Running Efficiency Part #5 (Proper Warm-up)

After one of the running efficiency posts Eric asked for what would be a good running warm-up. Here is a good general warm-up that will help to prepare your body for the specific event of running. Throughout many of these training and philosophy posts we have touched on the various components of what is involved in warm-ups and cool downs. 

For the warm- up there are several key components you want to address. First we want to make sure that the pelvis is in a neutral position and that the muscles responsible for the initiation of your stride have been given some stimulus so that they are in an active state and working to promote a proper stride. We also want to address the upper body. It is very common for runners to get tight and fatigued in their shoulders a they run. This is typically due to lack of efficiency in the hips that causes them to try and compensate in their upper body. So in the warm-up we also want to make sure that the upper back is given some stimulus to make sure the scapulas are moving as well as possible. 

Here is an example warm-up for you to try. If any of the exercises cause pain symptoms, please avoid them for now. Many of these may cause some significant stretching but if there i definite pain, avoid the exercise for now. 

1. Feet Wide Glides – 20x (From a standing position, place your feet much wider than your hips, make sure your feet are pointing forward. Now bend forward at the waist until your hands reach the floor. Do your best to keep your back straight. Now bend both of your knees and drop your hips as far as you can. Keeping them real low, shift your hips from side to side going as far as you can each direction while keeping your feet flat on the ground.

2. Feet Wide Clappers – 20x (Same position as above but make sure you keep your muscles of your thighs and glutes flexed during the motion to stabilize your pelvis. Bring your arms out to shoulder height and then bring them together so the palms touch, then pull them as far back as you can. Repeat back and forth) 

3. Feet Wide Reverse Pullovers – 20x (Same Position as above only now reach your arms behind you and try to interlace your fingers. Slowly lift your arms as high off your lower back as you can, then lower them back down)

4. Feet Wide Big Arm Circles – 20x each direction (Same position as above, now keeping your arms straight, make as big of a circle as you can forward with both arms at the same time. Try to keep your torso still. After your 20 reps, repeat with both arms now going backwards)

5. Extended Lateral – 30 seconds each side (Place your legs out much wider than the hips, now turn your right leg out to the side. From here, slowly bend down to your right, placing your right hand on your right ankle and lifting your left arm into the air. Try to twist your torso so you are aiming your chest at the sky)

6. Triangle Squats – 20x each side (From the same leg position as above, now place your hands on your hips and slowly squat down evenly into both hips. Try to keep your chest up tall as you squat down)

7. High Knee Walk in Place – 20x each leg (Place your hands on your hips and stand with your feet directly underneath your hips. From this position, lift one knee up as high as you can, then lower it down and lift the other one)

8. Standing Lunges – 10x each leg (Place one leg in front of the other. Now keeping your hands on your hips, lower you back knee towards the floor as low as you can, then come back up. make sure that your front knee does not go over the front ankle)

9. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch – 30 seconds each side (From the lunge position above, lower your back knee all the way to the floor. If you are on a hard surface, stop a few inches from the ground and hold. If you are on a soft enough surface go head and place the knee all the way down to the floor and hold)

10. Rotational High Knee Walks – 20 steps (Stand with your feet directly under your hips and place your hands on your hips. Now starting with the right leg lift it out to the side and keep it as high as you can as you pull it around like you are stepping over a small trash can. Alternate each step on the opposite leg)

11. Reverse Rotational High Knee Walks – 20 steps (This is the same as above only now lift your right leg up in front of you and pull it around behind you as if stepping over a small trash can)

If you have any questions on these please feel free to ask in the comment section. The next post will be a cool-down which is one of the most underrated components of fitness. Make sure you check out that post as well.

Have a great run!