Dynamic stretching routine

You don't just want muscle. You want flexibility and agility.

Lifting 300lbs on the squat rack might be awesome, but doing it with flexible hips is critical.

Same for bench too.

For ALL exercises...

Sets 1:
Reps: 10 (each side where relevant)

Next up is "closing the gate".

This is just the opposite of the exercise above.

Both are extremely important for opening up your hips, especially for sports performance or drills where you are changing direction quickly.

They are beneficial before squats and deadlifts too.

No.3: leg swings.

Again, another great one for opening up your hips.

Try holding onto a wall if you don't have any balance to stand on one leg and take the momentum through your other leg.

Use your hands to feel the stretch in your hips. It's just something I do out of habit.

No.4: lunges

Classic dynamic stretch for your hips.

Place your hands wherever they feel most comfortable. Lower yourself until your knees are at ninety degrees (no further, not necessary) and hold to feel the stretch in your hips.

Try to keep your back straigh throughout.

Next...

Another great one for opening up your hip abductors and adductors.

If you haven't got any balance, try using a wall for assistance.

Or better still, swing your arm at the same time so you can stay balanced.

I started doing it automatically, you might too.

Helicopter swings/arm swings

Same thing. It's a great exercise for opening up your shoulder joint.

Don't swing too hard, just enough to open everything up.

10 backwards, 10 forwards.

Awesome before bench press and overhead press movements.

Lets go team.

Arm crossovers.

Make sure you are alternating which arm goes above the other with every rep.

This opens up your chest, shoulders and back.

Give it a go and report back to me.

This one is awesome, especially for opening up your rear delts and traps.

It's a must have before any exercises that involved your rear delts, including rear delt flyes (surprise surprise).

All you need is two dumbbells or a resistance band to do this.

Feels great.

External rotations.

Very naughty for the shoulders (nice).

Must do this before any shoulder exercises guys.

I'm using a dumbbell handle, but you could use just about anything to be honest.

Another shoulder rotation exercise.

I see a lot of guys doing this exercise and I don't blame you: it's great.

Use a cable, dumbbell handle, dumbbell or kettlebell...it all works equally well.

Be careful and take your time. Don't blast it, your shoulders are complicated.

Last but not least...

Shoulder circles.

10 forward 10 backwards.

Awesome for opening up your shoulders like the rest of the exercises in this thread.

Your shoulders will be well and truly ready for action after these exercises are done.

Ready to smash your bench press PR?