The Standard Warm up Routine for Runners (Updated!)

PDF Guide: bit.ly/2GkOvlr
Routine details: bit.ly/3mYVkdk
The Standard warm-up routine is a series of dynamic flexibility exercises to help runners warm up before a run. Unlike static stretching, the Standard Warmup actually warms you up! It elevates your heart rate, respiration, perspiration, opens capillary beds, lubricates joints, and metabolically primes the body for running.
If you'd like to reduce your injury risk, feel better on your runs, and improve performances, the Standard Warm-up Routine can help!
You can also get an illustrated version of the routine: bit.ly/2GkOvlr

Jason Fitzgerald is a USATF running coach, 2:39 marathoner, and the founder of Strength Running (one of the web's most popular running blogs and coaching businesses). A member of the Greatist Expert Network, he's also the 2017 Men's Running Magazine's Influencer of the Year and a contributor to Competitor Magazine, Active, Runner's World, Lifehacker, and other major media.
Visit strengthrunning.com/ to learn more about barefoot running, getting faster, injury preventing, and lifting for speed.
Twitter: / jasonfitz1
Instagram: / jasonfitz1
Facebook: / strengthrunning

[@alxcraciun]

1:46 Walking Deadlifts (10-20 reps) 2:05 Knee Hugs (10-20 reps) 2:15 Groiners (10-20 reps) 2:36 Donkey Kicks (10 each leg) 3:03 Mountain Climbers in (10-20 reps) 3:15 Mountain Climbers out (10-20 reps) 3:28 Iron Cross (20 reps) 3:57 Forward Lounge (10 reps) 4:13 Twisted Lounge (10 reps) 4:40 Sideways Lounge (10 reps) 5:05 Diagonal Lounge (10 reps) 5:28 Backwards Lounge (10 reps) 5:53 Front Leg Swings (10 each leg) 6:20 Side Leg Swings (10 each leg)

[@AlexandroBekos]

Thank you

[@visceraeyes525]

its lunge not lounge

[@pawanrai4790]

This warm up is my whole workout 😅😅

[@trishthorne9044]

I usually do some leg swings and lunges but this morning I did this warmup before my tempo run....what a difference, thank you so much!

[@bostonchaval]

I’ve been doing this warmup for a few years now and love it. The one update I saw was the twisting lunge.

[@TaylorMcRae]

I keep coming back to this warm-up routine. Never ceases to wake up the legs and help keep things light / snappy on any run day!

[@bugbean5500]

I did your dynamic warmup for the first time today and really liked it. I only did a short barefoot run which for sure contributes to the light and smooth feeling I had but especially my upper body felt so much better than usual thanks to your exercises. I'm really impressed and I'll try to do it before every run in the future. Thanks a lot!

[@jamesmcqueen2200]

Thank you so much for this easy to follow video! Love the podcast too.

[@leftyseel8658]

Great content. As always, i learn something valuable from you. Will add that groiners to my warmup.

[@macaz1986]

Awesome warm up! Thank you!

[@charliesalazar3119]

Great, I have defined my own warm up routine based on this that I do before every single run, thanks!

[@tirusew]

Love it. Thank you.

[@jayantnagarkar1018]

Perfect video .for warm up.

[@phacocataractdrlvkraju5]

Thank you, Nice warm-up exercises suggested, warm-up starts @ 1:46

[@carrotsandrunning]

1:46

[@sunita8917]

Thanks

[@sunita8917]

Thanks man

[@40hills1]

I'm glad to see that I've been doing some of these already. But maybe that's because I saw your previous version of this video 😁

[@tammooney1]

Thank you.

[@amadeocelio1061]

Great warmup.

[@flaviokoppa8530]

Thanks a lot 🙂👍

[@movemorenowjames]

Great vid thanks !

[@alisdairSH]

Do you recommend doing this before any running (completely cold), or after a ~10 minute easy jog? I usually do [1 mile easy jog]->[active warm-up*]->[workout]. * Was about 70% of the motions shown here, but will be adding the full set next workout

[@SeanMorleyTesty]

I definitely believe in warmup before running. I find this order difficult; I fall over if I start with walking deadlifts. :) A better order for me is the on-the-floor moves first, followed by lunge matrix, knee hugs, leg swings - then some skips.

[@anthonymwanje8398]

It's ok as long as you warm up

[@anthonymwanje8398]

Am 61 year old recreational runner.....am gonna give it a shot from tomorrow 26/9/2023; greetings from Uganda East Africa 😅

[@kenkretz6392]

Fantastic! You're the best:)

[@jamstaa69]

Is there any beneficial difference between forward and rear lunges ?

[@kevinjackson420]

A couple months ago, I saw the video that went through the Mattock Dynamic Warmup, and I've been doing that before every run, and it's great! But should I be doing this warmup routine instead? There are A LOT of differences!

[@nikitaw1982]

Thank you. When I do #14 the side to side leg swing I get a weird graunch in right hip. Like tendons getting caught on each other.

[@sgriff5692]

I can't see where to download the PDF. Every link I click on just takes me to another web page...

[@juliedavenport3611]

So, I did check. PDF diagram of S W-U R is from 2011...maybe get an updated version? I've made notes to my printed, plastic sleeved, goes with me into the great outdoors copy. :~) Thank you, Jason! Hoping to connect with you about Green Events up here in Fort Collins area (DM sent).

[@rushodai929]

The geek in me wishes there was a running commentary or caption about what each stretch does for your body.

[@leftyseel8658]

Is it necessay to have the back leg on a 90 degree angle when doing walking deadlift? I always do that, even on Leg Day with dumbbells, just stationary, but with the back leg straight. Am i doing it wrong?

[@salimguerrib5677]

❤❤❤

[@icecream_2987]

What trail is that in the beginning of the video?

[@danielolsen8114]

Hello Jason. Thank you, as always, for the great content. Question: Are you saying that I should completely replace pre-run stretching with this routine, or that I should do this before or after my usual stretching, or that I should just spend less time stretching and focus primarily on this routine? The reason I ask is because I have always stretched a lot before and after running (not that I don't warm up as well) and am quite frankly, AFRAID of what will happen if I do not stretch. I have degenerative disc disease and find that stretching helps with my back pain & tightness and am just afraid of eliminating stretching before I run. I hope this question makes sense. I would appreciate your feedback. Thank you for your time and efforts.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

Hi Daniel, static stretching is mostly useless unless you have a formal medical need for it or you're a gymnast or other athlete with a need for high levels of flexiblity. See: strengthrunning.com/2019/04/static-stretching-examples-for-runners/

[@danielolsen8114]

@@JasonFitzgerald Thank you for the feedback Jason. I visited the link and read the article, and also watched the other dynamic warmup routine. I will try to work those in as a substitute.

[@danielolsen8114]

Hello Jason. So I did the warmup routine as shown in the video (to the best of my ability). I'm just being honest, all it did was make my legs really tight and sore before and during my running today. In fact, I couldn't even do the workout I had planned because my quads and hamstrings were so tight and sore. Instead I had to settle for slow mile repeats because my legs never would loosen up after that. I'm not sure if this is because I'm not as far along in my running as a lot of people you coach, or if my body just doesn't respond well to this routine (I think the lunges are what really hurt me). But I practiced it slowly last night and again this morning just to get the moves and coordination worked out, but it still made my running a miserable struggle today. I'm not trying to be difficult or argumentative, but what do you think the problem with me might be? (I'm trying not to be, but I'm honestly really angry and disappointed in myself at the moment). My goal is to be fit, healthy, and enjoy running again like I did when I was younger and I hate set-backs. Any thoughts?

[@JasonFitzgerald]

@@danielolsen8114 It sounds like you just need to do it more often. If a series of dynamic stretches and lunges make you THAT sore, you need to get stronger!

[@bouffon1]

I do most of those, but like to include knees-up skipping, running with but kicks and knees-ups. Gets me down to the front gate.

[@Kudal196]

This is Excellent! Exactly what I have been looking for.

[@NathanBudd]

Just gone to download from both links and it says "sorry, that page doesn't exist"

[@vitalpointclinic5636]

Include some CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations). All the movements you are doing are movement patterns. Then you will a complete routine. Most people have some form of joint dysfunction.

[@kirstenjacobsdottir8472]

Are you talking about making circles with your feet as an example?

[@MaxWeir]

How safe are the iron cross exercises? I just worry about my back and putting extra strain on it, I don’t do much back exercise and really just core things like sit ups and planks

[@StrengthRunning]

If done properly, quite safe!

[@MsTrinichic]

Question? So I can do this before my warm up run ? Usually I run a mile and then do some stretches before my main run like intervals or hill work

[@StrengthRunning]

Did you read the article linked to in the description?

[@paytonrules]

The PDF Page doesn't work (the link works, but the "Sign me up!" link doesn't).

[@catface101]

Jeez I was expecting you to do upside down or 4D lunges next

[@sunita8917]

Jai hind respect from india

[@AndreiDamian]

Try doing this before a Parkrun in winter…

[@AmberSoleil1]

I’m just picturing the entire back of my body covered in hives after laying in the grass 😵😭

[@heathergentryhartwell1695]

Yeah, couch to 5k only does walking for 5 min as a warm up.

[@michalpetras984]

The muscles and tendons are too cold. I would do some of those swinging exercises after 10 Min jogging.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

That's the purpose of the warm-up and why the leg swings come last...

[@michails.maipas814]

Just running, jogging walking best warm up warm out

[@mrt4088]

Sooo I'm smoked after the warm up... 6'2 320lbs...

[@carrotsandrunning]

that pdf sign-me-up button is 404.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

I've confirmed it's valid... try again.

[@adriamartipeiro]

Solid warm up. I would eliminate the mountain climbers and the back stretches. Instead I would do the "world greatest stretch" for example to mobilize the spine and also stretch the hip at the same time.

[@JasonFitzgerald]

But that defeats the purpose of warming up. Warming up is not stretching.

[@adriamartipeiro]

@@JasonFitzgerald I do not really agree...but if we start talking about warm up and stretching it will be a never ending discussion

[@adriamartipeiro]

@@JasonFitzgerald And...who say that warm up is stretching? I have just said that instead of one exercise I would do another one.

[@richardmiddleton7770]

You don't need to warm up for running! Unless you're a sprinter! Even then just start out with a slow jog and gradually build up. We were designed to run, straight away, away from predators or to catch an animal to eat! Yep, you heard me right vegans! 🤭

[@patrickokeeffe4787]

You are not comparing apple with apples. We are not being chased by a predator for our lives.....we are performing an activity mostly for leisure and we have the time to prepare ourselves to thrive in that activity....so you have missed the point of the warm up. It makes the activity easier and more enjoyable. Most people probably can skip a warm up if push came to shove. But there is still a big difference between what we can SURVIVE on and what we can do to THRIVE on. I can survive on 4 hours sleep a day for the rest of my life if needed.....but I thrive on 7 hours of sleep a day. I can maybe sometimes survive a run without a warm out.....but I thrive and benefit every time on my run with a warm up. Most folks might survive running away from a predator without a warm up or not being prepared or alert for attack......but nearly all would have a better chance of survival if they had been in a warmed up state beforehand or if in an alert state or prepared state for the danger. Also, all our bodies are different. From an injury perspective and from my own experience, I started out jogging about 2 years ago. I used the couch to 5k program which only has a 5 min walk as a warm up, which is like having no warm up at all in my eyes. Now I might have a very unforgiving right calf, but I managed to pull it twice in the same spot as I got deeper into the program and it set me back months and I was even thinking of stop running altogether. But I persevered but I changed tactics. I did a dynamic warm ups like in the above video with extra emphasis on warming up my calves and I have had no injury issues since and I run 5k every week. I'm not one of those people that can just dive into it, I discovered. I'm probably be one of those that might not survive a predator attack too unfortunately so I have to stay more alert. Just because we have a built in defence system to run or to hunt with, it doesnt mean its a successful one for most individuals for survival. But I wud like to add that if you jog for just general health like me and are non competitive, then the above warm up is a bit overkill. You could half the warm up and leave out all the ground work. But if you run at a serious level, perhaps you may need the whole warm up routine above.

[@nivaldolemos5280]

Several millennia of living outside the jungle made us quite less strong. And who is to say that earlier humans didn't get injuries all the time, possibly becoming unable to run after a certain age? Just like the other animals.