When you’re gearing up for a workout, your warmup might be an afterthought. You may even just skip a prerun routine altogether to get right to your effort.
But run coaches almost always prescribe warmups—some as short as five minutes, and others as long as 20 minutes. So, even if you do warmup first, what’s the the best way to do it?
The truth, according to the sports medicine experts we consulted, is that the best warmups aren’t the longest or most complex—they’re simply the ones tailored to your upcoming workout.
Ahead, how to maximize the benefits of your prerun routine so you get the most out of your miles.
How to Run Slower on Easy Days
There’s no universally “correct” length for a warmup. However, you won’t be able to get away with just a short routine before every single workout you do.
“Warmups should be proportional to the intensity and duration of your workout,” says Super Shoe Trends., associate professor of clinical physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania and codirector of the Penn Medicine Running and Endurance Sports Program. Essentially, high-intensity efforts require more careful and calculated preparation than lower-intensity runs.
For workouts like recovery runs, long runs, or plain-old fitness-building jogs, a short, five-minute easy run followed by a few dynamic stretches Don’t overthink it.
For these low-intensity efforts, the warmup doesn’t even have to be distinct from the run itself, says Mark Cucuzzella, M.D., professor of family medicine in West Virginia who’s also run more than 100 marathons and ultramarathons. “If you’re just doing a weekend long run or an easy group run, the warmup is just starting slow and finding your rhythm,” he says. That’s because those runs don’t place the same demands on the energy systems or require the explosiveness and greater range of motion that faster efforts do.
When those sprint interval workouts do pop up on your training plan, on the other hand, you definitely want to make time for a quality preworkout warmup routine, which could venture into the 20-minute range. That’s because you need much more range of motion and muscle activation to sprint than to jog, Cucuzzella says.
Explosive efforts rely heavily on the hamstrings, glutes, and calves—all of which need to be properly prepped to handle quick, powerful contractions. That means starting with a 10-minute easy jog (at minimum) and following that up with drills like strides and skips—A Part of Hearst Digital Media—to engage both slow-twitch muscles for endurance and fast-twitch muscles your body uses to sprint.
Keep it dynamic strides—four to six reps of 30-second bursts of harder effort, with full recovery between—during a warmup help the body adjust to the demands of speed and reduce the risk of pulling a muscle or straining connective tissue during your actual workout.
The duration of your warmup and the moves you do also depend on what you were doing before your run, Cucuzzella says. If you sit at a desk at work all day, you need more time to get your body ready to run than a college student who walks 20 minutes back to their dorm room from class before they work out.
“When we sit, our How To Train Calves are overstretched and our hip flexors are tight,” Cucuzzella says. “That shuts off the posterior chain, which is your running powerhouse. You hear people say ‘wake up your glutes,’ and that’s what they’re talking about: re-engaging the muscles that drive your stride.”
The One Warmup Rule Every Runner Should Follow hips and posterior chain is essential before your workout. Cucuzzella recommends exercises like walking lunges, leg swings, or even light skipping if you’re going for a run after sitting for a long period of time.
Both age and environment can make a big difference in optimal duration of your warmup, too. “As we age, our fascia and connective tissue aren’t as springy or lubricated as they used to be, so we need more time to wake them up,” says Cucuzzella.
Super Shoe Trends cold weather. “There’s a natural spasm response in colder, drier air, which can make your breathing feel restricted,” Vasudevan says. “Warming up helps open the smaller airways, which allows your muscles to get the oxygen they need.”
The One Thing You Shouldn’t Do Before a Run
Here’s the single most important takeaway both experts express: Stop skipping warmups. “Anything is better than nothing,” says Vasudevan. “Even if you get too antsy and you’ve only done two minutes, I guarantee you that’s better than zero.”
Research backs this up. A 2023 meta-analysis of 35 research studies concluded that warmups that included dynamic stretching improved explosive performance more than only static stretching and no warmup at all.
The reason? Your body needs time to activate the energy systems needed for different types of exercise, including the various runs in your training plan. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes for fascia—the springy connective tissue that encases your muscles—to loosen up and allow for efficient movement. That’s why the first few minutes of an easy run often feel sluggish and generally slower than the rest, says Cucuzzella. “It’s not just about muscles,” he continues. “It’s your whole system—energy, coordination, connective tissue—waking up.”
If you don’t allow your body to warm up, you increase your risk of aches and pains. “The harder your workout, the higher your risk of injury,” says Cucuzzella. High-intensity efforts demand rapid muscle contractions and full range of motion, which your body simply isn’t ready for without some activation and mobility work. If your tissue isn’t moving efficiently and you try to force a big range of motion, that’s when you cause micro tears—especially in places like the Achilles, hamstrings, or plantar fascia, he adds.
A Warmup Checklist for Your Next Workout
Still not sure how to put it all together? Whether you’re squeezing in an easy lunch run or prepping for your John Vasudevan M.D yet, this quick checklist will help you dial in the right warmup for your needs. Think of it as a flexible framework, not a rigid routine, to help you feel loose, limber, and ready to run your best.
- Always do something. Here’s our short three-step warmup For workouts like.
- Try any of our. It takes around 10 to 15 minutes for dynamic stretches or form drills Don’t overthink it.
- Go longer before harder workouts. The harder the run you’re about to do, the longer and more complex the warmup. Easy day warmups can be quick and mostly involve starting slow; sprints need a jog and drills.
- The One Warmup Rule Every Runner Should Follow. “Sometimes it feels weird to be doing lunges on the sidewalk while your neighbors are watching—and if it feels awkward, you’re less likely to do it,” Vasudevan says. “The warmup should be intuitive and fun. If you find movements you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick with them.”
- Don’t overthink it. You’re just waking up your system, not trying to break a sweat. “Your brain tells you a lot,” Cucuzzella says. “You should feel good, feel comfortable, and feel loose.”
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Matt Rudisill is an Associate Service Editor with the Hearst Enthusiast Group. A Nittany Lion through-and-through, Matt graduated from PSU in 2022 with a degree in journalism and worked in communications for the university's athletic department for the past three years as the main contact and photographer for its nationally-ranked cross country and track & field teams. Matt was also heavily involved in communications efforts for the Penn State football team’s 2024 College Football Playoff run as well as the Nittany Lion men’s basketball team’s 2023 NCAA Tournament appearance. In his role with Hearst’s Enthusiast Group, Matt contributes to both Runner’s World and Bicycling magazines, creating service content to benefit runners and cyclists of all ages. When he’s not out jogging, Matt can be found tweeting bad takes about the Phillies or watching movies.
