Joint Warmup Quick Review

Lower Body Middle Body Upper Body
Circle Toes in Front
Circle Toes in Front
Circle Knees
Circle Hips
Scoop and Rotate Hips
Circle Wrists
Palms up and out, Rotate Heel outward
Palms down and out, Rotate Heel inward
Circle Shoulders
Circle Neck Vertebrae
Follow Chin downward to outward and back

Joint Warm up

Synovial joints need movement. Movement moves synovial fluid in and out of the cartilage. This action provides nutrition for the joint and carries away waste. This movement is essential to cartilage nutrition and health. Always warm up synovial joints before undertaking vigorous exercise. This is not vigorous exercise -- it should be a series of gentle movements.

  • Toe circles

    • Rotate pointing your big toe downward to the left and then to the right.

  • Toe circles below ankles

    • Step past your foot and rotate pointing your big toe downward to the right and left. This puts your ankle over your foot.

  • Knee circles

    • Place your palms on your knees and feet together. Rotate left and then right. Do not put any downward pressure on your knees.

  • Hip circles

    • Feet together, rotate in a horizontal plane to move your vertebrae from the hip to the neck.

  • Hip rotation

    • Feet shoulder width apart, scoop your hips inward and outward like a belly dancer.

  • Wrist circles

    • Use one wrist to drive the other passively left and right. Reverse and drive the other wrist passively left and right.

  • Palms up and out - elbow inward movement, twist heel out

    • Place palm up and keep turning it inward until it moves outward -- assist by turning with the other hand. Twist the heel outward rotating the hip joint. Do both sides.

  • Palms down and out - elbow outward movement, twist heel in

    • Turn the palm downward and keep turning outward until it reaches its limit -- assist by turning with the other hand. Twist the heel inward rotating the hip joint. Do both sides.

  • Shoulder circles

    • Circle upwards on right side while circling downwards on left side. This reverses as you complete the circle. Reverse directions several times.

  • Neck circles using knife edge of hand hand

    • Use the edge of the little finger to form a ridge against the neck. Make small circles on each vertebrae of the neck. Repeat going the other direction with small circles.

  • Neck to chest, follow chin outward and back to center

    • Drop the neck downward to chest. Follow the chin to the right to the corner of the jaw. Follow it back to the center of the chin. Repeat on the left.

    Developed by David Scott as taught by Mike Patterson to prepare the body for a vigorous workout in the traditional Hsing I Chuan arts as taught by Master Hsu Hong Chi in Taiwan.

    © 2009 David Scott -- All rights Reserved