Jogging is perhaps the most common exercise for losing weight, building cardiovascular fitness, firming up legs and dissolving psychological stress. Intense as it is, jogging requires a thorough warm-up. Loosening-up exercises, calisthenics, drills, stretching and other pre-run routines are a sound part of any jogging program and can be vital in preventing injuries and excessive soreness. You don't have to do all of them, but using at least one or two is advisable.
Stretching
Getting your muscles ready for your jog rather than diving into it cold is critical for both comfort and injury prevention, and stretching is an effective way to achieve this. Focus on the calves, Achilles tendons, hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals, and lower back muscles. According to an April 2010 article in Running Times magazine, dynamic stretching, or stretching involving movement, might be more effective than static stretching, or holding a fixed position, before a jog. Focus on taking deep, steady breaths.
Strength Work
The minutes before you begin a jog provide an ideal opportunity to do some running-specific strength exercises. According to strength and conditioning specialist Gary Lavin, your exercises of choice should make use of single-leg training such as one-legged squats, be done predominantly in a standing position, incorporate diagonal patterns, focus on foot-plant balance, and in general mimic the running posture and movements. This doesn't mean you have to ditch your tried-and-true abdominal crunches and pushups if this is what you're used to. Again, you can find lots of strength routines for free online.
Drills
Rather than emphasizing muscle strength, drills are aimed at improving agility and quickness, both of which make running at any pace more economical. Professional running coach and elite marathon runner Nicole Hunt says that running-specific drills can help prevent injuries, increase your muscles' flexibility, confer more efficient running form, and help you generate more power. Examples include quick skipping, butt kicks, one-legged hops, step-ups, bleacher bounding, tuck jumps and speed bounds. If you a training for a specific race, Hunt advises incorporating these drills starting 20 weeks before the goal event.
Ease Into the Jog
If you have ever watched the world-beating distance runners from Kenya and Ethiopia warm up for a race, you might have been surprised at the slow pace -- really no more than a shuffle -- at which they begin their jogs. They know what they're doing. In the opening minutes of your jog, you should be moving at barely faster than a walk to allow for a true warm-up of your leg muscles and your cardiovascular system. The right pace for the day will ultimately come to you if you don't force it.
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