Do These Stretches Before Every Run | Follow Along Running Warm Up, by The Running Channel on YouTube. 7 min 42 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 42 s
- Time to do it
- 8 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Start with easy movement to raise your heart rate and warm your muscles. Jog gently on the spot or walk briskly for about a minute.
Move on to dynamic stretches that take your joints through their full range. Swing your legs and circle your arms in smooth, controlled motions.
Activate the key running muscles with small controlled drills. Squeeze your glutes and hold briefly on each rep to wake the muscles up.
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Lift your hips into a glute bridge, squeeze at the top, then lower slowly. Do 10 to 12 reps.
Stand facing a wall and push off it with one leg at a time. Keep your body straight and drive through the hip to fire the glutes.
Do gentle hamstring swings or leg sweeps to loosen the back of your thighs. Keep the movement smooth and stop before you feel pain.
Step into a forward lunge, keeping your front knee over your ankle. Push back to standing and repeat on the other leg.
Add a few faster drills to prepare for interval work. Increase the pace of your leg swings and arm drives gradually.
Finish with B skips and a short run-through of good running form. Keep your posture tall and your steps light.
Tips and common mistakes
Keep every movement controlled and never bounce into a stretch.
Do the routine in the same order each time so it becomes a habit.
If a drill causes sharp pain, skip it and move to the next one.
Warm up on the surface you will run on when you can.
Questions
How long should a pre-run warm-up take?
About 8 to 10 minutes is enough for most runners. This routine fits in under 8 minutes once you know the moves.
Should I do static stretches before running?
Save long held stretches for after your run. Before running, use dynamic moves that keep your body moving.
Can beginners do this warm-up?
Yes. Do fewer reps and smaller ranges of motion at first, then build up as you get comfortable.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
