4 Minute Warmup Routine You Need Before Every Run

Correct warming up before running can reduce the chance of injuries during running.

Additionally, it can help you feel better during your run.

If you’ve had a previous injury, such as a sprained ankle, warming up before running is especially important for you.

Today I’ll share a simple and effective 4-minute warm-up routine before running, which you can try out to see if it works for you.

My Warmup Routine Before Running

Ankle Supination and Pronation

I always start with this exercise. Standing on one leg, I perform supination and pronation movements to activate the muscles and ligaments responsible for ankle stability. I do each exercise for a time period, that is, 30 seconds per exercise.

Why this exercise? When we run, our foot and ankle need to be stable to provide good balance and efficient movement during running.

Knee Flexion and Extension

The next exercise I do is knee extension and flexion from a standing position on one leg. The goal of this exercise is to warm up the muscles on the front and back of the knee, the hamstrings, and quadriceps muscles. I also allocate 30 seconds per leg for this exercise.

Hip Circles

After preparing the muscles around the knees, I do an exercise to increase the range of motion for the hip joint. From a standing position, I try to make the largest circular movements possible in the hip joint of the leg that is in the air. I perform this movement for 30 seconds per leg as well.

Hip Opener

The last exercise in this warm-up routine before running is the hip opener exercise. From a standing position on one leg, lean forward until your body is almost parallel to the ground. Hold onto a wall for balance. Then, rotate your hip and upper body towards the opposite side of the standing leg. Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly rotate your body back. Repeat this movement for 30 seconds.

Why this exercise? With this exercise, you’ll activate and strengthen the gluteus medius, a hip stabilizer that keeps your pelvis stable during running. Every time you stand on one leg and swing the other, this muscle is active. Weak gluteus medius is often associated with painful conditions such as runner’s knee.

The Idea Behind This Warmup Routine

I carefully selected these four exercises with the aim of preparing the most vulnerable parts of the body for running.

Starting from the ankle, I wanted to reduce the risk of ankle sprains, so I chose a movement that promotes ankle stability in that direction.

Regarding the second and third exercises, my goal is to prepare the knee and hip joints for running by increasing the range of motion and circulation in those areas.

The last exercise aims to strengthen and activate the muscles in the hip, thereby reducing the risk of injuries.

All exercises are performed standing on one leg, and there’s a reason for that. While you perform knee extension and flexion or hip circles, the leg you’re standing on is also active.

This means you’re using every moment in this routine to prepare your body for running.

That’s it for today. Enjoy your run and don’t forget to warm up.