How to Warm Up Properly

What a warm-up does

A warm-up raises your heart rate and breathing gradually, sends more blood to your muscles and literally warms them up, which makes them work better. It also gets your body used to the movement you're about to do. The result: hard efforts feel smoother, and you're less likely to pull something.

For easy sessions

Easy runs and rides are their own warm-up: just start gently and let the first few minutes be the slowest.

For hard sessions

Before intervals, tempo runs or hills, do 10–15 minutes of easy running, then a few dynamic moves — leg swings, walking lunges, high knees — and four to six strides: 15–20 seconds of quick, relaxed running, building up to near your session pace. Then you're ready.

Save long, held stretches for after the session. Before hard efforts, moving stretches work better.

Before a race

The shorter the race, the longer the warm-up. Before a 5K or 10K, a 10–15 minute jog, some drills and a few strides helps you start at race pace without a shock. Before a half marathon, a short, easy jog and a couple of strides is enough. Before a marathon, many runners do little more than a brisk walk and a few minutes of gentle jogging — you'll have plenty of time to warm up in the first miles.

Finish your warm-up as close to the start as you can — within ten minutes or so.

Cooling down

After a hard session, five to ten minutes of easy movement helps bring your heart rate down gradually and many people find it leaves them feeling better the next day.

General guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts or you have a health condition, speak to a doctor or physiotherapist.