When you’re gearing up for a run or workout, your warm-up might be an afterthought. You may even skip a pre-run routine altogether so that you can get straight to your effort.
Runners World US warm-ups – some as short as five minutes and others as long as 20 minutes. So, even if you already do a warm-up before each workout, what’s the best way to do it?
According to the sports medicine experts that we’ve consulted, the best warm-ups aren’t the longest or most complex – they’re simply the ones that are tailored to the workout that you’re about to do. Here, we explain how to maximise the benefits of your pre-run routine so that you can get the most out of your miles.
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There’s no universally ‘correct’ length for a warm-up. However, you won’t be able to get away with just a short routine before every single one of your workouts.
‘Warmups should be proportional to the intensity and duration of your workout,’ says John Vasudevan, associate professor of clinical physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania and co-director of the Penn Medicine Running and Endurance Sports Program. Essentially, high-intensity efforts require more careful and calculated preparation than low-intensity runs.
We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article recovery runs, long runs and trusty fitness-building jogs, a short, five-minute easy run followed by a few dynamic stretches Summer running gear sale.
Published: 18 August 2025 Mark Cucuzzella, a professor of family medicine who has also run more than 100 marathons and ultramarathons, the warm-up doesn’t even have to be distinct from the run itself. ‘If you’re just doing a weekend long run or an easy group run, the warm-up is just starting slow and finding your rhythm,’ he notes. That’s because these runs don’t place the same demands on your body’s energy systems or require the explosiveness and greater range of motion that faster efforts do.
When those drills to improve your running form and pace Summer running gear sale training plan, however, you’ll want to make time for a quality pre-workout warm-up 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, says Cucuzzella.
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), then following that up with drills like strides and skips – A-skips, B-skips and even C-skips – to engage both slow-twitch muscle fibres for endurance and fast-twitch muscle fibres for speed.
Try any of our strides – like four to six bursts of effort lasting for 30 seconds – during a warm-up help your body to adjust to the demands of speed and reduce your risk of pulling a muscle or straining connective tissue during your actual workout.
The duration of your warm-up and the moves that you do also depend on what you were doing before your run, adds Cucuzzella. If you sit at a desk at work all day, you’ll need more time to get your body ready to for an evening run than someone who, say, moves around and works outdoors for several hours.
‘When we sit, our glutes and hamstrings are overstretched and our hip flexors are tight,’ says Cucuzzella. ‘That shuts off the posterior chain, which is your running powerhouse. When people say that you need to wake up your glutes, that’s what they’re talking about – re-engaging the muscles that drive your stride.’
In these cases, a warm-up routine that specifically targets your 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 affect the optimal duration of your warm-up, 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.
As for environmental factors, consider lengthening your warm-ups in cold weather. ‘There’s a natural spasm response in colder, drier air, which can make your breathing feel restricted,’ says Vasudevan. ‘Warming up helps to open the smaller airways, which allows your muscles to get the oxygen that they need.’
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The single most important takeaway from both experts? Stop skipping warm-ups – especially the dynamic kind. In fact, according to a 2023 meta-analysis of 35 research studies, warm-ups that included dynamic stretching improved explosive performance more than warm-ups that included only static stretching.
The truth is that 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 – your energy, coordination and connective tissue – waking up.’
If you don’t let your body 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 – particularly in places like the achilles, hamstrings or plantar fascia, he adds.
When it comes to warm-ups, ‘anything is better than nothing’, says Vasudevan. ‘Even if you get too antsy and you’ve only done two minutes, I guarantee that this is better than zero.’
A warm-up checklist for your next workout
Whether you’re squeezing in an easy run at lunchtime or preparing for your toughest speed workout so far, this quick checklist will help you to execute the right warm-up for your needs. Think of it as a flexible framework, rather than a rigid routine, to help you feel loose, limber and ready to run at your best.
Keep it dynamic
Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network dynamic stretches or form drills For these low-intensity efforts, says.
Go longer before harder workouts
The harder the run that you’re about to do, the longer and more complex the warm-up needs to be. Warm-ups for easy runs can be quick and mostly involve starting slow, while sprint sessions need a jog and drills.
Choose warm-up exercises that you enjoy
‘Sometimes, it feels weird to be doing lunges on the pavement while your neighbours are watching – and if it feels awkward, you’re less likely to do it,’ says Vasudevan. ‘The warm-up should be intuitive and fun. If you find movements that 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,’ says Cucuzzella. ‘You should feel good, comfortable and loose.’
