How Should You Warm-Up?

Your running warm-up routine shouldn't be an intense workout but it should actively engage the muscles that you're planning to use during on your run. Dynamic stretching that focuses on quads, hip flexors, glutes, and hamstrings are excellent options for increasing your range of motion and raising the temperature of the muscles in your legs to help increase your efficiency.

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On race day, you may want to find a more comprehensive warm-up routine, but for quick midweek training runs, here are 5 of my go-to exercises. I'll do each exercise along about a 20m straightaway. If I'm lucky enough to be running somewhere that offers a nice flat stretch of grass, I also like to do my warm-up barefoot to strengthen and activate the muscles in my feet.

Walking Lunges Butt Kicks High Knees Karaoke Frankenstein Walk

If I'm in a pinch or short on time, I may just limit myself to those 5 exercises. If I've got the time though, I'm actually really enjoying this warm-up/cool-down routine that was shared by fellow BibRave Pro, Jenna, on her blog.