--- title: Water Polo Pre-Workout Warm-up description: A look at water polo - specific warmup exercises, part of the Pre-Workout Warmup image: https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1375284563.jpg --- [![BridgeAthletic Blog](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1317417595.png?width=150&height=50&name=file-1317417595.png "BridgeAthletic Blog")](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com) - [BridgeAthletic.com→](https://bridgeathletic.com/) ![](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1375284563.jpg) December 12, 2014 By Nick Folker # Water Polo Pre-Workout Warm-up Share: - - -   ![ODP pre-workout warmup](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1375284563.jpg?width=1024&name=file-1375284563.jpg "ODP pre-workout warmup") This post is part one of our four part [USA Water Polo ODP](http://www.usawaterpolo.org/odp/) dry-land series.     Along with the US Water Polo Olympic Development Program, we have created a pre-workout warm-up to prepare athletes for each training session with an emphasis on injury prevention. This dynamic warm-up is comprised of active stretching and repetitions that prime the body for exercise by increasing blood flow to working muscles and activating the nervous system. A dynamic warm-up elevates an athlete's body temperature to an optimal level for muscular contraction. The movement patterns required in a dynamic warm-up demand neuromuscular coordination. Prior to a workout, the rehearsal of these movements and the steady increase in body temperature help loosen muscles and surrounding tissue. The pre-workout warm-up includes whole body movement patterns and incorporates various muscle group. Listed below are a few examples to get you started.     **Jumping Jacks** A full-body warm-up movement to elevate heart rate and raise core temperature.   **Skiers** Another dynamic warm-up to prepare your upper and lower body.   **Toy Soldiers** A non-static leg raise targeting your hamstrings.   **90/90’s** Shoulder rotations to help warm-up the rotator cuff. Water polo athletes should focus their attention on warming up their rotator cuff--especially in the shooting arm--to prevent injury.   **Pumps** Range of motion warm-up for the shoulders with an emphasis on overhead activation.    **Handles** Shoulder and chest wamrup.   **Bent-Over Windmill** Chest stretch to open up your chest and back.  The bent position helps activare the hamstrings and back.     [![Download Take Your Shot at Greatness](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/414934/07278b80-28e0-4ae1-accf-96c62a9e315d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/414934/07278b80-28e0-4ae1-accf-96c62a9e315d) To sign up for a BridgeAthletic training program, visit our water polo page [here](http://bridgeathletic.com/waterpolo). To learn more about BridgeAthletic, visit our main website [here](http://bridgeathletic.com). To learn more about USA Water Polo, or USA Water Polo ODP, visit their site [here](http://usawaterpolo.org). #### About the Author [Nick Folker](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/author/nick-folker) ![](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1250764216.jpg?width=75&name=file-1250764216.jpg) Nick Folker is the Co-Founder and Director of Elite Performance at BridgeAthletic. Nick’s roster of athletes includes 35 Olympians winning 22 Olympic Medals, 7 team NCAA Championships and over 170 individual and relay NCAA championships. ### Related Posts [![](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hubfs/athlete-plays-ice-hockey-in-an-arena-2026-01-07-05-48-05-utc%20(1).jpg)](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/nhl-testing-without-test-day) June 30, 2026 #### [How NHL Teams Are Tracking Performance...](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/nhl-testing-without-test-day) The new NHL CBA removes mandatory fitness testing during training camp and the regular season. For... 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[Read More](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/does-powerlifting-health) ## Subscribe to our blog Bunch of awesome content ![Bridge Logo-Black-1200px](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hubfs/Bridge%20Logo-Black-1200px.svg) - - - - © 2026 BridgeAthletic [Bridge Blog](https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/) [Explore BridgeAthletic ➞](https://www.bridgeathletic.com) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Nick Folker", "url" : "https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/author/nick-folker" }, "datePublished" : "2014-12-13T01:02:00.000Z", "headline" : "Water Polo Pre-Workout Warm-up", "image" : [ "https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hs-fs/hub/414934/file-1375284563.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/odp-pre-workout-warmup", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.bridgeathletic.com/hubfs/Bridge%20Logo%20Black%20%5B1200%5D.png" }, "name" : "BridgeAthletic" } } ```