Warning Up & Cool Down

Warm-up

Main focus is to warm up and activate muscle, not excessive stretching.

A typical routine:

  1. Fast walk or jogging depending on the nature of the bout. If a regular training, 0.5-1 mile warmup is ok. If it is a racing with high intensity, may need more.

  2. Dynamic stretching

    • Toe walk / heel walk
    • Leg swing - back-forth, side.

  3. Drills

    • A-skip or walk
    • B-skip or walk
    • C skip (A + side)
    • Fast leg drill
    • High knees

Warm-up before race

For races shorter than full marathon, it is often beneficial to warm up sufficiently before the race, e..g, some slow jogging, or dynamic stretching (note, stretching may weaken muscles temporarily).

For full marathon or longer races, glycogen reserve is an important factor to consider. Many runners use the first mile as a warmup. To faster runners, some gentle warm up might be helpful while balancing the two is tricky.

Cool-down

Mostly static stretch

  1. Calf

  2. Hamstring (e.g., downward dog)

  3. Quads

  4. Lounge
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  5. IT-band specific

    • Trunk side bend

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* On a mat
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