Possibly the best thing you can do before you begin your workout session is warm up. Basically, warming up is telling your body to prepare for exercise, and in turn, this can prevent any unnecessary injuries. Besides preparing your body, warming up can also prepare your mind for exercise and engage your brain.

So how do you warm up correctly to get the best results? Warming up is so important, but it shouldn't only consist of a few jumping jacks or basic stretches. Take that extra time to prepare your body properly using these effective steps and apps.

1. Plan, Plan, Plan | My Workout Plan

Ahead of doing anything else, planning is crucial! Having an effective workout plan in place saves time, but it can also help you stick to your schedule and not skip anything important, such as your warm-up. My Workout Plan is an app that every exercise enthusiast should have on their mobile device.

This workout app gives you the freedom to completely plan out, manage, track, and customize your warm-up and workout routines. Combine whatever exercises you'd like from the catalog, including weightlifting, yoga, and cardio exercises. Moreover, you can share your workout plans with the community or download programs shared by others.

Download: My Workout Plan for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

2. Drink Plenty of H2O | Water Time Tracker

Hydration is an important factor during a warm-up as it can help prepare your body for your upcoming exercise session. Unfortunately, as easy as drinking water seems, it's not easy to keep a record of how much you're drinking and if it's enough. That's where an awesome water reminder app, like Water Timer Tracker, comes into play.

With the incorporation of frequent drinking notifications as well as fun virtual achievements, the app makes it impossible not to stay hydrated throughout the day. To input your liquid consumption, select your beverage of choice and tap the glass. Additionally, you can hold down on the screen to change the volume.

Download: Water Time Tracker for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

3. Take a Pre-Workout Supplement | Cronometer

If you want to level up your warm-ups, why not add a pre-workout supplement into the mix? Pre-workout supplements can give you more energy and boost your workouts. To help you log and track your pre-workout intake, use the Cronometer app. As you log in your daily supplements on the app, you can also view a detailed breakdown of the nutritional facts.

If you want easy access to an item, you can scan the barcode of your pre-workout supplements and add them to your Favorites list. Besides logging your supplement intake, you can use the app to log any meals, notes, exercise, or biometric information.

Download: Cronometer for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

4. Use a Foam Roller | Fitify

A good foam rolling session is one of the best ways to warm up your muscles. Fitify is the ultimate all-in-one workout app that offers so much variety, including a selection of foam roller workouts. To find the foam roller workouts, navigate to the Exercise Packs tab, and tap download.

Here, you can browse through over 50 foam roller exercises that target various muscle groups, including the abs and core or simple stretching. The basic foam roller stretching section is likely the best option for a warm-up to avoid overexerting yourself. Alternatively, you could use Fitify to do the rest of your workout too—as the app has plenty of options. For instance, the app offers workouts using your body weight, like HIIT, cardio, and yoga.

Download: Fitify for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

5. Try Some Dynamic Movements | Stretch & Flexibility

To start your workout session on the right foot, try some dynamic movements and stretching. Simply put, dynamic movements involve stretching your muscles through their full range of motion. The Stretch & Flexibility app can help you practice stretching and improve your mobility and act as your perfect stretching partner. To get started, choose what you're interested in accomplishing. For example, warming up, cooling down, or correcting your posture.

From there, you'll be met with a large library of various stretching workouts. You have the choice to customize the workouts by replacing exercises, reordering them, or changing the duration of each exercise. The Stretch & Flexibility app makes it effortless to follow along during a workout, as there is a helpful voice guide along with workout tips.

Download: Stretch & Flexibility for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

6. Do a Light Cardio Warm Up | ASICS Runkeeper

A light cardio workout is essentially any physical activity that gets your heart pumping without it going through the roof. A gentle run or jog is an effective and easy form of light cardio that can help loosen up your muscles before your workout session. ASICS Runkeeper is an app designed to help you get your run done right! Use the app to do a guided running workout, and it'll feel as if you've got a coach by your side.

On the other hand, you can select a workout, and your favorite music, and track your runs in real time without a coach. But ASICS Runkeeper is not just an app for running; you can use it to track a range of physical activities, from swimming and biking to rowing and walking.

Download: ASICS Runkeeper for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

7. Activate Your Muscles Using Yoga | Find What Feels Good

If you exercise regularly, you can benefit greatly from doing a yoga session before your workout. It's best to focus on yoga stretches and movements that target the muscles you're going to use during your main training. Get your body warmed up using the Find What Feels Good yoga app. The app boasts almost 900 yoga and mindfulness videos, with plenty of options and a range of skill levels.

It's super simple to look for and schedule a yoga session as you can search by intensity, focus, length, and even by the teacher. For a quick warm-up, try the under 10-minute sessions or go for one that's gentle in intensity. However, you could opt for a more extended session if you really want to raise your heart rate.

Download: Find What Feels Good for iOS | Android (Free, subscription available)

These Warm-Up Apps Can Truly Wake Up Your Muscles

Are you a fan of hiking mountain trails, running on the treadmill, taking dance classes with friends, or lifting weights? No matter what your favorite form of exercise is, it's vital that you take the time to warm up your body.

A lot of people choose to jump straight into their workout without a warm-up. However, not only can this sometimes lead to serious injuries, but it can also diminish your athletic performance. Warming up is a practice that readies your body for your upcoming workout, so you just cannot skip it. Overall, if you want to get the best out of your next workout session, try these apps!