forward, this increases the weight on your wrists. Repeat the exercise five to ten times in each direction. If you’d like, you can then flip your hands, i.e. rest on the backs of your hands. Be as careful as possible if you choose to do this.

This exercise warms up your wrists. 

Warming up your forearms

Extend your arms and relax your shoulders. Make a fist with each hand and snap open all your fingers simultaneously – you should hear a noise. Repeat the exercise until you can feel the tension in your forearms, or even go for a little while beyond that point. While you’re repeating this exercise, you can move your arms upwards, outwards and back to the front. Keep snapping your fingers until you notice the coordination in your hands starting to wane. This usually happens after about 30 to 60 seconds.

Snapping your fingers activates the stretching muscles in your forearms, which affect your grip stamina. 

Stretching your forearms 

On all fours, raise and lower your hands as if you’re walking on the spot. Now, turn your right hand clockwise and your left anticlockwise until your fingers are pointing towards your knees. Once you’re in this position, you can give your forearms a wonderful stretch by pushing your buttocks backwards slightly. Hold this position for around five breaths.

Mushtika Bandhana: spreading and contracting your fingers

Extend your arms and relax your shoulders. Make a fist with both hands and snap all your fingers open at the same time. You should hear a noise. Repeat the exercise until your forearms tense a little – or a little longer. As you repeat this movement, you can move your arms up, to the sides and forward again. Keep snapping your fingers until you feel your coordination in both hands weaken slightly. This usually occurs after about 30 to 60 seconds.

Snapping your fingers activates the stretching muscles in your forearms, which affect your grip stamina.

Manibandha Naman: wrist bending

Extend your arms in front of you and relax your shoulders. As you breathe in, straighten your hand and keep your fingers as straight as possible. As you exhale, fold your entire hand down. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times.

You’ve doubtless noticed that while this exercise does train your fingers, it primarily puts your wrists and forearms to the test.

Sufi circles for your spine 

For this yoga exercise, sit on the floor with your legs crossed. Slowly start to move your entire upper body in circles, with your hands either on your knees or feet. Alternatively, you can move yourself in such large circles that you place your hands in front of you, to the side of you and behind you for support.

Do around 15 circles in one direction and 15 in the other. It’s important that you try to get the entire spine involved. The movement should initiate from your coccyx or your navel.

This warm-up activates your spine and is especially helpful in the morning, when your joints feel a little stiff.  

Cat-cow for the spine 

On all fours, put your knees hip-width and your arms shoulder-width apart on the floor. As you breathe in, pull your coccyx upwards, using this to put your entire spine in motion: even your head should move upwards as you breathe in. Push your hands into the mat. As you breathe out, move your spine in the opposite direction: pull your coccyx downwards, tense your navel, move your head forwards and then downwards to look towards your stomach.

You can repeat this exercise 15 to 20 times, and if you like, you can move your hips sideways to open up even more space. 

Warming up your hips with butterfly pose 

In a seated position, bring the soles of your feet together. Hold your feet with your hands, try to keep your back as straight as possible and move your knees to the ground and back up – like a butterfly’s wings. Repeat this movement 20 to 30 times.

This yoga exercise mobilises the hip flexors, improving hip flexibility.

Using pigeon pose to warm up your gluteal muscle 

Get into downward dog position. Lift your right leg as high as you can, then pull your right knee behind your right wrist and put your foot on the left-hand side of the mat. Find a comfortable position; you may need to pull your back hip forward slightly. Then, rest on your forearms and extend your hands forwards with your upper body parallel to the floor.

Remain in this position for 15 to 20 breaths, then change sides. This is a particularly deep stretch for your gluteal muscles. If you’d like to reduce the intensity, place your foot nearer your hip. To take the exercise up a notch, put your foot nearer your wrist. 

Janu Naman: knee bending and stretching; activating the feet

For the starting position, sit on the mat. Extend your right leg with your left foot against the inside of your right thigh. Now, bend your right leg and grasp the crook of your right knee with both hands. Try to keep your back straight. Pull your knee towards your upper body with each breath in and straighten it again with each breath out. Repeat this 10 to 15 times on both sides.

Do you find this exercise easy? If so, try to flex your foot, i.e. pull it towards you, while stretching your leg. Activate all of your toes as well – you may now feel a slight pulling sensation in the soles of your feet. This asana stretches the tendons of your legs and the backs of your knees and also warms up parts of your hips. As a general rule, perform all asanas in a way that feels good for you. With regular practice, you will quickly notice how your mobility improves.

Side plank for a stronger whole-body stretch

For this yoga exercise, start in plank position, or ‘dandasana’ as it’s known in yoga. Move your right hand into the centre of the mat and keep your body here. Now, roll your body onto the side of your right foot, with your left foot on top of your right and your legs together. Stretch your left arm upwards. If you like, you can raise your left leg and bring your knee and elbow together.

If the first version is too challenging for you, you can also bend your bottom leg at a right angle, with your lower leg pointing behind you. Hold this position for at least five breaths and try to slowly return to plank position. Then, do the exercise on the other side from this position.