fbpx

What to Include in a Running Warm Up

By January 21, 2016Challenge 2016


dynamic-warmup

The purpose of the warm up is to warm the muscles, increase circulation and prepare your muscles to be on point to fire. Here’s how to perform a running warm up.

Step 1: Walk before you run.
Start with easy walking or jogging to warm your muscles and increase the blood and lymphatic flow. In my coaching experience, this is the one step many runners miss. It’s the most important since many of us go directly from bed or sitting at work to running without an adequate transition. When you invest in Step 1, it will optimize the transition from rest to running, which can help improve your performance. Walk easy for one minute, then walk briskly (on the edge of running) for one to two minutes before you start to run.

Step 2: Point massage.
If you have any niggling areas that are giving you trouble (like IT bandor calf tightness), do some self-massage with light, short strokes. The aim is to warm up this muscle group so there isn’t a high degree of tension, which can make you more prone to injury. Avoid any deep tissue release in the warmup since you don’t want to irritate the muscles before you head out to run or race. For instance, with the IT band, focus on using short, light circular rubbing up and down the leg. Again, you’re not trying to release the tension in the targeted spot but rather warm it up. If you don’t have any tight spots, skip this step.

Step 3: Be dynamic.
There are two types of stretching: static, where you hold a stretch without moving, and dynamic, where you move through a range of motion. The key for runners is to target the muscle groups used for running. You want to warm up with flexion and extension of the legs, and lateral movements, especially before harder effort runs or races. Warming up the hips, for instance is key because that’s where the hip flexors, psoas, and quads and hamstrings come in together.

Try these dynamic stretches:

  • Hip Circles: Standing with your feet hip width apart with your hands on your hips, rotate your hips in circles in a clockwise and then counterclockwise pattern ten times each direction.
  • Walking Lunges: Step forward with a long stride and drop your back leg towards the ground. Focus on keeping your front knee over your ankle and perform it in a slow and flowing motion.
  • Butt Kicks: Walk forward slowly while kicking your heels in towards your glutes for a total of 20 kicks (10 per leg).
  • Monster Walk: With you torso tall, walk forward while lifting your legs straight in front of you. Do it 10 times on each side.
  • Leg Swings: While holding onto something stable, swing one leg to your side and then back and across your torso. Perform the move 10 times each side.

Step 4: Run easy.
After the dynamic exercises, start running at an easy effort to continue to prepare your body for the upcoming workout. This will gradually increase your circulation to the working muscles, your respiration and allow you to get into the flow.


Keep in mind: Avoid static stretching i.e. holding stretches for a period of time before a run. Although it may seem counterintuitive, the goal of a running warm up is to warm the muscle, increase circulation and prepare the muscles to be on point to fire. Static stretching targets the muscle to relax, and impairs their ability to store energy. That’s not to say static stretching is bad, it’s not. But it doesn’t belong in a runner’s warmup routine.

32 Comments

  • I think what you said made a ton of sense. But, think about this, suppose you added a little
    information? I mean, I don’t wish to tell you how to run your website, however
    suppose you added something that grabbed folk’s attention? I
    mean What to Include in a Running Warm Up – Jenny Hadfield is kinda boring.
    You might glance at Yahoo’s front page and note how they write post headlines to get viewers interested.
    You might add a video or a picture or two to grab readers interested about what you’ve got to say.
    In my opinion, it could make your posts a little bit more interesting.

  • Woah! I’m really digging the template/theme
    of this blog. It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s tough to get that “perfect balance” between usability and
    appearance. I must say that you’ve done a superb
    job with this. In addition, the blog loads extremely quick
    for me on Internet explorer. Exceptional Blog!

  • Those users who buy the full version are certain to get
    full access to all its features and future posts as well.

  • Hey there I am so excited I found your web site, I really found you
    by mistake, while I was researching on Digg for something else, Regardless I am here now and would just like to say thank you for a marvelous post and a all round interesting blog (I also love
    the theme/design), I don’t have time to go
    through it all at the minute but I have saved
    it and also included your RSS feeds, so when I have time
    I will be back to read a great deal more, Please
    do keep up the superb jo.

  • Julianesays:

    You’ll find no real matter what is currently causing it 2 things that will continue to work and allow you to with your
    acne problem: avoidance and additional solutions.

  • What are the possible outcomes of a repossession court hearing.
    The best way out ffor that is to gget in touch with the Bankruptcy lawyer
    Arlington TX. Lying, when done for skiptracing purposes is called pretexting.

  • Infographic designer pros is a well established professional firm which is involved in this business since years and hence
    have a good knowledge and experience in this field.
    Infographics are colorful, and includes pictures and many attractive symbols and hence is very attractive piece of art.
    It is just a piece of art you can say, because it is done
    very artistically by well qualified artists.
    It’s the ability of your brain they we remember more of
    the visual pictures than texts and hence idea of using infographics
    emerged.
    A visual representation of data can make more impact than the usual boring text material as the individuals
    recall the information that they have seen rather than what they have read.
    Infographic designer pros have a powerful team of highly qualified artists and hence make the best
    of their designs for all of their customers. Because of their friendly
    behavior and flexibility in working they have been awarded as the top most firm
    in entire industry. They understand the needs of their customers very well and hence are able to satisfy
    them, whatever the conditions might be.

  • download attack on titan season 2 torrent

  • Remarkable discipline even so I am hesitant that I
    agree with you. Things such as this have chanbged the direction the search engines was
    put together and therefore fashioned. Can it be actually as easy as transitioning out
    the passion as well as looking at the a search engine change?

  • Le tarif d’un safari est tres eleve mais il est encore plus si vous ne partez
    qu’a deux personnes.

  • m88says:

    First off I would like to say fantastic blog! I had a quick
    question that I’d like to ask if you do not mind.

    I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind
    prior to writing. I have had difficulty clearing my thoughts in getting my thoughts out.
    I do take pleasure in writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes are wasted simply just trying to figure out how
    to begin. Any recommendations or hints? Many thanks!

  • Thank you for some other informative web site. The place else may I am getting that type of information written in such an ideal method?
    I have a challenge that I’m simply now working on, and I’ve been at the look out
    for such information.

  • Thank you for every other wonderful post. Where else may
    just anyone get that kind of info in such an ideal way of writing?

    I have a presentation next week, and I’m at the
    search for such info.

  • Great way to meet and socialize through the
    Internet. This beautiful and engrossing software program has a very simple design interface and an even better compilation process once a custom game is completed.
    Everyone from teens to adults is heavily involved in some or other type
    of entertainment and enjoying their daily lives.

  • Great way to meet and socialize through the Internet. Around 4:30 pm
    the other mother returned to retrieve her son. Deputies with the Sarasota County Sheriff’s
    Office say that the father got angry with his young son and pinned the boy to the couch with
    his 270 pound frame which prevented the child from
    being able to breathe, according to a January 1 report from NBC Bay Area News.

  • Wow, fantastic weblog layout! How lengthy have you
    been running a blog for? you make running a blog glance easy.
    The whole look of your site is great, let alone the content material!

  • The top 10 video games, all with a unique goal are discussed here.

    Modern arcade games evolved from these traditional arcade games
    with breath-taking graphics and mind-blowing innovations.
    Each glitch or error must be jotted down in a detailed report.

  • Hi friends, its enormous piece of writing concerning tutoringand entirely
    defined, keep it up all the time.

  • Hi there friends, how is everything, and what you would
    like to say regarding this article, in my view its in fact awesome designed for me.

  • I relish, cause I discovered just what I was looking for.
    You’ve ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Havee a great day.
    Bye

  • What’s up, yup this piece of writing is actually fastidious and
    I have learned lot of things from it about blogging.
    thanks.

  • In fact when someone doesn’t know then its up to other visitors that they will help, so here it takes place.

  • Tamelasays:

    Right away I am going to do my breakfast, afterward having my breakfast coming yet agin to
    read more news.

  • Hello there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after reading through some of
    the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless,
    I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll
    be book-marking and checking back frequently!

  • Leonelsays:

    Multiplique el efecto beneficioso del masaje activando
    el Thermal Massaging System, y sienta de qué manera el calor envuelve la parte inferior de su espalda.

  • Admiring the hard work you put into your blog and in depth information you offer.

    It’s awesome to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed information. Excellent read!
    I’ve saved your site and I’m including your RSS feeds to my Google account.

  • Piece of writing writing is also a excitement, if you be acquainted with after that you can write if not it is complex to write.

  • Forr gamblers, andd in this case those that like to pplay blackjack, the Android Market has a lot
    to offer. For example, let’s look at Fantastic Four slot
    game which is based on Marvel Hero comics and powered by Wager – Logiic
    software company. Now that you still have the chance
    of playing it, then I am seriously encourage yyou to noot
    just try butt play casino roulette, the best gae on earth.

  • What’s up friends, its fantastic article regarding tutoringand fully defined, keep it up all the time.

  • Once you have selected an working system, some other issues to consider
    are the fashion and particular features that you just’d like your smartwatch to have.

  • Barrysays:

    Hi there to every one, the contents existing at this website
    are really remarkable for people experience, well, keep up the good work fellows.

  • I usually do nnot drop a comment, however I glanced thrtough a few comments here What to Include in a Running
    Warm Up – Jenny Hadfield. I do have a couple of questions for youu if
    it’s okay. Could it be simply me or do a few of these responses look likie they aree coming from brain dead visitors?
    😛 And, if you are posting at other places, I’d like to keep up with
    everything fresh you have to post. Would you post a ist
    of the complete urlks off all your social pages like your linkedin profile,
    Facebook page or twitter feed?

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.