Wednesday warm-up. Now there’s a literal title for you. Anybody else freezing there behind off yet? What am I thinking, of course you are.
I’ve been doing most of my running outdoors on the trails, and I think my body is finally acclimated to the cold weather.
I actually enjoyed a nice brisk trail run yesterday in 22°F. That’s gotta to be record for me and definitely a crazy Cotter moment. Although that’s probably nothing compared to you northerners where it’s -15F.
Okay okay enough about the cold. I know you’re tired of it. Let’s talk about warming up. A few weeks ago I posted a picture on Instagram of the kiwi performing a few exercise moves/drills before his run.
I like to watch him warm up before we run because I always learn something new. He has his “routine” you might say.
And why this routine? Good question.
Like any competitive runner or elite athlete, taking time to prep your body for a specific run is key. Warming up can help with injury prevention and it often it helps prepare you mentally for a grueling run set. Kinda like telling the body to GET READY!
But I have a confession, I rarely warm up. Not for a run. Well that needs to change. Remember, I’m open to new things this year! And today I’m ready learn his “moves.” Hope you will too.
4 bonus Warm Up drills to Start Incorporating into your Run Program
- Walking Knee Grab to Quad stretch
- Walking pigeon pose with ankle grab
- Walking lunge with rotation and arms in T
- Walking toes out/in with touch
You can see all the examples in the video, so be sure to check it out when you can.
Ever tried any of these moves? Do you take time to warm up?
Oh, and stay warm!
Cheers,
LC
p.s.
I have a Healthy Bites Update for you and maybe even a recipe come Friday, so stay tuned! thank you  for always supporting. xxoo
Hello there, just became alert to your blog through Google, and found that it is truly informative.
I’m going to watch out for brussels. I will appreciate if you continue this in future.
Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the warm-up exercises! Sometimes I warm-up, sometimes I don’t. I hate it – I usually just want to get the workout started! – so I have to really force myself to be intentional about doing a warm-up…though it usually only lasts 3 minutes!
oh girl, i can so relate!! we need to refocus. haha
These are great – and so helpful too! I don’t do much of a warm-up at all – sometimes I’ll walk a little, but that’s it! I think this’ll help me to combat the mile 2 running blues – definitely going to incorporate them when I can!
yes, it will help! let me know what you think Laura! hugs. xxoo
I am horrible about warming up so I watched the video to get some ideas.
ditto friend
i wish we could run together –> warm up together. accountability!
I don’t necessarily do warm up drills for all of my runs, but I do them 100% of the time before speed workouts whether it be intervals or a tempo run. Doing warm-ups and drills is ingrained in my brain. Growing up and doing them in HS and college track was big, we never did a workout without them. When it’s as cold as it has been outside I do something before each run if I am running outside. Muscles don’t like the cold, neither do I. Ha.
i know, it’s hard to warm up in the cold. we need a heat bubble. LOL!
My college running coach always had us do about 10 minutes of dynamic warm ups before every run. Before speed workouts we do the usual, then run easy AND then do drills! It is a good way to prep yourself for what is about to happen and get different muscles firing!
totally!! those muscles need to be warned. haha
I don’t typically warm up for a run either. If it’s treadmill, I’ll walk a little bit before, but no stretching. I haven’t done any of those moves! It’ll be something to try out for sure.
I think we’ve got a heat wave coming through this weekend!
bring on the heat wave!!!! i’m ready to sweat
Great tips, from the dynamic duo? You’ve used corny cotter, crazy cotter, cornbread muffin cotter. I am lost.
I am guilty of not warming up- I consider the sprint to the squat rack or bench press a warm up. Thanks for the vid by the kiwi- its motivating me to now embrace warming up and hey, maybe see some improvement.
i thinking twerking counts.
I’m freezing!!! 22 is balmy my friend. Love these warm-up moves. I’ve been better about doing some sort of warm-up before my runs (and my knees are happier) but I don’t always do them.
we can hold each other accountable!
Wow that is so cold! I never warm up anymore, great reminder!
haha 22???? I’d LOVE 22 right now! It was -36 (F) here yesterday….
warming up before every run is one of my additions this year too! that and some strength stuff after 3 runs each week 🙂
I am definitely going to give those stretches a try. I need all the extra help I can get 🙂
I love this! Thank the Kiwi for such great advice! 🙂
girl… i have no idea how you ran in 22 degree weather! WHOA! I never warm up. I have this saved.. I promise I am going to start!
we do our best to always warm-up before we exercise, but to be honest we’ve skipped it because short on time. bad twins haha
I love it. And I love the combo of both you and him in this post. Made me smile 🙂
great tips! thanks for sharing mr. + mrs. crunch!
I love it! I am like you, very rarely warm-up kind of girl. But this is a year of recovery and strength so focusing on it much more. Great moves!
I rarely warm up for a run, but I do love these moves when they’re incorporated into yoga class. Twisting and lunging are not my favorite, but sometimes they honestly feel oh so good. Stay warm friend! XOXO
I know I should be better about this myself – thanks for sharing James’ drills, it’s great to see how the pros do it!!
I’m terrible about warming up too…even though I KNOW how important it is. Guess I better start working on that. Thanks for the warm up exercise ideas! Dynamic stretching is the best!
Those drills bring back some serious memories!!! College track – every day we did those drills (and others) – over and over.
Now, I rarely warm-up – I just ease into the run before I bump the pace (sort-of counts maybe!).
haha ditto. But i don’t do the speed work he does. THANK GOD! LOL!
Ah yes, the warm up! I posted my video on that not long ago as well! Lunge and twists also included. I like the standing pigeon stretch!
I swear, I swear, I swear, this is the year I am going to incorporate dynamic warm up drills into my running! Thanks for sharing them.
So yesterday a.m. it was 3 degrees F with a wind chill of -20. Ummm…brrrrr! So darn cold! Today’s a little better, but I’m SO ready for summer! Needless to say, my workouts have been mostly indoors. I really want to start running again, but there’s no way I’m going out there in that cold. I don’t have a treadmill and I don’t belong to a gym, so I guess I’ll be waiting a little while before I can.
I think Spring is gonna be great for you!! more running and hopefully injury free!
It was -25 when I came to work this morning! The coldest I’ve ran is 17 (above 0 :)) and my eyelashes froze together. I had to stop to manually separate them! I live in MN, so that also requires running with lots of layers and removable spikes on the bottom of my shoes!
okay, you are brave! So impressed amy!
Thanks for passing along these great warm-up drills. My coach always has me do a dynamic warm-up which includes drills-Butt Kicks, high knees etc. These look like great ones to add into my repertoire. Stay warm!!!
Great list! Mostly my warm up consists of hip hikes, squats and walking briskly for 5 minutes before I run. I like this list especially the walking lunge with T rotation. Thanks!
I also rarely warm up, I’ll just run slow and easy for the first mile. If I have time, I try to stretch after but that also rarely happens
It was a warm 26 degrees this morning. Felt amazing after 10 yesterday! I’ve kind of gotten used to running in the low 30’s and upper 20’s but am pretty much over it now 😉 I tend to warm up more when it’s cold out. I start inside to get blood flowing before going outside. Then I do some butt kicks, calf raises, leg swings, some leg kicks where you lift knee up then stretch your leg out. Love some of James’ moves though. Thanks for sharing!!
Love these! I have my routine as well before I run of dynamic stretches and running drills but these are some great new ones I will have to try out! Thanks to Kiwi for sharing!
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! That is dang cold!!!!
Love this video! I do warm up before my runs but not like that so I will have to reconsider. 😉 In the gym a walk for about 5 minutes & then run at a slower pace for another 10 & then amp it up. 🙂 On the weekends for the outside one, I do a core workout that gets my legs & body warmed up & dynamic stretching too. 🙂
I love these- thanks! I can’t wait to do the pigeon with ankle grab. I think my body will really appreciate that one 🙂
That is chilly weather for you down south! Stay warm.
I’m terrible about warming up. And yes, you are officially crazy Cotter. I refuse to go outside until the WEATHER warms up. 😉
I need to get better at warming up… The first few minutes of exercise are always torture because none of my muscles feel like working right — the stiff and jerky look isn’t a good one for anybody. Although I’m not sure -anything- would warm me up in the weather we’ve been having lately. Well, anything besides refusing to move more than 3 ft. away from the fireplace 😉
I always warm up on the treadmill but I need to get better at “warming up” that’s part of this whole “slow down” challenge I’m working on for 2014 😉 No more college= enjoy every second and no more rushing to class hehe & just know I’m always thinking of you & hoping the best for you and the hubs 😀 I will ALWAYS support Healthy bites, even if I have to make them myself!! xoxo
Of those 4, the toes in/ toes out is the only one I did with a coach in Houston. Thanks for sharing! And wow, 22 in Texas? That is freezing. I’m impressed you got out in that! I’ve been sticking to the gym and the treadmill. 🙂
I’m dying to run! Stop torturing meeee 😉
those are exactly the drills my running coach would have us warm up with when i was speed training with him! (otherwise, i rarely warm up to running too)
Whoa wait 22 in Austin?!
ya, it’s never been that cold before! and now tomorrow it’s 65F ha! crazy bipolar weather
This was AWESOME! Such a great resource. Now I have to do them. Oh new habits, new habits…
Let me know whatcha think when you do tara!
I actually would always do #1 before a long run. I really dont know how your running in 22 degrees.. I could only last for a total of 15 minutes on my morning walk w/ Roxy yesterday… and it was 45 degrees. Ha Ha!
i think my body was in shock. LOL!
Dynamic stretches pre-run (and basketball, football, volleyball, etc.) are the best! Woot! <3 I haven't tried these; very inventive. Thanks, heart!
Is cycling to the gym a warm up? 🙂 I definitely feel sweaty when I arrive there, yuck 🙂
But I never warm up for an outdoor run – great tips, thank you!!
haha totally counts to me!