Warm Up Exercises For January Workouts a Simple 6 Minute Plan

Warm up exercises work best in January when they raise your temperature, loosen up the joints that feel stiff in cold weather, and rehearse the same movement patterns you will use in class. A simple 6 minute flow can do that, then you can add a few extra minutes if you still feel tight or sluggish. Cold conditions can reduce muscle temperature and change power output so an intentional warm up matters more in winter.

Why winter warm ups feel harder

January warm ups often feel tougher for a few plain reasons.

Cold air and cold surfaces can leave your hands, feet, and calves feeling tight during the first few minutes. Even if your workout is inside, you still walk in from the parking lot, sit in a car, and move less during the day. Cold can also affect muscle temperature and how quickly you feel ready for faster work.

Your first few reps might feel clunky because your nervous system is still ramping up. You may also feel out of breath sooner if you jump straight into high effort intervals without building a base pace first. A warm up that increases heart rate gradually and uses dynamic movement is a common recommendation before exercise.

If you are restarting after a break, you also have less tolerance for sudden spikes in intensity. That is normal. The goal for the first week or two is to build repeatable sessions, not to “win” the warm up.

If you want a bigger January plan that stays simple, link this warm up inside your own 30 day calendar and keep the rest of your choices limited. This pairs well with a January restart challenge for beginners in Horsham and Plymouth Meeting because it gives you one warm up you can reuse without thinking.

The 6 minute warm up flow

This is a single flow you can use before strength, low impact, conditioning, and cycling style sessions. It follows a simple idea. Start by building heat, then open up hips and ankles, then rehearse squat, hinge, and lunge patterns.

If you have time, a longer warm up is fine. A short warm up still helps, and many health systems recommend building in warm up time before exercise. (Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

0 to 2 minutes heat and breath

Goal
Raise temperature and heart rate without rushing.

Do this for 2 minutes total

1. March to fast walk in place, 30 to 45 seconds

• Arms swing naturally.

• Breathe through your nose if you can, then shift to easy mouth breathing if needed.

• Keep shoulders down.

1. Step jacks or low bounce jacks, 30 seconds

• Step wide, then step in.

• Reach arms to shoulder height or overhead based on comfort.

• Keep it smooth, not sharp.

1. Arm circles and shoulder blade glides, 30 seconds

• 5 forward circles, 5 backward circles, repeat.

• Then pull shoulder blades back and down gently, 5 reps.

1. Easy squat to stand, 15 to 30 seconds

• Sit hips back.

• Stand tall and squeeze glutes lightly at the top.

If you feel tight in the low back
Keep the squat shallow. Spend more time marching and step jacks. Save bigger ranges for later.

2 to 4 minutes hips and ankles

Goal
Get ankles moving, wake up glutes, and reduce “first 10 minutes stiffness.”

Do this for 2 minutes total

1. Ankle rocks, 30 seconds each side

• Stand facing a wall.

• Drive the knee forward over the toes slowly.

• Keep heel down.

1. Hip hinge bow, 30 seconds

• Soft knees.

• Hinge back like you are closing a car door with your hips.

• Keep spine long and ribs stacked over pelvis.

1. Alternating reverse lunges, 45 seconds

• Step back, drop straight down, stand.

• Keep front heel heavy.

• Keep stride short if hips feel tight.

1. Glute bridge or standing hip extension, 15 seconds

• If you have a mat, do 6 to 8 bridges with a one second pause at the top.

• If you are standing, do 6 to 8 hip extensions per side while holding a wall.

If you have stiff ankles
Spend 60 seconds on ankle rocks and reduce the reverse lunge depth. You can also do split squats holding onto a support.

4 to 6 minutes pattern prep for squat, hinge, lunge

Goal
Practice the same shapes you will use under load or speed.

Do this for 2 minutes total

1. Squat pattern, 40 seconds
   Pick one option

• Bodyweight squats for 6 to 10 reps

• Box squats to a bench for 6 to 10 reps
  Cues

• Feet stay planted.

• Knees track with toes.

• Exhale as you stand.

1. Hinge pattern, 40 seconds
   Pick one option

• Good morning hinge for 8 slow reps

• Hip hinge to reach for a wall behind you for 8 slow reps
  Cues

• Ribs down.

• Hips back.

• Neck long.

1. Push and pull primer, 40 seconds
   Pick one pairing

• Wall push ups 8 reps, then band pull aparts 10 reps

• Incline push ups 8 reps, then bent over reach backs 10 reps
  Cues

• Keep wrists straight on push ups.

• On the pull, squeeze shoulder blades back and down, then relax.

If you are heading into higher effort intervals
Add 30 to 60 seconds of build ups. Do two short bursts at medium pace, then return to easy pace. This bridges the gap between warm up and speed work. (Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Warm up swaps by class lane

The flow above covers most needs. These swaps help you match the warm up to the class style while keeping the same goal.

If your January plan includes strength focused sessions, start your warm up with the same movement patterns you will load. For sessions that include more cardio, add a slightly longer build phase so your first interval does not feel like a shock.

Strength and Sculpt swaps

Use this lane swap list when you are taking a Strength and Sculpt class lane.

• Add 60 seconds of glute bridges or bodyweight hinges before the first lift

• Do 1 set of light rows with a band or very light dumbbells if rows show up early

• Add 20 seconds of a plank from knees or a dead bug if you are doing overhead work

If overhead pressing is on the plan, include a short shoulder prep

• 10 band pull aparts

• 8 slow arm circles each way

• 6 wall slides if you have space

Dynamic movement and joint prep are common parts of warm ups and dynamic stretching is often used before activity. (Springer)

Cardio and Conditioning swaps

Use this lane swap list when you are taking a Cardio and Conditioning class lane.

• Extend the heat phase to 3 minutes total

• Add two build ups at medium pace before the first hard interval

• Keep impact low for the first round, then add impact only if your joints feel good

If jumping feels rough in January, use low impact options that keep your heart rate rising

• Step jacks

• Fast march with arms overhead

• Squat to calf raise

• Mountain climbers on a bench or wall

Barre, Pilates, and Yoga style swaps

If your class is more controlled and lower impact, keep the warm up calm but specific. Use the same structure, just lower the bounce.

• Replace step jacks with side steps plus arm reaches

• Replace reverse lunges with split squat holds holding a support

• Add 30 seconds of cat cow and 30 seconds of a dead bug variation

This is also the best lane to use if your low back gets irritated by fast hinges early.

Cycling lane swaps

If your workout is bike based, warm up needs ankles, hips, and an easy cadence ramp.

• Keep the 0 to 2 minute heat phase, then add 2 minutes of easy spinning

• Do ankle rocks and hip hinges before you clip in

• Use two short cadence ramps, 10 to 20 seconds each, then return to easy

If your quads feel tight in cold weather, focus on ankle rocks and a short hip flexor opening move before you start the ride.

Common mistakes

Starting too fast
The first two minutes should feel easy. If you start at a hard pace, your breathing spikes and your form usually gets sloppy. Ease in, then build.

Using long static holds right away
If a muscle feels tight, you may want to stretch hard immediately. Most January warm ups go better when you start with movement, then save longer holds for after class or later in the day. Dynamic warm ups are widely used before training and research often compares dynamic and static approaches. (Springer)

Skipping ankles and hips
In winter, stiff ankles can turn squats into toe heavy reps and stiff hips can turn hinges into low back work. Use the ankle rocks and hinge rehearsal every time.

Only warming up the thing you like
Many people do extra glute work then skip shoulder prep, or they do arm circles then skip lower body prep. This flow covers both.

Treating pain like a normal warm up feeling
A mild tight feeling can ease after a few minutes. Sharp pain, pins and needles, or joint pain that gets worse is a sign to stop and modify. If symptoms stick around, get guidance from a qualified clinician.

If you want a safety focused checklist, link this warm up with your injury prevention basics for January workouts so you have a clear plan for pacing and recovery.

FAQs

Should I stretch before class

A short warm up that moves your joints through comfortable ranges is a solid start for most people. Longer stretching can make more sense after class or later in the day if it helps you relax. If a coach suggests a specific stretch for a specific issue, follow that plan.

If you like stretching before class, keep it light. Use 10 to 20 seconds, then move again. Your goal is readiness, not pushing range.

What if I feel stiff for the first 10 minutes

First, add 2 more minutes to the heat phase. Many people simply need a longer temperature ramp in January. Cold conditions can affect muscle temperature and performance, so adding time is a practical fix. (PubMed)

Second, focus on ankles and hips. Do ankle rocks, then a few slow hinges, then a few shallow squats.

Third, pick easier options for the first round of the workout. Keep impact low, keep weights lighter, and build after you feel smooth.

Do warm up exercises change based on strength vs cardio

The base pieces stay the same. Heat, hips and ankles, then movement patterns. The difference is how long you spend in each phase.

• For strength sessions, spend a bit more time on hinge and squat rehearsal. Add shoulder prep if pressing is coming.

• For conditioning sessions, spend a bit more time on gradual effort changes and breathing. Add build ups before high effort intervals.

How long should a warm up be in winter

Six minutes can work as a minimum if you move with intention. Many exercise guidance resources also recommend warm ups before activity and longer warm ups can make sense if you feel tight or cold.

A simple rule is this

• If you feel smooth by minute 6, start the workout

• If you still feel stiff, add 2 to 4 minutes of easy movement and joint prep

• If you feel out of breath early, slow down the build and extend it

If you want a coach to help you choose options and pacing, visit us at Remix Fitness and use the Horsham Studio or the Plymouth Meeting Studio.