6 Best Stretches Before Running, According to Experts

Why Do It: There are three types of leg swings: front, back, and side to side. Leg swings help prepare our hips, quads, glutes, groin, adductors, inner and outer thighs, and hamstrings for the pressures of a run. Here, I’ll explain a front leg swing. 

How to Do It:

1. Begin by standing on your left foot, with your right foot slightly elevated and your leg extended somewhat in front of you. You can use the help of a nearby wall (fence, tree, etc.) for balance.
2. Kick the elevated leg to a height where you feel safe pressure and a good stretch. I try to reach my adjacent hand. 
3. Bring your leg back down to its original slightly elevated position, then repeat and switch sides once completing your set.
4. Swing for 30-seconds, or 10 to 15 swings on your right leg and left leg.

You can do leg swings also backward and laterally (side to side), following a similar logic to the front leg swing. However, bend your knee more when doing backward leg swings and expect to find a good stretch with less kick. Also notable, when doing lateral leg swings, your balancing foot should be positioned behind the leg you are swinging.

Why Do It: Arm swings prepare the muscle groups and joints of the upper body. Arm swings help stretch and set your chest, upper back, and shoulders in motion. Also, being a low-intensity warm-up exercise, arm swings help get the blood flowing and prepare your body for its upcoming workout. 

How to Do It:

1. Stand or jog in place with your arms fully outstretched.
2. Cross your right arm and left arm at the front until you feel a strong stretch, then promptly return to the outstretched starting position. 
3. Do three sets for 30 seconds at a time, or 10 to 20 swings.

When crossing your arms, you can pulse slightly back and forth where your elbows meet maximum tension for one or two seconds to feel the stretch better. Try to alternate your arms’ over and under positions using your right hand and left hand as guidance.

Why Do It: Arm circles deliver a similar effect as arm swings. They help to warm up the upper body and give an excellent stretch to your shoulders, chest, and back. Arm swings also act as a low-intensity cardio warmup for your run.  

How to Do It:

1. Stand or jog in place and throw your left and right arm up and back in a circular motion. Imagine resembling a windmill on your body’s left and right sides. 
2. Reset to a standing or jogging position, and circle forward.
3. Circle for 30 seconds, or do 10 to 20 circles.

In this motion, your upper body is moving your arms, so keep your arms relatively loose without losing composure. Despite targeting your general upper body, you will feel the most pressure on your shoulders. Be mindful if the pressure becomes too much, and reduce your circle size accordingly. 

Why Do It: High knees stimulate and stretch your calves, glutes, hips, and quads. Furthermore, they act as a low-intensity pre-run workout to get your blood flowing and elevate your heart rate to prepare yourself for your run. High knees can also be incorporated into high-intensity training if done with explosive force. This can build lower body muscle, activate your core, and build your cardio.

How to Do It:

1. Start by calmly jogging in place.
2. Lift your knees, alternating your left knee and right knee, aiming to bring them as high as possible. The goal is to get them to a 90-degree angle or above your waistline.
3. Perform three 30-second rounds.

Make sure to maintain balance. Land on the balls of your feet for increased agility and to decrease pressure on your knees. Then, immediately bring your opposite knee up as the other returns to the floor. It’s best to imagine sprinting in place, so you can incorporate your arms to help the motion be more explosive. 

However, if you struggle to bring your knees above your waist, some people tap or clap their knees with their hands to help meet a target while maintaining rhythm. Don’t forget to keep your focus, ensuring you maintain balance and a nice stationary running technique to prevent the risk of injury or stress on your lower back.

Why Do It: Butt kicks activate your quads and hamstrings. Furthermore, butt kicks act as a low-intensity cardio warm-up that boosts your heart rate and stimulates blood flow, enabling your body to more easily transition into the intensity of your run. 

How to Do It:

1. Start by calmly jogging in place.
2. While maintaining a fluid jogging rhythm and balance, bring one heel as close as possible to your butt cheek (if you can’t reach your cheek, some people will place their outer palms between their butt cheek to meet the heel). 
3. Alternate back and forth at a warm-up pace.
4. Perform three 30-second rounds.

It may help you to imagine reversing the high-knee dynamic stretch exercise. Similarly to high knees, keep your balance and technique to prevent stress on your lower back and knees, and not fall over!

Why Do It: Standing calf raises stimulate your calf muscles to prepare them for the stress of a run. Here we propose gentle calf raises. However, this calf stretch exercise can also be a muscle-building exercise for your calves. You can incorporate the motion into wall sits or include weights while standing to increase the pressure.

How to Do It:

1. Stand up straight with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart.
2. Bring yourself up on your toes, elevating your heels into the air.
3. Fully extend your foot on the balls of your feet to feel a stretch or pressure, then slowly bring yourself back down without allowing your heels to touch the floor.
4. Do three 30-second rounds or sets of 15 to 30 raises.

This is best done on a ledge of some kind (sidewalk, or aerobic step, for example). However, a flat surface will work. If you struggle with the balance or pressure of the stretch, you can bring your heels to the floor on each rep.