How to warm up before a run

A good warm-up takes five minutes, needs no equipment, and is the difference between a first kilometre that feels awful and one that feels fine. It’s the most commonly skipped part of a beginner’s run and one of the highest-return.

Here’s what to actually do.

What a warm-up is for

Three things. It raises your body and muscle temperature so the tissue is more pliable. It gets your heart rate and breathing climbing gradually rather than in a panic during the first interval. And it wakes up the muscles you’re about to rely on, particularly your glutes, which spend most of the day switched off if you have a desk job.

The result is that the transition into running feels smooth instead of like a shock.

The five-minute routine

1. Brisk walk: 3 minutes. The single most important element. Walk purposefully, arms swinging. This alone accomplishes most of the temperature-raising work.

2. Leg swings: 10 each way, each leg. Hold something for balance. Swing one leg forward and back, controlled, then side to side across your body. Opens the hips.

3. Walking lunges: 8 to 10 total. Step forward, drop the back knee toward the ground, stand up, step through. Slowly. Wakes up the quads and glutes.

4. Glute bridges: 10. If you’re at home, lie on your back, knees bent, and lift your hips. If you’re outside, skip this and do the marches instead.

5. High knees and heel flicks: 20 seconds each. On the spot, easy. Bring your knees up, then flick your heels toward your backside. This is a gentle rehearsal of the running movement, not a sprint drill.

6. Ease into it. Your first running interval should be your slowest. Don’t launch off the line at your target pace.

That’s it. Five minutes, no equipment, no floor space required beyond the pavement outside your door.

Keep the movements dynamic

The key distinction is between moving stretches and held ones. Everything above involves moving through a range of motion rather than holding a position.

Static stretching before a run: holding a hamstring stretch for thirty seconds is not what your muscles need at that moment, and it may temporarily reduce power output. Save it for afterwards. Should you stretch before or after running goes into the detail.

When the warm-up matters most

Cold weather. Cold muscles are stiffer and less compliant. Do the mobility part indoors before you step outside: see what to wear running in cold weather.

Early morning. You’ve been horizontal for eight hours. Everything is stiff, and your body temperature is at its daily low. Take an extra couple of minutes.

After a day at a desk. Prolonged sitting leaves hip flexors short and glutes inactive. The lunges and glute bridges are specifically useful here.

If you’re carrying an old niggle. Anything that has previously given trouble benefits from being warmed thoroughly before you load it.

What about cooling down?

Less critical than the warm-up, but worth two minutes. Walk for a few minutes at the end rather than stopping abruptly. It lets your heart rate come down gradually and stops you going straight from running to sitting in a car.

If you want to stretch, this is when to do it: muscles are warm and receptive, and it’s a reasonable habit to attach to the end of a session.

The version for when you’re short on time

If you have ninety seconds: walk briskly for one minute, do ten leg swings each leg, and make your first running interval genuinely slow.

That covers most of the benefit. The full routine is better, but a short warm-up you actually do beats a thorough one you skip.

Does it prevent injury?

Honestly, the evidence on warm-ups specifically preventing running injuries is mixed. What’s clearer is that a warm-up makes the start of the run feel considerably better, which makes you more likely to go out again and consistency is what actually keeps beginners healthy, alongside sensible progression and not increasing too fast.

Do it because it makes running more pleasant. The rest is a bonus.

Pace’s sessions start with a walking interval by design, so the warm-up is already built into the structure. Run/walk intervals build to continuous running around week six and finish at a full 5K, free the whole way. Try Pace.