Every good run starts with a warm up. Together with our partners at PureGym, we’ve selected five exercises that are both good and easy to do before you run.
Whether you’re running short or long, hot or cold, you should warm up beforehand. This increases blood flow to your muscles and makes them more elastic, reducing the risk of injury and improving your performance.
In collaboration with PureGym and our elite coach Christian Friis, we have selected 5 exercises that are good to do before you run. Remember to give your body time to warm up, so start slowly. There’s no need to get injured, so your run ends before it begins.
- Start off slowly
- Avoid pushing your body into extreme positions
- Spend 15-20 seconds on each exercise and you’re ready to go
Walking lunges
Walking lunges are a great exercise – both as a warm-up and as a regular workout. It really works your front thighs, back thighs and glutes, as well as your balance and coordination.
Keep your upper body upright throughout the exercise and keep your front foot in front of your knee.
Tip: When you come down, do an extra little bounce – just for a split second – where you stretch a bit extra. This increases elasticity in the muscles.
Street Jumps
The classic street jumps are a great way to get your heart rate up while your muscles and tendons warm up and become more elastic.
Do 20 jumps, focusing more on jumping up than forward. Do it slowly and avoid stretching all the way through. Also, remember to bring your opposite arm forward – it provides good balance in the exercise.
Tip: Avoid bending forward so that you collapse when you jump up. Instead, keep your body upright and come up on your toes so that you use your ankle when you land. Also remember to use your arms to swing yourself up.
Ankle Jogging
Here’s a great exercise to create mobility in your ankle. The exercise is not quite as easy as it looks in the video, as you primarily use your ankle and forefoot.
Therefore, start at a slow pace before increasing the speed, as it’s better to do it slowly and correctly than quickly and incorrectly.
Tip: Lift your feet when you do the exercise so that you don’t just shuffle along. Also, remember to use your arms – it’s easier to keep your balance and rhythm.
High Knee Lifts
No one got through gymnastics class in primary school without doing high knee lifts. And it’s a good, old and effective exercise.
High knee lifts are great for getting your heart rate up and, not least, for waking up the muscles in the front of your thighs and buttocks. The exercise is easy to do and you can either do it while standing on the spot or while moving.
Tip: Stand up on your toes and avoid collapsing your upper body. If you curl up, you will also reduce your breathing.
A-skip
If you’ve seen elite runners warming up before a big marathon, you’ll probably recognize this exercise called the A-skip. There are many videos on YouTube of athletes doing the exercise in rhythm, almost making it look like a beautiful, coordinated dance.
A-skips primarily targets your front thighs, but it also warms up your glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, lower back and outer thighs. In other words, it’s a great exercise that takes a bit of practice, but once you get the technique down and find the rhythm, you’ll look like a star too.
Tip: Only touch the ground with one foot at a time. Also, remember the little extra skip that is in the ankle underneath.
