Activate key running and walking muscles with light weights, by Penny's Yoga Experience on YouTube. 17 min 2 s.
- Video length
- 17 min 2 s
- Time to do it
- 17 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 6
What you need
Steps
Lay out your mat and put a pair of light dumbbells and a chair within reach. Both are optional, so skip them if you are working with bodyweight only.
Start with gentle mobility to wake up your hips, ankles and shoulders. Move slowly through small ranges and keep breathing so stiff joints loosen before you add any load.
Move into the standing lower body warm-up. Shift your weight side to side, squeeze your glutes at the top of each small squat and keep your knees tracking over your toes.
Pick up the dumbbells for the Romanian deadlift to bent-over row. Hinge at the hips with a flat back, lower until you feel your hamstrings stretch, then stand and row the weights to your ribs.
Add lunges to link your upper and lower body. Step back or forward, keep your front knee over your ankle and rest a hand on the chair if balance feels tricky.
Finish with the cool down. Slow your breathing and stretch your glutes, hamstrings and hips, holding each stretch easy rather than pushing into pain.
Tips and common mistakes
Use weights light enough to control every rep. A pair of 1 to 3 kg dumbbells is plenty for a warm-up.
If you feel the hinge in your lower back instead of your hamstrings, shorten the range and push your hips further back.
Keep the whole routine easy. A warm-up should leave you warm, not out of breath.
Head out for your run within about 10 minutes of finishing so your muscles stay warm.
Questions
Can I do this warm-up without dumbbells?
Yes. The routine works with bodyweight only. The weights just add a little extra load to the hip hinge and row.
How long before a run should I do this?
Start about 20 minutes before you head out. That gives you a few minutes spare at the end so your muscles are still warm when you begin.
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes, it suits all fitness levels. Use the chair for balance and keep the ranges small until the movements feel familiar.
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.
