What 3 Warmup Exercises You Should Do Before You Start Running
As the warm weather approaches, this is when we begin to venture outdoors for physical activity. You may have noticed the streets have begun to get busier with runners. As a physical activity, running is great in helping to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol levels, reduce body fat and improve mental well-being.
However, before you grab those running shoes and hit the streets, you need to be aware of the common running injuries.
To prevent these common injurie’s, you should begin with a warmup. A typical warmup should take 5 to 10 minutes and include dynamic stretching and light aerobic activity.
A dynamic warmup can include the following:
- High Knee Walk – this type of warmup helps to loosen up the lower limb joints and prepare your body for running. Start by walking ten paces, bringing your knees to your elbows. Then turn around and repeat the exercise.
- Walking Lunge with Arms Up – Start by taking a lunge forward on one leg and then alternate legs for ten paces. Once completed, turn around and lunge ten paces back to the starting point.
- Jump Rope – This activity is ideal for warmups or a cardiovascular activity all on its own. As a warmup routine, start with a slow, double step jump, making sure your jumps are not too high. Perform this activity for 30 seconds with a 10 second rest interval afterwards. Then repeat again for another 30 seconds.
Incorporating Dynamic stretching and aerobic activity into your warmups will help to prevent running injuries. However, if you do experience an injury, it is important to have a professional assess and treat the area of concern.
Our team is here to help answer any questions or walk you through the exercises with proper form.