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Running warm-up drills

How to warm up before a run, a workout or a race: the RAMP structure, how long to spend by session, a drill catalog with cues, strides, stretching before running, and race-day timing. Post-run stretching and recovery are in stretching & recovery; pacing and session types in endurance; warm-up sets for lifting in strength training.

Why warm up

EffectNumbersSource
muscle temperature rises2.7–3.3 °C above rest after an active warm-upRaccuglia et al. 2016
faster, stronger muscleshort efforts improve 2–5 % per 1 °C of muscle temperatureRacinais & Oksa 2010
performance overallwarm-up improved performance in 79 % of criteria (32 high-quality studies)Fradkin et al. 2010
oxygen uptake primedstarting with raised baseline VO₂ helps efforts from ~10 s to over 5 min, if you start unfatiguedBishop 2003
heat is lost quicklymuscle temperature falls exponentially within 15–30 min of stopping; ~1.3 °C in 30 min unheatedRaccuglia et al. 2016

Injury prevention: what the evidence covers

Program or studyResult
FIFA 11+ (Soligard 2008), 1892 girls aged 13–17injury risk ratios: overall 0.68, severe 0.55, overuse 0.47 over one season
FIFA 11+ meta-analysis (Thorborg 2017)39 % fewer football injuries overall
warm-up, cool-down and stretching for runners (van Mechelen 1993), 326 men, 16 weeksno effect: 5.5 vs 4.9 injuries per 1000 h (intervention vs control)

FIFA 11+ is a 20-min football program of running, strength, plyometric and balance work, not a jog and stretch; its benefit comes from that neuromuscular training. For recreational runners the injury case for a warm-up is weak. Warm up to run better in hard sessions and races, and to feel better in the first kilometers.

The RAMP framework

Ian Jeffreys' structure (2007) for any warm-up: each phase leads into the next, and the last phase looks like the session itself.

PhaseGoalFor runningTime
Raiseheart rate, blood flow, muscle and core temperatureeasy jog, skipping, march5–15 min
Activateswitch on the muscles the session will loadglute bridges, band walks, calf raises, pogo hops2–4 min
Mobilisetake joints through the ranges the session needsleg swings, lunge with twist, hip circles, ankle rocks2–4 min
Potentiateraise intensity to or above session paceA-skips, B-skips, bounds, strides, a short rep at race pace2–6 min

Activate and mobilize are often combined into one circuit of drills. An easy run needs only the raise phase; a race or interval session needs all four.

Watch a full RAMP-style warm-up: raise, activation, mobility, then running drills.

Do These Stretches Before Every Run | Follow Along Running Warm Up (opens in a new tab) (The Running Channel, YouTube)

How long to warm up

Longer and harder sessions need the warm-up less, and shorter and faster ones need it more. Durations are coaching practice; the two trials in the notes back high-intensity efforts in the warm-up for middle distance.

SessionWarm-upTotal
easy or recovery runwalk 1–2 min, then run the first 5–10 min slower than easy pace0–5 min
long runas easy run; optional leg swings0–5 min
tempo or threshold10–15 min easy, drills, 3–4 strides15–20 min
intervals or track10–15 min easy, drills, 4–6 strides, 1–2 short reps at session pace20–30 min
5 k or 10 k race10–15 min easy, drills, 4–6 strides, 1–2 × 30–60 s at race pace20–30 min
half marathon10 min easy, 2–4 strides10–15 min
marathon5–10 min walk and jog, 1–3 relaxed strides, or none; the first km is the rest of it0–10 min

Notes:

  • The marathon warm-up is short to save glycogen: race pace is sustainable from the gun, and the extra fuel cost of a long jog outweighs any gain.
  • In a 5000 m trial, a warm-up with 3 × 250 m at 100 % effort beat the same warm-up at 70 % by 6.4 s (~0.5 %; Alves et al. 2023). An 800 m trial found the same with a 200 m run at race pace (Ingham et al. 2013).

Drill catalog

Do drills on a flat 20–30 m stretch, walking or jogging back as recovery. Reps are coaching practice, not from trials. Quality over quantity: stop a drill when form breaks.

DrillWhat it trainsDoseKey cueCommon fault
march (A-march)posture, knee lift, foot placement under the hip2 × 20 mtall, knee to hip height, toes up, step down under the hipleaning back, reaching the foot forward
A-skiprhythm, knee drive, active ground contact2–3 × 20 mskip with a high knee, punch the foot down under the hiploud heel strike, slow and floaty skip
B-skipA-skip plus pawing the leg back: hamstring action2 × 20 mlift, extend the lower leg, sweep it down and backkicking out straight and landing ahead of the body
high kneescadence, hip flexor drive2 × 15–20 mquick, short contacts on the balls of the feet; stay tallsitting back, arms flailing
butt kicksquick heel recovery, quad and knee range2 × 15–20 mheel to the backside under the hip, not behindknee drifting back, slow cadence
carioca (grapevine)hip rotation, lateral movement, coordination2 × 20 m each wayshoulders square, hips rotate, light feetshoulders twisting with the hips, crossing feet slowly
straight-leg boundshamstrings, glutes, stiff springy contact2 × 20 mnearly straight legs, pull the ground back under youbending the knees, bouncing on the heels
pogo hopsankle and Achilles stiffness, elastic return2 × 10–20 hopsstiff ankles, quick contacts, heels just off the groundbending knees to jump, sinking into the heels
skips for heightpower, triple extension2 × 20 mdrive the knee and opposite arm up, push tall off the floorgoing forward instead of up
skips for distancehorizontal power2 × 20 mlong, powerful push; land under the hipoverreaching and braking on landing
leg swings, front-backhip flexor and hamstring mobility10–15 per leghold a wall, swing from the hip, trunk stillarching the lower back to fake range
leg swings, side-sideadductor and abductor mobility10–15 per legface the wall, swing across the body and outrotating the pelvis
walking lunge with twisthip flexor length, thoracic rotation, balance5–6 per sidelong step, rotate the trunk over the front legfront knee collapsing inward
hip circles (open-close gate)hip rotation range5–8 each way per legknee up, circle it out and back; stand tallleaning the trunk to cheat range
ankle rocksankle dorsiflexion (calf and Achilles)10–15 per sidehalf-kneel or stand, drive the knee over the toes, heel downheel lifting off the floor
stridesspeed, relaxed form at fast pace, potentiation4–6 × 15–20 sbuild over 5–10 s to ~85–90 %, hold, then ease offsprinting all-out, short recovery

Watch several of these in one sequence, with cues.

Must Do Dynamic Drills Warm Up for Runners (opens in a new tab) (The Run Experience, YouTube)

A-skips and B-skips

The A-skip is a skipping march: one high knee per skip, foot punched down under the hip. The B-skip adds an extension of the lower leg at the top and a pulling "paw" back to the ground. Learn A before B; if the B-skip turns into a kick forward, go back to A-skips.

Watch for the foot landing under the hip, not ahead of it, and the rhythm of the skip.

How To Perform A And B Skips For A Stronger Stride (opens in a new tab) (The Run Experience, YouTube)

Strides

Short relaxed accelerations: the potentiate phase of most warm-ups, and speed work after easy runs.

  1. Flat 80–100 m, grass or track.
  2. Accelerate smoothly over 5–10 s to about 85–90 % of top speed; hold 5–10 s; ease off. 15–20 s in all.
  3. Walk back or stand: full recovery, 45–90 s, so every stride is fast and relaxed.
  4. 4–6 reps. Cues: tall, relaxed face and hands, quick feet, arms drive back.

Watch for the gradual build-up and how relaxed the runners stay at speed.

How To Run Strides To Improve Speed (opens in a new tab) (David and Megan Roche, YouTube)

Stretching before running

Behm et al. (2016) pooled studies that tested performance 3–5 min after stretching:

Stretch typeChange in performance straight afterNotes
static, under 60 s per muscle−1.1 %trivial, and smaller still if dynamic activity follows
static, ≥ 60 s per muscle−4.6 %avoid long holds right before a race
static, all durations−3.7 %bigger drop in strength (−4.8 %) than speed and power tests (−1.3 %)
PNF−4.4 %do it well before (over 10 min) or after the session
dynamic+1.3 %best close to the start
  • All types raise range of motion for under ~30 min.
  • In sprint-type sports, pre-exercise stretching was linked with ~54 % fewer acute muscle injuries (6 studies); in endurance running there was no effect on overuse injuries.
  • For runners: short static holds (under 60 s per muscle) for a tight spot are fine if drills and strides come after them. Otherwise favor dynamic drills.

Race-day timing

Minutes before the startWhat to do
45–30last toilet stop; start the easy jog (5 k and 10 k)
30–20drills and strides
20–15race-pace efforts, if used; finish the main warm-up 10–15 min before the start
15–0keep warm and moving: layers or a throwaway top on, walk, light skips; 1–2 strides if the start pen allows
  • Muscle temperature falls within 15–30 min of stopping (Raccuglia 2016); insulating layers slow the loss. The 5000 m trial above left ~18 min between warm-up and start, with drills in the gap.
  • Too hard or too close to the start fatigues you (Bishop 2003): keep race-pace bits short (30–60 s) and fully recovered.
  • Big races with long start pens: warm up, keep layers on, and do leg swings and short jogs in the pen.

Weather adjustments

ConditionAdjust
cold (rough guide: under ~5 °C)longer raise phase; keep tights, hat and gloves on until the last minutes; warm up indoors if possible; shorter gap to the start
cold and wet or windythrowaway top or bin bag in the start pen; drills under cover
hot (rough guide: over ~20 °C) or humidshorter, easier warm-up in the shade: keep the drills and 2–4 strides, cut the jog; start well hydrated; a cooling vest or cold towel during the warm-up
hot, long raceminimal warm-up; start conservatively; see endurance for heat pacing

Cooling garments lower skin temperature without cooling the muscles, so they can be worn during a warm-up; cold-water leg immersion cools muscle too, so re-warm afterward (Racinais et al. 2015 heat consensus). Heat illness signs (confusion, stopping sweating, collapse) need urgent medical help.

Drills as technique work

  • The same drills done as a stand-alone session (2 × a week, 10–20 min after an easy run) rehearse posture, foot placement and rhythm at low fatigue.
  • Evidence is limited: drills clearly build coordination and elastic stiffness (pogo hops, bounds), but proof that they change distance-running form or economy is thin (Moore 2016: be cautious about prescribing one "economical" technique).
  • Use them for: coordination, lower-leg stiffness, and a cue to carry into the run ("tall", "feet under hips"). Don't force a new foot strike.
  • Progress: marches → skips → bounds; walking → skipping → running pace. Stop when form breaks.

Recipes

10-minute easy-run warm-up

For easy and long runs, when the first kilometers feel stiff.

2 min   brisk walk
2 min   leg swings, front-back and side-side (10 each leg), 8 hip circles each way
1 min   ankle rocks (10 per side), 10 pogo hops
5 min   start the run 30-60 s/km slower than easy pace, build to easy

20-minute workout or 5 k / 10 k race warm-up

For intervals, tempo runs and short races. Finish 10–15 min before a race start.

10-12 min  easy jog, last 2 min at steady pace
 4 min     A-march, A-skip, B-skip, high knees, butt kicks (1 x 20 m each)
           leg swings (10 each way per leg), walking lunge with twist (5 per side)
 4 min     4 strides x 15-20 s, build to ~90 %, walk back
 2 min     race only: 1-2 x 30-60 s at race pace, 60-90 s easy between

Marathon warm-up (minimal)

For the marathon, to save glycogen; the first 1–2 km at goal pace or slightly slower finish the job.

-40 min   5 min easy walk, 5 min very easy jog
-30 min   leg swings (10 each way per leg), hip circles, ankle rocks
-25 min   1-3 relaxed strides (optional)
 0-15 min into the pen: keep a throwaway top on, walk, shake out

Track session warm-up

For VO₂ max reps, 200–400 m repeats and hill sprints.

12-15 min  easy jog, last 3 min steady
 3 min     leg swings, walking lunges with twist, hip circles
 6 min     march, A-skip, B-skip, carioca, straight-leg bounds, pogo hops
           (2 x 20 m each, walk back)
 5 min     5 strides x 20 s, build to 90 %; last one at session pace
 2 min     rest, then start the first rep

5-minute "desk to door" warm-up

For a lunch-hour or after-work run after hours of sitting: undoes stiff hips and calves.

  1. 20 bodyweight squats or sit-to-stands, slowly (30 s).
  2. Walking lunge with twist, 5 per side (1 min).
  3. Leg swings front-back and side-side, 10 each per leg (1 min).
  4. Ankle rocks, 10 per side; 20 calf raises (1 min).
  5. March on the spot, then 30 s high knees and 30 s butt kicks (1.5 min).
  6. Start the run gently for the first 5 min.

Drills-only technique session

For 1–2 sessions a week, after an easy run on grass or a track, 15–20 min in all.

BlockDrillsDose
coordinationA-march, A-skip, B-skip2 × 20 m each, walk back
elasticpogo hops (both legs, then single leg)2 × 15 hops each
powerskips for height, skips for distance, straight-leg bounds2 × 20 m each, full walk back
lateralcarioca both ways2 × 20 m each
transferstrides, carrying the drill cue ("feet under hips")4 × 20 s

Add hops and bounds gradually if new to plyometrics, and not the day before a hard session.

References