2 Dynamic Warm-Ups That Will Get You Ready to Run

Every runner knows the first few minutes out the door can feel the most challenging. But there’s a surefire way to make your run feel better from the start and to stay stronger until the end: Kicking it off with a dynamic warm-up.

Beginning with about five minutes of fast-paced but controlled movements through a wide range of motion primes your body to handle the demands of running. In addition to literally increasing the temperature of your tissues, which helps them work more efficiently and effectively, you’ll ramp up your heart rate, boost blood flow, and fire up connections between your mind and the muscles you’ll be using, including your hamstrings, quads, glutes, and calves. The result, studies show, is that your workout can feel even easier and thus, more enjoyable.

So before you begin any of your cardio workouts for SELF’s Learn to Love Running Program, warm it up! We created two new options to choose from—feel free to find the one that works best for you and stick with it, or switch it up regularly for a little more variety. The best part? They’re all on your feet, so you can do them when you’re already out the door (no mat required!).

Warm-Up 1

What you need: Just your bodyweight!

Directions

• Do each exercise for 30 seconds, alternating sides if applicable.
• After your 30 seconds are complete, move directly onto the next exercise without resting. (Of course, take a breather if you feel you need it.)
• After all five exercises are complete, complete the circuit again.
• Complete the circuit two times total.

Butt Kicks

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
• Kick your right heel back to your right glute. Quickly repeat with the left heel. Try to keep your thighs parallel when you kick. This is 1 rep.
• Repeat for 30 seconds.

Though your stance is a bit different, this movement activates many of the muscles you’ll use on the run, especially your quadriceps.

Lateral Shuffle

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged. Drop into a shallow squat by bending your knees a little and sending your butt back.
• From that position, shuffle to the right as quickly as possible for 4–5 feet (or as space allows). Move your feet fast, going for speed rather than how big of a step you can take.
• When you reach the end, immediately shuffle back to the left.
• Continue to move back and forth as quickly as possible for 30 seconds.

Running is a front-to-back movement. But getting in some side-to-side work beforehand fires up muscles like your adductors (inner thighs), abductors (outside of your hips), and glute medius (side-butt), which stabilize and move your hips.

Hip Cradle

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Lift your right leg and bend your right knee, grabbing the outside with your right hand.
• With your left hand, grab your right leg just below the ankle.
• Allow your knee to rotate outward until you feel a stretch in your right hip.
• Lower your right leg, then repeat on the other side
• Continue alternating for 30 seconds.

Hip-opening movements like this one are especially helpful for runners with desk jobs; they loosen and activate adductors, abductors, and hip flexors that tighten with hours of sitting.

Standing Toe-Touch Kick

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, core engaged, and arms out at your sides. This is starting position.
• Swing your left leg up to around hip height (if flexibility allows), and your right arm around to tap your left toes at the same time.
• Return to starting position and repeat on the other side.
• Continue to alternate in a smooth, continuous way, feeling a stretch along the back of both legs, for 30 seconds.

This dynamic stretch targets your hamstrings; the slight rotation brings your core into the equation.

A-Skip

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
• Lift your right knee with a flexed foot to your chest.
• Drive your right foot back to the floor while popping your left leg up.
• Keep your chest up and keep your arms strong with a 90-degree bend in your elbow.
• Continue alternating for 30 seconds.

Many elite runners include A-skips in their warm-ups and drills. They’re an exaggerated running-like motion that helps coordinate your arm, leg, and foot movements.

Warm-Up 2

What you need: Just your bodyweight!

Directions

• Do each exercise for the time given.
• When you’re done with each exercise, move directly onto the next without resting. (Of course, take a breather if you feel you need it.)
• After all five exercises are complete, complete the circuit again.
• Complete the circuit two times total.

High Knees

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and core engaged.
• Keep your chest lifted and your abs tight as you quickly drive your knees toward your chest, one at a time.
• Swing your arms, focusing on taking your hands from hip height to chin height in rhythm with your knees.
• Move as quickly as you can for 30 seconds.

You’ll feel your heart rate start to rev up as your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes power up. Your hips, abs, and upper body play a role here too.

Leg Swings With Chair

• Stand behind a chair, holding the back with both hands for balance. (Or if you’re outside, you can grab a fence, pole, or any other stable surface.)
• Shift your weight to your left leg and swing your right leg out to the right side, toes pointed.
• In a smooth motion, swing it back to center and then to the left side, crossing the leg between your body and the chair.
• Repeat for 30 seconds before moving to the opposite leg.

This simple but powerful movement warms up and stretches your hips and the muscles around them.

Standing Hip Circles

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, hands on hips, and core engaged.
• Lift your left knee to hip height, and then open your hip, rotating your knee to the side, and then toward the back, before bringing it forward again; making one large hip circle moving front to back (as pictured). This is 1 rep.
• Place your left foot back on the floor, then repeat on the other side, lifting your right knee and moving forward to back with your right knee.
• Continue for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.
• After both sides are completed, reverse the motion on your left side, moving back to forward.
• Continue for 15 seconds, then switch sides and repeat.

Like hip cradles, circles loosen up hip flexors—the muscles in the front of your hips and upper thighs—that become restricted after hours of sitting.

Grapevine

• Begin standing, with your knees slightly bent and arms out to the sides for balance.
• Cross your right foot in front of your left, then step to the left with your left foot.
• Cross your right foot behind your left, then step to the left with your left foot.
• Continue moving left in this way, alternating crossing your right foot in front and then behind, for 4–5 feet (or as space allows).
• Then, repeat the sequence to the right. Continue, alternating directions, for 30 seconds.

This crossover movement involves muscles from your neck to your toes, mobilizing your lower body, hips, and spine with a bit of rotation.

Standing Dynamic Hamstring Stretch

• Stand in a relaxed position with your hands at your sides, core engaged, and feet hip-width apart.
• Step forward with your right foot, keeping your leg straight and flexing your foot so that only your heel rests on the floor.
• Hinge, bending at the hip, and swoop down with straight arms tracing the length of your leg. Stand, keeping your arms straight and bringing your hands overhead, before lowering them to your side. You should feel a stretch in your hamstrings, as well as lengthening in your spine as you stand and stretch.
• Now step forward with the other foot and repeat on the other side. That’s 1 rep. Continue to alternate sides, flowing through the movement at your own pace. Continue for 30 seconds.

This movement activates the back side of your legs, including your calves and hamstrings.

Photography: Katie Thompson. Wardrobe styling: Kathleen Thomas. Hair: Walton Nunez. Makeup: Miranda Richards.

Athletes in order of appearance: Laura Girard, a NASM-certified personal trainer and founder of The Energy Academy, wears: Alo jacket, sports bra, shorts, and sneakers, and Comme si socks; Morit Summers, a Brooklyn-based trainer and the owner of body-positive gym, Form Fitness Brooklyn, wears: Lululemon top and leggings, Aerie sports bra, and Nike sneakers; Ameerah Omar, city captain and mindset coach for Adidas Runners NYC, wears: Alo sports bra and leggings, Nike socks, and Hoka sneakers; Amanda Katz, a certified personal trainer and running coach in New York City, wears: Adanola top and shorts, Nike sneakers, and socks.