A proper warm-up before jogging not only reduces the risk of injury, but also can improve your workout by ensuring your body is prepared before you hit the road. Don't skip a warm-up, even if your workout time is limited. Even a few minutes of preparatory activities will enhance your run and give you a sense of well-being. If you have any specific concerns about an exercise or what type of warm-up you should do, speak to a doctor or qualified trainer.
Light Cardio
Doing cardio before jogging might sound like overkill, but according to "The Art of Sprinting" it is essential to get your muscles gently warmed up to prevent injury. You can start your workout with a few minutes of brisk walking, skipping rope, jogging at a slower-than-workout pace, or doing light calisthenics like jumping jacks. All of these prepare your muscles as well as engage your cardiovascular system.
Upper Body Exercises
Don't neglect your upper body when you're preparing for a run. Even though most of the focus is on your legs, doing some upper body work before you exercise will help ensure you are relaxed and ready for your workout. "Sports and Exercise Injuries" recommends neck rotations and shoulder shrugs to relax your upper body, pelvic tilts to warm up your hip and groin area, and lower back stretches. This will ease you into your workout by helping you feel loose and supple.
Dynamic Stretching
According to Mark Kovacs, author of "Dynamic Stretching," your pre-jogging routine should focus on active stretches that will both lengthen and warm your muscles. Examples include walking lunges, the "knee to chest walk" in which you pull your knees as high as possible, walk-run-skip progressions, and rotational lunges. Save traditional static stretching such as touching your toes and calf extensions for after your workout.
Timing
Timing is crucial to getting the most out of your warm-up. Don't do your warm-up and then get in the car and drive to the gym or running track. As much as possible, you want to move smoothly from your warm-up to your workout, otherwise, notes exercise physiologist Pete Pfitzinger, you might spend too much time warming up, which burns energy, or your body will cool down before you have a chance to set off.
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