Stretching before running: a six minute warm-up

Most runners know they should do something before they set off, and many still start with a long hamstring hold against a lamp post. Stretching before running is worth doing, but the most useful kind moves. A few minutes of brisk walking and dynamic stretches warms the muscles, moves the joints through the range a run will ask for and lets the breath pick up gradually.

This six-minute warm-up suits an easy run along the bay, a loop of a park or the treadmill.

Should you stretch before running at all?

Yes, but think of it as a warm-up rather than a stretch session. Moving stretches, where you swing or step through a range without holding the end, prepare the legs for running. Long static holds, the kind you hold for 30 seconds or more, are better after the run. The page on static vs dynamic stretching explains the difference.

Before you start: safety

Stop and see a doctor or physiotherapist if you have pain that makes you limp, swelling, or pain that returns every time you run. Do not warm up through sharp pain. In Manila heat, run early or late, drink before you start and keep the warm-up in the shade. Dizziness, chest pain or feeling faint means stop and get help.

The routine: a six-minute dynamic warm-up

1. Brisk walk, 2 minutes. Walk faster than usual, arms swinging. Breathe through the nose if you can.
2. Leg swings, forward and back, 30 seconds each leg. Hold a wall or railing with one hand. Swing the outside leg forward and back like a pendulum, starting small and getting a little bigger. Keep the standing knee soft and the torso tall.
3. Leg swings, side to side, 30 seconds each leg. Face the wall with both hands on it and swing one leg across the body and out to the side.
4. Walking lunges, 10 steps. Step forward into a lunge, lower the back knee a little, then step through into the next. Keep the front knee over the ankle. Breathe out as you lower.
5. Ankle circles and heel raises, 30 seconds. Circle each ankle five times each way, then rise onto the balls of both feet and lower slowly, ten times.
6. Easy skips or high knees, 30 seconds. Light, springy and relaxed. Then start running, slower than your usual pace for the first few minutes.

Common mistakes

• Long holds at the start. Save them for after the run.
• Swinging too hard too soon. Start each swing small. The range should grow on its own as you warm.
• Skipping the walk. Going straight from the lift lobby to a fast pace is the hardest start for the legs.
• Ignoring pain. A warm-up should feel easy. Pain that builds as you move is a reason to stop.

Make it easier or harder

Easier: do only the walk, the forward leg swings and the ankle circles, all holding a railing. That is enough before a gentle jog.

Harder: before a faster session, add a few minutes of easy jogging and four relaxed strides, short accelerations of about 15 seconds, walking back between each.

What should you stretch after running?

Once you have walked for a few minutes and caught your breath, slow held stretches suit the hips, hamstrings, quads and calves. The ten-minute routine in yoga for runners puts them in order. For the back of the legs, the strapped hamstring stretch lying down is a gentle choice, and the low lunge for the hip flexors eases the front of the hip.

If your knees or ankles feel stiff on runs, the gentle knee stretches and ankle stretches for stiff feet are worth a few minutes on rest days.