Striding To Success: 5 Essential Warm-Ups For Runners

Why bother warming up? All it does is use energy that you’ll need for your run.

Running is one of those self-competitive sports. Sometimes you want to try and beat your time from the previous week or even smash a PB.  So why waste energy on a warm up. Why not save it for the run?

Here, we’ll be looking at the reasons why it’s essential that you warm up before a run. We’ll also give you some sample exercises—used by professional athletes—to make sure you are properly warmed up and ready to run to your full potential.

Let’s go.

Why do you need to warm up?

There are four main reasons: why runners should always warm up properly…

• It helps to get your circulatory system moving, waking up your body and preparing it for the task ahead.
• It helps to raise your VO2 max, meaning you can utilise oxygen more efficiently when you run, which will allow you to run faster.
• It helps to prevent injury by making sure you don’t set off on your runs with a ‘cold start’.
• It helps with recovery, and reduces the chance of post-run muscle soreness.

A good warm-up helps to increase your heart rate and improve muscle performance. It works by raising the temperature of your body, which helps to lower resistance. This means you are ready to perform at your best.

Read: 10 Essential Marathon Training Tips For First Time Runners

5 essential warm-up exercises for runners

A short warm-up of just five minutes is better than none, but you should usually aim for between 10 and 15 minutes, performing each exercise with good form to get in the zone.

Let’s look at five of the best exercises for getting all of your running muscle properly warmed up and ready for optimum performance.

1. Arm circles

Targets: Chest, deltoids, upper back

One of the simplest but most effective warm-ups, arm circles should be on your list. To perform them correctly you should…

•  Stand straight with your feet at shoulder width.
• Your arms should be extended outwards.
• Slowly make small circles with your arms.
• Gradually make them bigger and smaller again.
• Each rep should last around 15 seconds.
• Alternate the direction of the circles with each rep.
• Keep your back straight at all times.  
• Perform two or three reps.

2. Forward and side lunges

Targets: Muscles in the thighs, quads, hips, calves, and glutes. 

Lunges are one of the most powerful ways to kick-start your muscles.  Here’s how to do them properly…

• Start by standing straight, then take one step forward and lunge at approximately a 90-degree angle.
• Repeat with your other leg.
• Standing up, take a step forward with one foot and lunge into a 90-degree angle.
• Switch legs and repeat.

The quality of the lunge is more important than the quantity, but you should aim to do five per leg.

3. Frankenstein walk

Targets: Hamstrings

To perform this exercise correctly, it’s important to keep your torso upright and resist the temptation to bend at the waist. Here’s how to get it just right…

• Stand up straight with your arms extended straight out in front of you, palms facing down. 
• Stretch your left leg in front of you at a 90-degree angle, and reach to touch your toes with your opposite hand. 
• Walk forward with your right leg and repeat with alternate hand and leg. 
• Repeat four times with each leg.

4. Hip rotations

Targets: Hips, agility, and strength

Hip rotations are great for stretching muscles that are essential for your running performance, including the deep hip rotators.

They’re an essential part of any good runner’s warm-up routine. Here’s how to do them…

• Stand tall with your hands on your hips
• Slowly make big circles with your waist. 
• Perform this repetition three times in each direction. 

5. Mountain climbers

Targets: Abdominal muscles, and boosting your VO2 max levels. 

Mountain climbers are great for strengthening your shoulders, hamstrings, triceps, quads and core.

• To perform a proper mountain climber, start as if you were performing a push up. 
• Engage your code and bring your knees to your chest in a running motion. 
• This can be a strenuous exercise, so just short bursts are needed. 
• We suggest you perform one or two reps of mountain climbers at around 15 seconds each.

Read: How To Improve Endurance And Level Up Your Workout

How to improve your running performance

So now you know how to properly warm up, let’s get down to the nitty gritty and up your running game. 

As with other forms of exercise, gradual progression is the key to long-term success. Don’t try and go all out right at the start. Slow and steady wins the race.

Here are some changes you can make to get yourself running more powerfully than ever before.

Increase your weekly mileage, gradually

Once you are accustomed to getting out there for a few days each week, you can start to add an extra kilometer or two to your distance and even an extra day or two. This will boost your speed and endurance over time.

Get plenty of sleep

Sleep is an essential part of the exercise routine as it allows your body to recharge. Without an adequate sleep you’ll be found wanting. Make sure you get at least seven hours of quality sleep each night.

Include some high-intensity exercises

Most of your training runs should be at a modest effort, concentrating on the time you spend running rather than how far and fast you go. If you want to progress faster, it’s a good idea to Include short sprints to improve your speed and VO2 max..

Eat and drink properly

Your running diet should consist of plenty of protein carbs and healthy fats. Salmon is the superfood of runners, and adding some leafy green veg to the side is the perfect choice for dinner.  

Don’t forget to keep hydrated, and not just before you are about to run. Make sure you drink enough water  throughout the day as well as before, during and after your run.

Read: Can You Eat Too Much Protein?

Improve your running form

You might think you know how to run, but get someone to take a video of you when you run and you might change your mind. 

Go for some slow exaggerated running sessions where you concentrate on where you place your arms and legs when running.

Give yourself time to recover

We get it, you want to put the work in, but your muscles aren’t going to develop without sufficient rest. 

Allow for a proper rest day or two  between hard sessions and include easy runs in your training plan to promote recovery and prevent burnout.

Take supplements

A supplement is a great way to ensure you're getting all of the necessary nutrients into your system to cope with the demands of running. 

Yes, your main source should come from whole foods, but taking a supplement will give you extra resources to pull from if you need them. Ideally, you should go for some creatine for energy, protein for muscle-building and recovery, and a pre-workout for those tough speed sessions.

Read: The Ultimate Guide To Creatine

How can Crazy Nutrition help?

Crazy Nutrition’s Ultimate Fitness Stack is designed to boost your athletic performance, and improve focus and energy. 

Creatine: Perfect for sprinting sessions when you need that extra kick

Pre-train: A pre-workout that will get you ready to push hard

Tri-protein: For energy release, muscle building, and speeding up recovery.

It’s the perfect support for your running, to help you power to the next level. Go get some.

FAQs

Should you run immediately after warming up?

A warm-up will get your body in a “ready” state for the physical activity you have planned. So you can allow a few minutes to pass before running if you’ve warmed up well.

What is the purpose of a warm-up?

The warm-up prepares your body for hard physical activity and allows your heart rate to rise and pump oxygen around your system to get your body in a state of readiness. 

Without a warm up, your body will be shocked into action and this can lead to premature fatigue or injury.