Here's what seven experts have to say on the importance of a warm-up and the most effective ways to get ready for a run.
Don't Skip the Warm-Up
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"A warm-up activity serves two major purposes—to enhance performance and prevent injury. Consequently, a warm-up is both physical and mental."
"Part of a warm-up process includes getting your head ready for the upcoming activity. Mentally preparing for the upcoming workout, or event, is thought to improve technique, skill and coordination."
-- Gale Bernhardt
Enhance Your Performance
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"Warming up is necessary before any race or workout in which your pace will exceed your lactate threshold pace, or the fastest pace you could sustain for an hour in a race. A proper warm-up before high-intensity running will enhance your performance and also reduce muscle damage incurred during the run, so you're not as sore the next day."
-- Matt Fitzgerald
Avoid Static Stretching
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"Thirty years ago [a good warm-up] might have meant some good old-fashioned static stretching (holding a particular stretch for a period of time). But recently we've learned that not only is static stretching ineffective at warming you up to run, but it can also actually increase your injury risk. Avoid static stretching when warming up."
-- Jason Fitzgerald
Use Dynamic Movements
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"A dynamic warm-up coordinates all of your moving parts—muscles, ligaments, and joints—by challenging your flexibility, mobility, strength and stability all at once."
"Doing so is pivotal in getting you to the finish line as fun, fast and pain-free as possible."
-- Jessi Stensland
The 20-Minute Warm-Up
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"A bad or inappropriate warm-up often leads to a slower workout. And because most of you are only doing one or two workouts a week (in addition to your weekly long run, which is arguably the most important workout of the week), you need to make the most of your workout opportunities."
-- Jay Johnson
Add Plyometrics
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"Just about any coach you talk to will recommend plyometrics and dynamic stretching over static warm-ups or no warm-up at all."
-- Mackenzie Lobby
Warm Up With Yoga
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"These moves will generate heat and activate key muscles your body will call upon when you hit the road—specifically your core, glutes and hamstrings."
"Do the poses in a nonstop sequence, maintaining a flow, on one side, then repeat on the other. Alternate sides for 10 rounds. Then put on your gear, get out there, and run!"
-- Denise Schipani
Warm Up on Cross-Training Days
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"Trading stationary stretches for more active moves is a better way to lubricate joints, reduce risk of injury, and get blood flowing to your working muscles, studies find."
-- Marianne McGinnis
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