7 Reasons Why You Need To Warm-Up Before Running

Have you ever skipped warming up before your workout?

You are not the only one. Sometimes you just don’t have enough time, or you simply can’t be bothered.

You’ve probably heard many times how important it is to warm up before every training or race.

In this article, you will learn why you need to warm up before running.

Why do you need to warm up before running?

Warm-up before running is important because it prepares you for the exertion you will experience during a competition or the main part of your workout. The purpose of warming up is to raise body temperature and boost blood flow and heart rate so that the body is prepared for upcoming activities.

In the following text, I will explain in more detail all 7 reasons why it is important to warm up before running.

Benefits of warming up before running

1. Raises the temperature of your muscles

Research shows that proper warming up results in an increase of body temperature by 2-3% which lasts for 45 minutes.

The increase in body temperature leads to useful changes in our muscles and tendons:

Significantly boosts the elasticity of muscles and as a result, allows an exercise of higher intensity.
Muscles and tendons become more flexible which makes stretching easier and more effective.
Boost in enzymes and metabolic activities helps the effectiveness of muscle contractions.

2. Boosts blood flow and oxygen delivery to your muscles

During warming up, your muscles use more oxygen.

To make sure they receive enough oxygen muscles produce things that help expand blood vessels, simply put they cause vasodilatation.

The process of vasodilatation enables erythrocytes (red blood cells) to deliver more oxygen to active muscles, which results in increased oxygen-enriched blood flow.

It also prevents the quick accumulation of lactic acid and other side products of metabolic processes which cause muscle inflammation whenever you start running without warming up first.

By increasing blood flow, you also increase your muscle temperature.

At higher temperatures, hemoglobin in the erythrocytes releases oxygen more quickly (Bohr effect).

As a result, you will be able to handle more exertion because blood and oxygen circulation is easier and your muscles have access to higher amounts of oxygen.

This means that your muscles will use aerobic metabolism to produce energy at a higher rate.

3. Increases running performance, efficiency, and effectiveness

Have you ever been in a situation where the first interval of your run was harder than the fourth?

It happened because you hadn’t warmed up enough before the first interval, but by the fourth one, your body was properly warmed up.

Warming up before strenuous activities enhances performance because your muscles will receive higher amounts of oxygen and be ready for the upcoming exertion.

Warming up also prepares your body for cooling down which then results in sweating.

Proper warming up protects your body from overheating and reaching dangerous body temperatures.

Research shows that with a proper warming up of the lower half of your body, you can activate 5.9-8.5% more muscle fibers in the quadriceps.

The more muscle fibers you activate the better your performance will be.

4. Reduces the risk of injury

Proper warming up before any activity significantly reduces the risk of injury.

Muscles after warming up are ready to contract and have a lower likelihood of cramping compared to muscles with no warming up.

Warming up before strenuous activities increases muscle length which allows the muscle to endure more exertion without injuries.

Research shows that proper warming up significantly reduces the risk of injury in the lower parts of the body.

It has been shown that warming up is especially effective in preventing injuries of the anterior cruciform ligament (ACL), which are very common in runners, especially women.

5. Increases alertness and focus

Proper warming up prepares your body not just physically but mentally.

The more focused you are the better your performance will be.

Warming up gives you the time to mentally prepare for your training or a race by removing all distractions, freeing your mind of negative thoughts, and focusing on what you have to do.

Proper warming up will also prepare you for the discomfort that follows particularly difficult parts of your training or race.

If the mind is ready for difficulties your body will be able to handle more pain and you will be motivated when a crisis emerges.

Develop your own warming-up routine to use before training, which you will also use before races.

By doing this you will avoid unnecessary stress which always emerges before the race, and instead, you will focus on patterns of warming up you are already familiar with.

6. Increases mobility of joints

In addition to muscle warm-up also prepares joints for the upcoming stress.

It also increases the range of motion that allows your joints (such as shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles) to reach their maximum.

As a result, your run will be harmonious, with your movements all in sync.

Without proper warm-up, your movements will be stiff and painful.

7. Improves neuromuscular effectiveness

By warming up and increasing your body temperature you also quicken all processes in your body, including nerve impulses that send signals to muscle fibers.

The communication between nerves and muscle fibers is more effective which makes your muscles ready for intensive training or race.

FAQ – frequently asked questions

How to warm up properly before running?

It is important to adapt your warming up according to the activity and to emphasize up muscle groups that you will use the most.

Complete warm-up routine before running is divided into two parts, the general and the specific.

The general part includes:

Easy jog or a walk – aerobic activities of low-intensity
Mobility exercises and dynamic stretches

The specific part includes:

It is important to note that not all elements will always be included in the warm-up before running.

The warm-up varies depending on the type of training or race.

Adjust it to your fitness level and weather conditions. It is also important to consider how much time you have available.

Gradually increase the intensity of your warm-up until you reach a level that is almost at the level of activity.

Warm-up has to be intensive enough to raise body temperature and speed up your breathing, but it cannot be at the level where it exhausts you too much.

Tip
Your running pace does not matter; conserve your energy for the main part of your training or race.

Do you have to warm up before every run?

You have to warm up before every run, regardless if it is an easy run or an important race.

You will not only reduce the risk of injury, but you will also be better prepared for your activity and will improve your performance.