Running warm-up and stretches

Proper warm-up routines and stretching exercises are key to staying healthy when preparing for a run. In five to ten minutes, you can prepare your body for miles of running. Follow this simple routine every time your foot hits the pavement. Complete each exercise, in 15-yard intervals, twice.

Download our printable handout to follow along and view the exercises with images.

Jogging

Slow jog

• Hip, knee and ankle should be in alignment when hitting the ground
• Try not to cave at the knee
• Focus on soft landings

High Knees

Bring knees up toward chest while moving in a forward direction.

• Drive one knee up at a time, alternating with each step
• Step, high knee right, step, high knee left, alternating arm swing with each step
• Pump arms
• Keep a quick tempo
• Focus on soft landings

Butt Kicks

Snap heels up toward buttocks while moving in a forward direction.

• Drive one heel up to butt at a time, alternating with each step
• Pump arms
• Keep a quick tempo
• Focus on soft landings

Skipping

An easy skip with a relaxed upper body.

• Step, hop right, step, hop left, alternating arm swing with each step
• Concentrate on rhythm
• Focus on soft landings

Cherry Pickers

Drive knee high with the opposite arm swinging high.

• Focus on soft landings and body balance
• Relax shoulders but use arm to generate height
• Avoid knee caving in upon landing

Carioca

Utilizing hip muscles, alternate stepping forward and backward moving in a lateral direction.

• Keep quick feet and knee slightly bent
• Open hips to rotate feet around
• Focus on soft landings
• Relax shoulders and swing opposite the hip rotation

Twist

Focus: core muscles

• Rotate upper body to the left as you slightly lift your right heel
• Rotate to your right while slightly lifting your left heel

Knee Hugs

Focus: hamstrings and glutes

• Standing upright, lift left knee to chest
• Grab below your left knee with both hands and pull toward chest
• Keep your chest up and perform a calf raise on opposite side
• Hold for 3 seconds, release left knee and step forward and repeat with opposite leg
• Repeat sequence with right knee

Hip Rotator

Focus: glutes and abductors

• Standing upright, lift left knee to chest
• Place both hands under your left shin
• Pull left leg as close as you can to your chest
• Keep chest up and perform a calf raise on opposite side

Lateral Lunge

Focus: groin and adductors

• From a standing position with legs shoulder width apart, step out laterally to the right
• Keep your toes pointed straight and feet flat
• Squat by sitting back and down toward your right leg
• Keep left leg straight and your weight on your right heel
• Do not let right knee extend over toes
• Return to standing position and repeat on opposite side

Inch Worm

Focus: hamstring

• Stand with legs straight and hands on the floor
• Keep the legs straight and walk hands out in front of you into a push up position
• Keep back flat
• Keeping your legs straight, walk feet toward your hands taking baby steps until feet reach your hands or you knees start to bend