Body Intelligence

Don't sleepwalk into your squat session.

If you want to train hard and stay injury-free, you need to activate the right muscles before you lift. In this quick lower body warm-up routine, Alex walks you through 7 dynamic drills designed to fire up your glutes, hips, and hamstrings—so you can move stronger, lift safer, and perform better.

Whether you're prepping for leg day at the gym or doing bodyweight work at home, these drills will set you up for success.

Video Tutorial: Lower Body Activation Warm-Up

Length: ~5 minutes | Movements: 7 | Focus: Glutes, hips, hamstrings, core

Before you load up the bar or start squatting, make sure your lower body is awake and aligned. These 7 moves will prime your body for safe, powerful movement.

Your 7 Lower Body Activation Drills

1. Leg Swings

Wake up your hips and loosen tight legs.

• Focus: Hip mobility, hamstring and calf release

• Purpose: Preps your joints and soft tissues for dynamic work

2. World's Greatest Stretch

A total-body mobility classic for a reason.

• Focus: Hips, hamstrings, quads, glutes, core

• Purpose: Boosts flexibility and coordination across your entire lower body

3. Bodyweight Squat to Arm Reach

Build squat pattern awareness and improve joint mobility.

• Focus: Squat mechanics, hip and thoracic spine mobility

• Purpose: Reinforces posture and balance in compound lifts

4. Glute Bridges

Fire up your posterior chain the right way.

• Focus: Glutes, lower back, hip stabilizers

• Purpose: Protects your knees and spine, especially under load

5. Lateral Lunge to Knee Drive

Train balance and hip control in the frontal plane.

• Focus: Side-to-side hip movement, stability

• Purpose: Reduces knee collapse risk during squats

6. Lunge to Torso Twist

Open up tight hips while adding rotation.

• Focus: Hip flexors, rotational mobility

• Purpose: Keeps your spine stable and mobile under pressure

7. Good Mornings

A fundamental hinge warm-up for posterior strength.

• Focus: Hamstrings and glutes

• Purpose: Reinforces proper form and prevents lower back strain

Why Warm Up with Barefoot Shoes?

Barefoot shoes help you feel every movement—making it easier to engage the right muscles, improve joint alignment, and maintain better posture throughout your warm-up.

With less padding and more feedback, you'll build better habits from the ground up.

Make Every Rep Count

Take 5–10 minutes to complete these 7 warm-up movements before leg day. The difference in control, power, and joint health will speak for itself.

Train better from the ground up:
Explore our barefoot training shoes → https://www.saguaro.com/collections/training

Disclaimer: Always listen to your body. Stop if you feel discomfort. This tutorial is for educational purposes only. Participation is at your own risk.