The Perfect Runners Warm Up

Most Runners are often guilty of skimping on their warm up and tend to dive straight into a vigorous run, which is like starting your car in 4th gear—inefficient, difficult and potentially damaging.

A warm up has a number of functions, it raises body temperature, increases heart rate and mobilises the joints, making running an easier and more comfortable task. While the main beneficiary of a warm up is for the body, the mind can also benefit. You can use the time to think over what you are going to do at each part of your running session, to ensure you run through your goals.

Even though running is predominantly a lower body activity, you don’t want to start running with stiffness or tension in other area.

Begin by gently mobilising the major joints of the body—the neck, shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankle. Movements should be gentle and smooth, controlled circling, bending and extending.

Take a walk and gradually increase your speed and range until you break in to a light jog.

Warm up the hamstrings by putting them through a full range of movement swing with no impact. Stand side on to a support and with your knee bent, lift the leg to hip height, and swing it up, down and back in a circular motion, the leg almost fully extended at the end of the back swing.

Do 10-20 on each leg, increasing the range and speed with each one but maintaining control throughout.

If you suffer from knee problems, ‘prone kicks’ are a good warm up exercise as they put your knee joints through the full range of motion without the impact of running. Lie face down—head resting on you folded arms and tummy gently pulled in. Bring one foot up towards the bottom and then back to the floor, then do the same with the other leg. Start slowly and gradually build up speed kicking for 2 minutes or counting 120 kicks. It’s important to not let the pelvis ‘rock’ during this exercise. Finish off with some ‘short runs’ (about 25m) in which you accelerate from a slow start to a brisk pace.

After these exercises you should be feeling warmer, have an increased heart rate, be slightly out of breath and Ready to Run.