Build Your Own 5-Minute Warm-Up (No More Guessing With Jumping Jacks)

Ever start a workout with three random arm circles and just… hope your body’s ready? Here’s a better way.

Hand Claude your age, your cranky knee, and today’s workout — and in about 60 seconds, you’ll have a custom warm-up sequence with exact reps, built just for you.

Sound familiar?

You know you’re supposed to warm up. But “warm up” always means the same three vague stretches, and they never quite match what you’re about to do.

Deadlifts, a run, yoga, whatever — the routine never changes. So half the time, you just skip it.

The 60-second fix

1. Open Claude (web, app, whichever you use).
2. Paste the prompt below and fill in your details.
3. Get a ready-to-follow sequence — copy it into your notes app or read it right before you move.

I need a personalized 5-minute warm-up routine.

My details:
- Age: [your age]
- Any injuries or limitations: [e.g., "sensitive lower back," "old ankle sprain," "none"]
- Today's workout: [e.g., "30-minute run," "upper body strength training," "beginner yoga"]

Please give me:
1. A sequence of 5-6 warm-up moves in order
2. Reps or time for each (e.g., "10 reps" or "30 seconds")
3. A modification for each move if it might bother my limitation
4. Keep the total time around 5 minutes

Real example

Input:

Age: 42. Old ankle sprain (right side). Today’s workout: 30-minute run.

Claude’s output:

5-Minute Pre-Run Warm-Up
1. Marching in place — 30 seconds (land softly, avoid rolling onto the outer edge of your right foot)
2. Ankle circles, both feet — 10 each direction (go slow on the right, stop if it pinches)
3. Walking lunges — 8 per leg (shorten the step on the right side if it feels unstable)
4. Leg swings (holding a wall) — 10 per leg, front-to-back
5. Glute bridges — 12 reps (activates hips before impact)
6. Light jog in place — 45 seconds, building up pace

Skip anything that causes sharp pain in the ankle — swap in extra marching instead.

That’s a routine built around your actual run and your actual ankle — not a generic list you’ll forget by move two.

Level up

• Ask Claude to make it a standing-only routine if you don’t want to get on the floor (great for office breaks before a walk).
• Say “make it 3 minutes instead of 5” for busy mornings — it’ll trim to the essentials.
• Ask for a cool-down version using the same details, right after your warm-up, so you’ve got both ends covered.

FAQ

Is an AI-generated warm-up actually safe if I have an injury?
It’s a good starting point, but it’s not a replacement for advice from a doctor or physical therapist, especially for a serious or recent injury. For everyday tightness or minor old injuries, a tailored, injury-safe warm-up plan like this is genuinely helpful.

Do I need to explain my injury in detail?
No — a simple phrase works fine, like “tight hamstrings” or “shoulder feels stiff in the morning.” Claude will build modifications around it.

Can I reuse the same prompt for different workouts?
Yes — that’s the point. Just swap out the “today’s workout” line each time and you’ll get a routine matched to that day’s session.

Today’s check-in

Try it before your next workout and reply with the sequence Claude gave you — we’d love to see what it builds for you. Tomorrow: we’ll show you how to pull clear action items out of a messy meeting transcript in seconds.