The Science of Warming Up Before Training
Why Is Warming Up Important?
A warm-up is commonly performed before running to prepare the body for the demands of training or competition. However, warming up is more than simply “loosening the muscles.” An effective warm-up can increase muscle temperature, blood flow and oxygen delivery, while preparing the cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems for exercise.
A systematic review and meta-analysis by Fradkin et al. (2010) found that warming up improved performance in 79% of the performance criteria examined. However, the effectiveness of a warm-up depends on its duration, intensity and the type of activity that follows.
One of the main physiological effects of an active warm-up is an increase in muscle temperature. Increased muscle temperature can influence muscle metabolism, nerve conduction and the mechanical properties of muscle, potentially improving the ability to produce force and move efficiently.
At the same time, heart rate, blood flow and oxygen consumption progressively increase. This allows the runner to transition gradually from rest to the intensity required during training or competition, rather than immediately moving from rest into high-intensity running.
Warm-Up & Running Performance
Running performance depends not only on the cardiovascular system but also on the ability of the neuromuscular system to rapidly produce force during each ground contact.
As running velocity increases, ground-contact times become shorter and the muscles and tendons must rapidly absorb and produce force. Therefore, before faster running, the warm-up should progressively prepare the runner for these higher velocities.
This is one reason why progressive strides and dynamic movements can be useful before intervals and races.
Research by Barnes et al. (2015) demonstrated that a warm-up incorporating weighted-vest strides increased leg stiffness and was associated with improvements in running economy and peak running speed in trained distance runners. Similarly, Wei et al. (2020) found that a plyometric warm-up improved running economy at several running velocities in recreational endurance athletes.
This does not mean that runners need to perform an extensive plyometric workout before running. Instead, a small amount of appropriately selected higher-intensity activity may help prepare the neuromuscular system for faster running.
Static or Dynamic Stretching?
Stretching has traditionally been a major component of warm-up routines. However, research suggests that prolonged static stretching immediately before activities requiring high levels of strength, power or speed may temporarily reduce performance.
Behm and Chaouachi (2011) reviewed the effects of static and dynamic stretching and reported that prolonged static stretching can negatively affect subsequent force and explosive performance, whereas dynamic stretching is generally better suited to preparing athletes for dynamic activity.
However, this does not mean that static stretching should always be avoided. Blazevich et al. (2018) demonstrated that short-duration static stretching performed as part of a complete dynamic warm-up did not negatively affect subsequent athletic performance.
Therefore, before faster running, the majority of the warm-up should generally focus on progressive running and dynamic, running-specific movements, rather than prolonged static stretching.
Warm-Up & Injury Prevention
Warm-ups are also frequently promoted as a method of preventing injuries. However, running injuries are multifactorial and can be influenced by factors such as training load, previous injury, recovery, tissue capacity and biomechanics.
Therefore, it is too simplistic to suggest that skipping a warm-up directly causes injury.
A progressive warm-up exposes the muscles, tendons and joints to gradually increasing forces before faster running begins, but it should not be viewed as a guarantee against injury. Long-term training-load management and developing sufficient physical capacity are likely to be more important factors in reducing injury risk.
Practical Applications
The warm-up should match the intensity and duration of the running session.
For an easy aerobic run, approximately 5–10 minutes of very easy running before gradually reaching normal training pace may be sufficient.
Before an interval, threshold or hill session runners may use:
10–15 minutes of easy running
Dynamic movements for the ankle, knee and hip
Running-specific drills
3–5 progressive strides of approximately 10–20 seconds
Ultimately, the purpose of a warm-up is not to create additional training volume or fatigue. It is to progressively prepare the cardiovascular, metabolic and neuromuscular systems for the activity that follows.
References
Barnes KR, Hopkins WG, McGuigan MR, Kilding AE. Warm-up with a weighted vest improves running performance via leg stiffness and running economy. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 18(1):103–108, 2015.
Behm DG, Chaouachi A. A review of the acute effects of static and dynamic stretching on performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology. 111(11):2633–2651, 2011.
Blazevich AJ, Gill ND, Kvorning T, Kay AD, Goh AG, Hilton B, Drinkwater EJ, Behm DG. No effect of muscle stretching within a full, dynamic warm-up on athletic performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 50(6):1258–1266, 2018.
Fradkin AJ, Zazryn TR, Smoliga JM. Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 24(1):140–148, 2010.
Wei C, Yu L, Duncan B, Renfree A. A plyometric warm-up protocol improves running economy in recreational endurance athletes. Frontiers in Physiology. 11:197, 2020.
