5 Minute Fit Finisher: Windshield Wipers Warm Up Routine

I get it.

When I'm determined to get my workout done... I want to get it done. Sometimes that means skipping my warm up.

However, a warm up will is key.

It will help you:

Make your workout instantly more intense because you're free to move from the get go...
Help prevent injuries like small muscle tweaks because you're warm and the blood is flowing...
And even help to increase mobility and range of motion for these exercises.

In this weeks 5 Minute Fit Finisher, we're going back to a warm up routine. Make sure you checkout my 5 minute go to warm up routine and remember... even though this routine is technically a warm up... it can be used as a post workout cool down or an active recovery workout too.

Windmill Warm Up Routine

20 windshield wipers
60 seconds overhead reaches on the ground
20 hip switches
60 seconds baby cobras
60 seconds child's pose side stretch per side

If you suffer with a tight low back, you're going to love this routine. Let's go over the exercises and any modifications you might need.

1. Windshield Wipers

Kindal showing one half or the windshield wipers mobility exercise.

Kindal showing how to do the windshield wipers mobility exercise.

I love this mobility exercise. It's amazing for warming up your low back and getting blood flow into your SI joint. In fact, this is an exercise I'll do right when I wake up to help get my body moving. It feels incredible!

Step 1

Lay on the ground. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the ground about 16 to 20 inches from your butt and about hip disstance apart.

Extend your arms out to the side, fully extended, but not forcing anything.

Step 2

Keep your feet on the ground. But they can rotate and turn side to side. You'll see in the pictures.

Keep your shoulders on the ground as well. Stare straight up to the ceiling.

Step 3

Move your knees off to one side. Let your hips come off the ground and push your knees as far to the ground as you can.

Move your knees to the other side.

Maintain a nice smooth motion as you go from one side to the next.

form tip

Sometimes I will throw my knees a little harder to one side and to the ground. When I do this, I'm trying to get something a little extra in the SI joint area.

This will probably feel really good. But remember, this is not a stretch... so don't hold any position. Keep your hips moving and get through all 20 reps.

2. Overhead Reach On Ground

Kindal showing how to do the laying on the ground shoulder extensions and her shoulders are relaxed in the moment.

Kindal laying on the ground extending her shoulders and getting the shoulder joint warmed up.

This is designed to get your shoulders warmed up and moving.

It can help if you have:

A PVC pipe to hold.
A belt or towel long enough.
But your can also just use your bodyweight.

Step 1

Lay on the ground with your legs fully extended and your arms over your head. You can start with them relaxed.

Try to get them to fall all the way to the floor.

Step 2

Extend your arms behind you to full extension... really extend with your arms straight and through your shoulder joint.

Try to keep your arms on the ground behind you and try to keep your low back on the ground as well. You'll get better at this as you do a warm up exercise like this.

Step 3

Return to normal with your arms relaxed.

Repeat for 60 seconds and hold each position for just a few seconds.

There other variations of this simple warm up exercise you'll see in other warm up based 5 Minute Fit Finishers.

3. Hip Switches

Kindal showing how to get started with hip switches, a hip mobility exercise.

Kindal showing how to flip the knees over to the other side during hip switches a hip mobility exercise.

Kindal showing what it looks like when the knees are fully flipped over and her hips and legs are on the ground.

These are very challenging if you have tight hips... but I'll show you a modification to help make this more doable.

Hip switches are great to help warm up your actual hip joint (the ball and socket joint) and get it moving.

Step 1

Sit on your butt with your knees bent. This might get a little complicated... make sure you reference the images.

Start with the bottom of your right foot on the top of your left thigh. Again... see the pictures.

Your left left is bent at 90 degrees. Again look at the picture to help get into this position. If you need help, message me.

Step 2

Keep your feet in the same spot throughout this whole exercise. You never pick your feet up off the ground.

Take your knees and swing them to the other side and try go get them all the way down to the ground.

Step 3

Swing your knees back to the original position.

Rinse and repeat this movement.

This move can get tougher if you hold a light weight.

You can also come up to your knees... squeeze your butt... and get your hips to open up. It feels soooo good!

Kindal showing what it looks like when you come up on the knees and squeeze the butt. This will open up the hips and it feels really good.

Checkout my post about hip mobility exercises to give you even more options to loosen those hips up.

Hip Switch Modification

Hip switches are a hard move. So to modify it... just put your hands on the ground behind you.

Now you'll be able to lean back and create more room for your hips to turn back and forth. Just make sure you press your legs down when you get them on the floor.

4. Baby Cobras

Kindal showing what a little baby cobra stretch and mobility exercise looks like.

Cobra pose is a gentle way to get a back bend in. I don't do this like a strict yogi would do... I prefer to keep my hands on the ground and gently press into the ground.

Step 1

Lay on your stomach with your hands in pushup position.

Step 2

Keep your legs on the ground and slowly push your upper body off the ground. Listen to your low back since you're compressing your vertibrea.

Take it really slow.

Hold for about 10 seconds and come back down.

Step 3

Take notice of how your body is feeling. Then repeat at your own pace for the rest of the 60 seconds.

For this workout, don't hold the entire time. Do multiple "reps" so you're not compressing your spine too much. As you get use to this and improve your spine mobility, you'll be able to hold it longer.

Don't be afraid of the word compress. This is a nature movement your body makes.

Plus, this mobility exercise is also great to warm up your abs!

5. Child's Pose With Side Stretch

Kindal showing what a full side stretch during a child's pose looks like. This is great for the lats and obliques.

I love this exercise more as a stretch... but it's still pretty great when used as a mobility exercise.

The focus is to lean into the side stretch so you feel your lats and shoulders really pull. The goal is to wake up your lats because lats get tight from sitting a lot during the day.

Step 1

Get into a childs pose.

Big toes touching and your knee spread apart. Let your hips sink down.

Step 2

Reach your arms straight out and as far off to the side as you can.

But here's the rule... you can't let your butt cheeks come off your heels. For example... if you reach out and over to your right side... keep your left butt cheek on your left heel.

Step 3

Hold for a second or two and bring it over to the other side. Again... really try and feel that side stretch.

Go Try This Warm Up Today Or Tomorrow

I love so many of the exercises in this warm up.

I'm really excited for your to try this little routine. When you do... tell me on Instagram or YouTube how it made you feel.

If you want daily warm ups where you can warm up with me LIVE as I stream custom workouts straight to you... go learn about Fit Women's Weekly LIVE .

FWW LIVE is my small group, private, online training studio. Every day I custom design and stream three brand new workouts.

You can try the group for FREE... if there are open spots... by signing up for the 14 Day Ignite Reset Challenge .

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Now go try this warm up workout. Let me know how it makes you feel... and tell me if you did this before your real workout and if you feel it helped make your workout better. I'd love to know!