It’s so easy to just lace up your shoes, head out the door, and get your run started ASAP.
But if you are in the middle of training for a goal race or just want to get fitter or faster, one simple thing many runners forget to incorporate is the warmup. Just like it’s hard on a car’s engine to just rev it up and drive on a freezing day, not priming your body for the workout ahead keeps you from reaching your potential.
Give yourself a head start before your next run or race with the dynamic warmup moves shown in the video above. These exercises can be done anywhere, they can be done quickly, and they each provide a benefit to help you start stronger and go longer for any distance. (See written descriptions for the moves below.)
How to Start Running
Swing your leg back and forth across your torso; then, bring your knee up to chest level, kicking behind you. Do 10 swings for each leg.
All About 75 Hard
Walk forward, lifting your knee up and in toward your chest, holding for one second. Do 10 stretches for each leg.
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Walk forward, lifting your outside leg up and in toward your body with each step. Do 10 stretches for each leg.
Walking Lunge
Step forward with a long stride and drop your back leg toward the ground; focus on keeping your front knee over your ankle. Do 10 lunges for each leg.
Lizard Lunge
How I Broke a 3:30 Marathon After a Long Break.
Single-Leg Squat
Extend one leg out in front of you. Slowly lower down until upper legs are parallel; pause, then return to standing. Do 10 squats for each leg.
