Imagine two people running together. One is a young beginner, and the other is a middle-aged veteran runner. Who do you think is more likely to get injured of the two? To an untrained eye, the logical answer to this question would be the veteran runner because he must have some wear and tear with that extra mileage. However, the opposite is true. It is the beginner who is more susceptible, as running workouts are high impact, and requires beginners to adapt to techniques such as warm-ups.

Warm-up before running is an essential part of the process for beginners. A light warm-up helps in dilating your blood vessels to ensure that the muscles have a good supply of oxygen before you start your running workout. Moreover, it literally warms up your muscles which improves their flexibility. Here are some of the most effective light warm-up techniques for running for beginners along with some running tips.

• Aerobic exercises for about 5-10 minutes are helpful in relaxing and loosening up your muscles effectively. Some of the best aerobic exercises for war-up before running include slow jogging, light cycling, speed walking, and stationary walking.
• If you want to go for the jugular for your warm-up, then you can perform dynamic stretches and exercises. These will help in circulating the blood and flexing the muscles of your entire body. Some of the best dynamic exercises and stretches include jumping jacks, hip-flexor stretches, walking lunges, push-ups, and squats.
• When starting your run, start off with a slow jog and slowly build momentum to reach your comfortable running speed. This will help you in maintaining your breathing and also help you in circulating maximum oxygen throughout your body.
• Maintaining a good posture while running is very imperative, as it helps you in maintaining your speed and covering longer distances. If you slouch or disturb your posture, you will get tired more easily.

Combination Warm-up Exercises

Here are some dynamic warm-up exercises if you want to take your pre-run routine up a notch:

This combo is a perfect warm-up exercise for people who don’t have fitness equipment. This cardio workout opens up all your muscles and circulates oxygen throughout your body. All you have to do is one bodyweight squat followed by 10 push-ups.

These two exercises, when put together, can prove to be the ultimate warm-up running exercise. To perform this combo, stand up and do the first set of the high knee exercise for each leg. Then switch your position to a push-up stance on the floor, and then do a mountain climber in the same position for each leg. Once done, jump back to the standing position. This is one set of this combination warm-up exercise. You can perform 2-3 sets of this combo for a holistic warm-up.

Conclusion

Performing warm-up exercises before running are crucial. It helps in preparing your body for the rigorous workout about to come while running and opens up your muscles for optimum blood flow. This helps you in avoiding any cramps during running, or muscle pain after running. So, the next time you’re going out for a run, remember to warm yourselves up and have a worry-free run!