Warming Up, a Panda Discussion Topic

[windwalker]

Warming Up, just what the heck does that mean anyway? That's a riddle that most new and even some experienced runners and walkers wonder about.

When you try to do something to intense before warming up you tire very quickly and end up gasping for breath and totally drained. Think those that start out way to fast at the start of a race.

You are warmed up when the blood in your body is being channeled away from places like your digestive system and sent to your muscles that are doing the work. For most people this is just as you start to break out in a sweat because you body is also working on heat control. It usually takes about 20 min give or take to get this "Warmed Up" feeling.

I wanted to have this discussion mainly for new adult athletes to learn from the more experienced, and maybe pick up something they can use. You hear and read "You must warm up before exercise". I'd like to ask some of our more seasoned runners and walkers to tell what they do to warm up.

I just walk at a much slower pace, but fast enough that after about 15 or 20 minutes I start to sweat, that's when I pick up the pace and go from a normal brisk walk to a race walking stride. For my training walks that's what I do.

When I'm going to be doing a hard group training walk I will do about 15 min of brisk walking before the others arrive and then do some light stretching of my achillies tendons, ham strings and then do some leg swings to loosen everything up.

What do you do that works for you?

Dave

 

[FFigawi]

Well, at Disney, I walk from the bus to the bag drop and then to the starting area. That's a really good warm up.

I also run the first mile or so of every run a bit slower than my goal pace. That gives me time to check in with everything and make sure that all systems are good for the workout, race, etc.

 

[TMcDwyer]

I am new to running (just completed C25K W4D1), but I have been doing Taekwondo for over a year and a half now Nd we always start every class with at least 300 jumping jacks to warm -up. Whenever I run I do 100-150 jumping jacks to warm up my body before I head out. My DH has started doing them too and has noticed that he does/feels better on his runs when he does them.

 

[Bookwood]

When I run at home I walk to the corner (.2 of a mile) then do a bit of stretch (not hard but enough to feel good) then run the first half mile or so a bit slower trying to pay extra attention to how I feel. Once it's all good I listen to talk radio and kinda just run by the numbers.

Since I've been injured this is of course not what's happening but I can't wait until it's the norm again.

 

[johde]

I do a Galloway Run/walk method and Jeff gave me the following suggestion about warming up. I start out walking 1/2 a mile, then make my first few run intervals a little bit shorter. I normally use 30 sec. run/45 sec. walk. Then slowly build to my final run/walk ratio.

 

[cewait]

I think the Panda and I will disagree on the time required but both agree that one must warm up for a run/walk or other workout. I think that 20 minutes is a little long for most folks.... generally 5-10 minutes of light activity escalating up to a moderately hard effort through the time. For some shorter works but as we gain experience, it takes time for ligaments to move freely

I great rule of thumb to follow is as follows: Start of slowly and keep the work reigned in until you notice that you are sweating. Not seating hard but you note that you are sweating.

If you want to stretch pre-workout NOW is the time. Once you are sweating the core of your muscle is warm and connective tissue loosened. Stop and take 5 minutes of so to perform long, slow deliberate (non bouncy) stretches.

Once done, head off down the path.

WARM DOWN is also critical. I see lots of runners and folks in the gym come flying up to the end, grab a towel and wipe the brow and hop in the car to parts unknown.

Spend the last 5-10 minutes of your un at a slower pace or walking. Swing andmove the upper parts fo the boody as you do so. Once you stop, graba quick drink then your towel and stretch.

Start with heavily used and work small. So hams, quads, calves, hips and back/shoulders all should be hit. Spend 60 seconds per stretch (work up to it). Release if you feel a cramp coming on then reapply. A good stretch should take 15 minutes.

 

[Duanerice]

It depends on what I am doing. If it is a long run, then I don't even warm up. Just take it slow in the beginning. OK, I take it slow the entire run Seriously for almost all my training runs I walk for a few minutes before I even start running.

When we do track work on Wednesday we jog for 5 minutes or so before we start the speed drills. Of course this is after an hour long swim so we are a bit warmed up already. Cool down is always at least a 5 minute jog followed by stretches.

For races I really don't warm up that much. But the rule of thumb is the shorter the race the longer the warm up should be. For a 5k I'll run about 5 minutes or maybe a bit longer if possible picking up some speed. If it is a half marathon I jog for a few minutes and for a marathon, pretty much just walk to the start.

Since I do a lot of triathlons, my warm up is usually a short swim since we swim first.

As coach Charles says, make sure you cool down properly. He always told me to walk for a good 5 - 10 minutes after a run to get all the crap out of my legs. Still try to do hat today.

enjoy,
Duane

 

[paxsarah]

In current weather, I start sweating about a minute after I leave the house, so that's not a good measure of whether I'm warmed up. I take a while to warm up and settle into my run - I walk for a few minutes then go into a run, but the Garmin tells the tale - even on a long slow run like today, my pace is slower for the first couple of miles, then I settle in at a more moderate speed.

For most local 5Ks, I walk/run to the start line if it's downtown or on campus (1-1.5 miles from my house), check in and get situated, then jog/run for 5-10 minutes about 10-15 prior to the start. I've come to the conclusion that for a 5K or 10K, I need to do a fairly substantial warmup to feel like I'm ready to run the pace I want to run at the start of a race.

 

[miralys]

I usually just walk at a brisk pace for five minutes. By then I am itching to start running, so I figure my system must be ready to go. I always get made fun of for insisting on doing the full five minutes, but it's what works for me.