by Glenn Magas

Created on: October 24, 2010

There are two school of thoughts for runners. One is that the start of their run is the warm up. Others believe that stretching and warming up properly will help prevent injuries and do a routine warm up before their run.

If you believe you should warm up, here are 4 of the best ways to get ready for your run. These 4 warm up exercises are great for both  the non-warm up believer and the runner who needs a warm up. Starting at the beginning of your run, these warm-ups will get you 150 yards into your run.

Warm up exercises to do before a run:

1. Forward Skips
2. Cross Over
3. High Knee Hugs
4. Leg Lift Marches

These 4 warm ups will build a solid foundation to stretch your lower back, open up your chest, shoulders and upper back, elongate your spine, and stretch your precious hamstrings.

1. Forward Skips

For 50 yards, do high knee skips with opposite arm swings.  The goal is not to skip too high, but to focus on posture while extending your lower back.  Do not do strenuous or fast skips, just enough to get your heart rate going and feeling the stretch in your lower back.

2. Cross Over

These are sideways, alternate foot crossovers.  For another 25 yards, following the forward skips, do a cross over set with your arms extended out at your side, then face the other way and continue for another 25 yards (total 50 yards). Focus on working a hip rotation while opening up your chest, shoulders and upper back.

3. High Knee Hugs

A little slower now but continuing to keep your heart rate up, walk 25 yards and with each step pause, lift leg, and grab knee, pulling into your chest. Extend the bottom foot up on your tippy toes then drop down to hug the other knee.  Work to elongate your spine, work the lower back, and focus on maintaining good posture and balance.

4. Leg Lift Marches

Your final 25 yards do leg lifts while you march. For each step, extend the arm straight out and swing  your same-side leg up trying to touch your toe. Keep both your arm and the lifted leg straight. Stretch your hamstrings but make sure to keep your spine straight.

At the end of these four warm up exercises before a run you should have traveled 150 yards. That’s a football field from end zone to end zone plus 30 more yards!

Traveling this distance while doing these 4 exercises will prime your legs, hamstrings, chest, back, and lungs as you transition immediately into your run!

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