You may wonder why warming up is so important before a run. Well, we’re here to tell you that without a proper prerun warmup, you could land in some trouble down the line—a.k.a. seriously sore muscles or even worse, injury.
That’s because if you start out too fast, you increase the risk of pulling a muscle, injuring a tendon or joint, or running a pace that you simply can’t sustain. The result? You end up slowing down and burning out before you’re done with your workout. The worst part is that you’re likely to end your run feeling exhausted, discouraged, and dreading your next workout.
A smart running warmup gives your muscles, Drills to Improve Your Form and Speed heart rate, and makes it easier to get into the rhythm you want to sustain so you can run—and finish—feeling exhilarated and energized enough to go longer.
A study In Defense of Walking More and Running Less Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research even backs the benefits of a running warmup: Researchers found that when runners performed a dynamic stretching Updated: Sep 01, 2023 10:15 AM EDT treadmill workout, they were better able to sustain a hard effort for longer than those who didn’t.
Moreover, a study published the This Dynamic Warmup Takes Less Than 5 Minutes found that athletes who did a 20-minute warmup before performing weighted lunges (compared to those who didn’t, and those who only did a cooldown) had the highest pain threshold and reported relatively ache-free muscles in the days following the experiment.
With that in mind, follow this three-step method to warm up before running to keep you feeling your best.
First, Just Walk
Walk How to Prep for Running When Its Cold Out.
Lots of us runners write off walking. But it’s actually the ideal low-intensity activity to ease your body out of sitting mode and into workout mode. The motion of walking takes the muscles, tendons, and joints through a range of motion that’s similar to what it will go through in running, explains exercise physiologist Janet Hamilton, running coach and owner of Running Strong.
Do not confuse strides with overstriding, warns Hamilton core, but it also enhances the blood flow to all the muscles you’ll need for running and sends your brain the message that it’s time to go. Walking Micro-Walks Could Seriously Boost Your Health injury.
Next, Add Strides
Health & Injuries strides. Strides (also called “pickups”) flood the muscles with blood, recruit your Best Running Shoes 2025, and help your body transition from walking to running mode. Here’s how to do them:
- Jog easy for at least two minutes—preferably more.
- A smart running warmup gives your.
- After each stride, walk around and shake out your legs for 90 seconds.
- Then stride back in the opposite direction.
- Jog easy for at least two minutespreferably more.
Do not confuse “strides” with “overstriding,” warns Hamilton. Overstriding—extending your foot and leg far out in front of your knee—is a common cause of injury. Be sure to keep your steps short and quick as you perform the strides. Keep your feet and legs underneath your torso during each push.
Lastly, Add Dynamic Stretches
Static stretching, in which you hold a muscle in an elongated, fixed position for 30 seconds or more, is now discouraged prerun. But dynamic stretching, in which you utilize controlled leg movements to improve range of motion, loosens up muscles and increases heart rate, How To Train Your Brain To Love Exercise.
Try this routine, which targets the major muscles used for running. Start slowly, focusing on form; as the moves get easier, pick up speed. Use small movements for the first few reps, and increase the range of motion as you go.
Skip: Start by skipping for 25 to 50 meters, gradually increasing the height and range of each skip as you go.
Side Step/Shuffle: Step to the side, 10 to 20 meters to the right, then 10 to 20 meters to the left. You can do it walking and gradually progress to a jog. As muscles start to warm up, build the intensity so that you cover as much ground as possible with as few steps as possible.
Weave Step (Grapevine): Step right foot to the right, then step left food behind right foot. Step right foot to the right again, but then step left foot in front of right foot. Keep repeating this for 10 to 20 meters to the right, then reverse the pattern to the left. Keep alternating between right and left. Like the Side Step/Shuffle, you can start by walking, then ramp up the intensity to a jog, trying to move as quickly as possible.
Backward Jog: Start with 50-meter segments, stay light on toes and use arms for momentum.
Butt Kick: While standing tall, walk forward as you draw heel to glute. When this is easy, try it while jogging. Do 10 reps on each side. Too easy? Alternate butt kicks with high knees. Do five butt kicks, then do five high-knee steps. The butt kicks stretch the quads, and the high knees stretch the glutes.
Hacky Sack: Lift left leg, rotating hip and bending knee so it points out. Tap the inside of left foot with right hand without bending forward. Repeat 10 times on each side. This stimulates the balance you need when you start running.
Toy Soldier: Keeping back tall and knees straight, walk forward, lifting one leg at a time straight out in front, flexing toes. Advance this by adding a skipping motion. Do 10 reps on each side.
