What should a warm-up contain, and for how long? The NHS sets out a five-move routine and says it should take at least 6 minutes: marching on the spot for 3 minutes, 60 heel digs in 60 seconds, 30 knee lifts in 30 seconds, shoulder rolls and knee bends. We set out the original and added up the time.
1. Why. The NHS says warming up properly before exercising prevents injury and makes workouts more effective.
2. How long. The routine should take at least 6 minutes; warm up for longer if you feel the need.
3. What. March on the spot → heel digs → knee lifts → shoulder rolls → knee bends.
The five moves — as the NHS gives them
| Move | Amount | How |
|---|---|---|
| March on the spot | 3 minutes | March on the spot, then forwards and backwards. Pump your arms in rhythm with your steps, elbows bent and fists soft. |
| Heel digs | 60 in 60 seconds | Place alternate heels to the front with the front foot pointing up, and punch out with each heel dig. Keep a slight bend in the supporting leg. |
| Knee lifts | 30 in 30 seconds | Stand tall and bring up alternate knees to touch the opposite hand. Abs tight, back straight, a slight bend in the supporting leg. |
| Shoulder rolls | 2 sets of 10 | Keep marching on the spot. Roll your shoulders forwards 5 times and backwards 5 times, arms loose by your sides. |
| Knee bends | 10 repetitions | Feet shoulder-width apart, hands stretched out. Lower yourself no more than 10cm by bending your knees, then come up. |
The knee bend is not a deep squat — the original says to lower yourself no more than 10cm.
Adding up the time — our arithmetic
- The three timed moves: 3 minutes + 60 seconds + 30 seconds = 4 minutes 30 seconds
- Shoulder rolls: 5 forwards + 5 backwards is a set of 10, so 2 sets is 20 rolls
- No time is given for shoulder rolls and knee bends. With “at least 6 minutes” overall, that leaves 1 minute 30 seconds or more for those two
Heel digs and knee lifts both work out at about one a second. If that pace is too much, we suggest keeping to the time rather than the count (this line is our suggestion, not in the original).
A 6-minute running order — our example
The original gives an amount for each move but no overall timetable. This is one way we split it to fit “at least 6 minutes”.
| Clock | Move | Easy to miss (original) |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 to 3:00 | March on the spot | Also march forwards and backwards |
| 3:00 to 4:00 | 60 heel digs | Front foot pointing up, supporting leg slightly bent |
| 4:00 to 4:30 | 30 knee lifts | Knee to the opposite hand, back straight |
| 4:30 to 5:15 | Shoulder rolls, 2 sets | Keep marching throughout |
| 5:15 to 6:00 | 10 knee bends | No lower than 10cm |
Giving 45 seconds to each of the last two moves is our split. The original sets no time for them, so going slowly past 6 minutes is fine — it says to warm up for longer if you feel the need.
Alongside other NHS guidance
- The running plan — Couch to 5K starts every session with a 5-minute walk and ends with one (Couch to 5K). This warm-up also opens with 3 minutes of marching.
- Walking — a brisk 10-minute walk is itself exercise that counts towards 150 minutes a week (brisk walking). The 6-minute warm-up sits in front of the main session, and this page does not say whether it counts towards the 150.
- Intensity — the page does not state the intensity of the five moves either. A way to gauge it yourself is in the talk test.
The video and the safety note
- The page also carries a 5-minute basic warm-up video, described as suitable for all levels, to do before more rigorous exercise.
- The video series is general exercise suitable for most people in good health with a reasonable level of fitness.
- Get advice from a healthcare professional first if you are unsure the exercises suit your fitness, have a health problem, injury or symptoms, have had a recent event such as a heart attack or operation, or are pregnant or have recently given birth.
- Stop immediately if you feel any pain or become unwell.
Checklist
- ☐ At least 6 minutes before exercise
- ☐ Start with 3 minutes of marching on the spot
- ☐ 60 heel digs, 30 knee lifts
- ☐ 2 sets of shoulder rolls, 10 knee bends (no more than 10cm)
- ☐ Stop if it hurts
Questions that remain
Do I need to warm up just to walk?
This NHS page does not distinguish types of exercise. Walking itself is in brisk walking, and the 5-minute warm-up walk in the running plan is in Couch to 5K.
What if standing is difficult?
Every move here is done standing. Seated moves are set out separately in sitting exercises.
For afterwards, the five stretches the NHS sets out separately (about 5 minutes, 15 to 20 seconds each) are in how to stretch after exercise.
Sources
- NHS — How to warm up before exercising (reviewed 24 June 2026; next review due 24 June 2029; checked 2 October 2026). At least 6 minutes, the amount and method of the five moves, the 5-minute video and the safety note.
- Our own working. The 4 minutes 30 seconds, 20 rolls and 1 minute 30 seconds are ours.
Where to check further
- Exercise intensity — the talk test.
- Strength work — strength exercises for older adults.
Written on 2 October 2026. The moves and amounts are as the NHS gives them; the time arithmetic is ours.
