A good warm up?

Question

When I start running for ex. 3 km, the beginning is the most exhausting, but in the second half, especially towards the end, I start feeling energetic, kinda high and can run much faster.

Wanted to know how is it possible to get that feeling from the beginning. My guess is that a good warm up should do it, but can anyone please suggest an effective one, not just stretching etc.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I do a mile jog.

Then stretches

and some drills

Answer 2

well i do 1mile warm ups before a race or speed-work and then about 5 50 meter surges and I'm ready try that

Answer 3

half mile jog, maybe more. If you feel overly energetic at the end of a 3k run, you might want to make the run longer. Also do a cool down of equal distance to warm-up.

Answer 4

You should do an active dynamic stretch prior to running.  One example would be to do a simple movement to get your heartrate up (i.e. jumping jacks, skips, jump rope) and then warm up your muscles.  I like to start from the head down for example:

Neck clocks

Arm Circles

Trunk Circles

SquatsL

Lunges

Heel toe raise

50% run for 25-50 yds

Walking or standing lunges

Knee Hugs

Quad Stetches

75% run for 25-50 yds

Some type of leg abduction and adduction exercises

Hip exercises

Add a few more in, but this gives a good short warm up.  You will add some flexibility but the focus is on warming up the body with movements.  What a lot of people do is warm up on cold muscles as in your example. Or they run, and then do static stretches.  This can be helpful in promoting flexibility but actually hinders performance.  You warm up the body getting the heart rate up, and then you slow it down and relax the muscles.  After this you then warm up the muscles and put the muscles to work.  Unfortunately no matter how much evidence proves otherwise, this is not effective or logical.

Leave your stretching until after your workout.  Do an active dynamic warmup like I describe (look up different examples).  You will want to have a few warmups to help vary up your workout too.

Good luck!