Updated December 9th, 2022
Let's Get Physical… why we must walk before we run…
For many who are the occasional jogger, or the dreaded Turkey Trot participant, or if you are a devoted marathon lover and 10k specialist…it is important to warm up correctly to get the most out of your runs and prevent any unwanted injuries. We have moved past the days where sitting on the ground and stretching those hamstrings or balancing on one foot to stretch those quads. The running world has moved into more dynamic stretching and we must move with them.
The New Theory
To say we need to get rid of the static stretches we all grew up performing would be incorrect. However, to say we need to move while we perform them is the correct answer. Putting our muscles at a low load, long-duration stretch prior to performing a long jog or a fast sprint actually puts them at an inefficient length for optimal performance. Instead, moving to a more active and dynamic warm up allows for both increasing blood flow as well as placing your muscles at an optimal length for peak performance.
The Importance Of Warming Up
Even though cardiovascular endurance running/training is mostly performed in a forward direction, see article on exercises to improve your running strength, we must still warm up in all directions. This is also very applicable for warming up for any other athletic sporting event. When we talk about a dynamic warm up, we are referring to moving while you are actively stretching. It means taking your muscles to certain end-lengths and continuing to move them through that range of motion, instead of holding them for a long period of time. This will allow the muscle fibers to experience a slow change in length without causing a major temporary change, which would cause the muscles to move out of their optimal performance.
Sample Warm-Up Program
So…let's get up and move…perform each one of these about 10-15 times each side.
High knee pull
Quadriceps pull with opposite arm reaching
Open Gait
Close the Gait (we can’t leave the gait open…)
Side lunge
Forward lunge with reach
Grass pickers
Opposite arm - opposite leg swings
Groiners
Mini skipping
Side slides
Now this is just a general list of where to begin. You may have some you have found or seen that you can add or subtract but you must cover both going sideways and forwards. I did say let's not forget about those static stretches… so now that you have gone on that long jog or run, while still bobbing to those beats, here is the time for static stretching. Once you are done with your cool down jog or walk, add those longer static stretches in. These will help with that post exercise tightness and prepare your body for another day of work tomorrow.
DISCLAIMER
Comments