Doing a warm up before running is really important, but why and what’s an effective warm up?
by Zoe, Student Physio
Whether you are preparing for an event, like the Eastleigh 10k, or going for a run around the block, warm ups are always important to complete before setting off. Warms ups are often over looked and rushed by the fitness world for a number of reasons.
So if you find a warm up boring, or you just don’t know where to start, here’s some information and brief examples of what makes an effective warm up.
What is a warm up and what should it consist of?
A warm up is any activity that prepares an individual to meet the demands of their exercise/sport.
It helps to increase core and muscle temperature to make muscles looser and more pliable, as well as help increase respiratory and heart rate to increase oxygen and blood supply to the working muscles.
It mainly consists of a pulse raiser, stretching and skill-based practice.
Get the heart pumping:
The first part of a warmup is usually a pulse raiser, which aims to increase blood and oxygen supply to the working muscles before intense exercise. It also prepares the muscles for stretching by increasing the temperature to make them looser.
Examples of a pulse raiser: brisk walking, swimming, jogging, jumping/skipping, step machine, cross trainer.
Stretch it out:
When told to stretch, most people will think of the standard “stand and hold for 10 seconds” type of stretches. However, these are no longer recommended before a run as it may reduce muscle power. Instead, dynamic stretches are now recommended as they allow the muscles to move through the full range while keeping the body moving.
Some ideas of dynamic stretches: shoulder rotations, walking lunges, leg swings, torso twists, high knees, heel flicks.
Practice your skills:
A part of the warmup that is often missed is specific skills practice. During specific skills practice, usually a more vigorous activity is performed. Specific practice should include skills that are specific to and mimic the actions required during your exercise. Specific skills practice has shown to increase efforts towards training, as well as improve form and technique.
Some examples of specific skills practice for running include hopping, side skips, bounding from 2 feet, A-skips, grapevine/carioca.
Bits to remember:
- When running, do not push your body to go further than it feels it can do. This is how mistakes and injuries can happen. It’s much easier for you to reduce your mileage and give your body the rest it needs than overexert it to the point of injury just to meet a personal best.
- With every workout, make sure you complete a thorough cool down. This helps the body to remove the waste products produced during your session, which reduces the effects of muscle soreness.
- When preparing for your run, make sure you have eaten an adequate amount to energise yourself for the workout you are about to undergo, so that your body is ready to perform. Remember to make sure you leave enough time to digest, to avoid stomach cramping.
- Always remember to bring your water bottle and stay hydrated!
