Do You Need to Warm Up for Running?

At the best Crossfit gym in Abu Dhabi we believe running can be a vital part to keeping fit and healthy. Whether you are training at home by yourself or at Crossfit Yas you may ask yourself, ‘do I need to warm up for running?’ the answer is… YES and we will teach you how to warm up effectively to improve your performance.

Increase your heartrate

One thing you want to achieve during a warm up is an increased heart rate. The length of the workout can dictate the length of the warm up. If your run/workout includes short, sharp intervals, this requires a longer warm-up period. A less intense activity requires a shorter period.

Include dynamic range of motion exercises

After you have increase your heart rate, focus on warming up your joints through dynamic range of motion exercises. Running can put a strain on your hips, knees and ankle joints.

Sprint varying distances and variances

The last thing we suggest you include in your warm up is some short sprints. These can vary on intensity, this is a nice way to prepare you for your run/workout. Here is an example running sprints to add to your warm up.

Sprint 50 meters @ 60% effort,
Rest as needed
Sprint 50 meters @ 70% effort
Rest as needed
Sprint 50 meters @ 80% effort
Rest as needed
Sprint 50 meters @ 90% effort

Now you are prepared to go out and run!