Do I need to warm up?

A warm up is really helpful and a great pre run habit to get into. 

When you head out for a run without a warm up you might notice it takes a couple of km before you start to feel good. This is your body getting warmed up! If you spend a little bit of time warming up before heading out then those first 10 min of your run will feel so much better. 

A warm up increases your body temperature which has a corresponding physiological response that has shown to do the following:

• Increase in muscle blood flow

• Reduction in muscle viscosity  

• Activation of metabolic chemical reactions  

• Increase in speed of nervous impulses  

These are all good responses that will help you get the most out of your run. 

A related warm up, using active movements is the best way to approach your warm up. This means focusing on muscles that you will be using when running. Complete the warm up right before you run for maximum impact and at an easy intensity. Running drills or simply dynamic movements like squats, lunges, calf raises and leg swings are all great options for warming up before you head out for your run.