The Perfect Runners Warm-up by Performx

As a fellow runner in the Willamette Valley (and performance physical therapist), I know how crucial it is to start off your workouts on the right foot (pun intended 😉).

More often than not, our warmups are the lynchpin that determine whether our bodies get injured or allow us to hit that new PR pain-free.

There are 2 key components to any (good) warm-up: the WHAT and the HOW OFTEN.

The WHAT is what we typically think of - exercises and rep scheme - the meat to any workout. 🍖

What's special about the WHAT of this warmup, is that it follows the methodology we use for almost everything we prescribe at Performx Physical Therapy. Whether you're an athlete we're training to hit a PR at the Hood to Coast or are coming in to rehab an ACL surgery, this is what we use.  

Our (Top Secret 🤐) Physical Therapy Methodology:

1. Open up the joint

2. Release the soft tissue

3. Activate the muscles in their new range

By using this series of steps, you not only increase your range of movement, but start to build muscle and make lasting changes.

But only if...

... you are consistent with the HOW OFTEN. 

Our bodies are creatures of habit. Like putting on muscle, excelling at a new sport, or just getting back into shape - it takes time and consistency to make change. 

The power of this runner warmup lies in the regularity and consistency of doing it!

Do this every time you get ready to head out on a run and over time you will see the dramatic impact. 

Not only are you preventing injury, but you're kicking a domino effect into gear - training your joints to move better, which allows your soft tissue better adapt to the movement.

What does this actually mean? 

That you're becoming more efficient when you run, enabling your body to operate with a higher power output.

You're becoming a faster runner with less aches and pains.  

Alright, without further ado - here's our perfect warmup for runners! 

1. Joint Work : Open up the Hips

If you're familiar with us, you know we love banded stretches! These really do get into those joints for a different kind of stretch than you may be used to feeling.

For this one, you'll get down into a lunge and open up the external rotation in your hips. No band? No problem, the band really just helps to push it a little further.

2. Soft Tissue Work : A Better Calf Stretch 

Raise your hand if you've got tight calves 🙋‍♂️. I've yet to meet a runner that doesn't... 

This is a take on the classic calf stretch we all know and love, but lets you get a bit deeper into it to open things up. The contraction pattern really makes it spicy!

3. Activation : Pull It All Together

And this is where we make the gains! We've opened up the joint, released the soft tissue - you should have an expanded range of movement compared to when you started.

Now we load those muscles at the end of that new range with the Running Man Heel Raise.

And that's a wrap!

Definitely give this a go & let me know what you think. 🏃

We've got a lot more of where this comes from. If you're a long-distance runner, be sure to check out our blog post on our best exercises to prep your body for those long haul runs!

If you have any questions on this warmup, want tips for your specific activity, or want to chat through something that's been bothering you - don't hesitate to reach out!

We offer free 15-minute Discovery Calls - book one here.