WARM WISHES

Dave K

When heading out for a run, it sometimes may be tempting to not bother to warm up properly. Yet for both maximizing performance and preventing injury, especially before a speedwork session or a race (and extra-especially in COLD weather), a proper warm-up is essential.

WHY WARM UP?

Going for a run without a warm-up is a shock to the system. A warm-up eases that shock by getting the heart pumping, the blood flowing, the nervous system activated, the joints and ligaments and tendons loosened, the muscles ready to work, and other good stuff.

Don't believe me? Here's what Runner's World has to say:

"Once we get revved up to run it’s tempting to shoot out the door at top speed. But heading out of the gates at full speed—without a proper warm-up—is a recipe for disaster, and injury.If you start out too fast, you run the risk of pulling a muscle, tweaking a tendon, bone, or joint, or getting into a pace that you can't sustain. The result? You end up slowing down and burning out before you're done with your workout. The worst part is that you’re likely to end your run feeling exhausted, discouraged, and dreading your next workout.A smart warm-up gives your muscles, bones, and joints a chance to loosen up; it gradually and gently brings up your heart rate and makes it easier to get into the rhythm you want to sustain so you can run—and finish—feeling exhilarated and energized enough to go longer, and excited to set out for your next workout."

HOW TO WARM UP -- THE DELUXE VERSION

For those who may want to develop or enhance your warm-up routine, here are various warm-up options. You don't have to do them all, but for the most part, the more the better.

• Self-Massage. Use a foam roller (and a small ball) to knock knots out of tight muscles before and after each run. Click HERE for why and how to do it, courtesy of Finish Line Physical Therapy.
• Body Loosening.  For years now, before going out for a run, I'll usually do a few of the Chi Running body looseners that I learned from Danny Dreyer's Chi Running book and at one of his workshops. If you don't want to buy the book or DVD, click HERE for a video link (not by Danny Dreyer) for demonstrations. Or talk with Chi Running-certified running coach and NY Flyer -- Joel M (click HERE for Joel's website and HERE for a Daily News article featuring Joel and Chi Running).  Joel led a series of free Flyers Chi Running Clinics this past summer that included attention on body loosening exercises.
• Active Stretching. Experts on stretching, Wharton Health, promote Active Isolated Stretching to increase range of motion, mobility and health of muscles, tendons and ligaments to reduce the risk of muscle strain and tear. They developed the NY Road Runners Team for Kids pre-run stretch routine, which you can view HERE
• Other Active Warm-Ups.  Before I head out for a run, I also like to do leg swings and butt kicks. Here's a good leg-swing demonstration video posted on Runner's World that you can see HERE.  The butt kicks I do are different from the dynamic drills version in the bullet further below, as I do them standing in place/not while running (I do the running version during my warm-up run). And for more great warm-ups, I like the warm-up routine at inMOTION Workouts (new users can create a trial account and receive instructions for a great warm-up and work-out routine)
• Dynamic Stretching. Recommended dynamic stretching exercises for different muscle groups are provided by Finish Line Physical Therapy, which you can view HERE on the Flyers Blog.  
• Dynamic Drills. When heading over to a race or for a speedwork session, after my
  
  warm-up job I like to do a series of dynamic drills. For me, this includes bounding, skipping, high knees, butt kicks, fast feet, and a few strides. Sometimes I'll also do carioka or grapevine drills/crossover drills. I do my drills during my warm-up run so they require no extra time. Some of the drills I just mentioned are described in this Competitor Running piece (click HERE) and are shown in this Runner's World video HERE. Or to see elite distance runner Lauren Fleshman demonstrate many of these drills in an old but still timely video, you can click HERE.

FOR SLACKERS: A VERY ABBREVIATED WARM-UP

I know, I know -- not everyone will heed my wise sage advice by doing a complete and proper warm-up. And I know that I may do only some (or none) of what I posted above because I don't always feel like I have the time or the patience, so I'll try to keep my self-righteousness to a minimum. 

In these cases, I'll suggest to just do something quick that at least will get the heart rate up and the muscles primed for a work-out. For example, do 10 of the following:

- Burpees (or half-burpees/squat thrusters if you hate burpees) 
- Mountain climbers 
- Jumping jacks (yes, I'll spare you a demonstration video for these :) ) 
- Air squats, and/or 
- For us yogi Flyers, a few Sun Salutations.

And there you have it. 

Warm (up) wishes, Dave K

NY Flyers Blogmaster