You can’t just jump into your workout and expect to perform like a superhero. Without a proper warmup, you could wind up doing less than your best—or even worse, getting injured.
Don’t just skip out on the prep work. Before your next session, try this dynamic starter, resisted marches, from trainer Don Saladino, who developed the workout programs actors like Ryan Reynolds and Sebastian Stan used to get into superhero shape for their roles in Deadpool and the Avengers, respectively.
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“This exercise is also great for getting people in the right posture when warming up for sprint work,” Saladino says. “It has you working on mobility, which is a combination of strength and flexibility, while getting the heart rate going.”
To perform the move as demonstrated by Saladino below, you’ll need a set of resistance bands and a partner to hold them. You can also attach a band to an anchor like a squat rack if you don’t have a training partner handy, then loop it around your waist. If you need a solid set of resistance bands, check out this option from WODFitters.
- Loop the band around your waist. Have your partner standing behind you, holding the band taut. They should provide some resistance by holding the band, but they shouldn’t be actively pulling and jerking it back to keep your from advancing. If you don’t have a partner, walk out in front of your anchor so that the band becomes taut.
- Begin marching straight ahead, focusing on your form. Squeeze your core to keep your torso upright, and avoid leaning too far forward or bending your spine.
- Drive your right knee up while simultaneously swinging your left hand up like a sprinter, then plant your right foot down into the ground and swing your left arm back as you reverse the motion and stride with your left leg.
March for either 30 seconds or 40 yards to start. If you don’t have a partner and your band is attached to an anchor, walk out to the extent of the band’s stretch, then return to the start. Keep it up for 30 seconds.
For more superhero-body building moves, you can check out all of our Superhero Fit Workouts or Saladino’s full program.