The Belfast City Half Marathon is nearly upon us and your training is probably in full swing by now, but how should you warm up?
It's vital to be ready before starting any run so as to avoid any injuries or pain after exercising.
Here are six tips for the perfect warm-up:
- Get your joints moving: Gentle movements of the neck, shoulders, waist, hips, knees and ankles will help you loosen up.
- Go for a walk: Begin your warm-up by walking, steadily progressing your speed into a slow jog.
- Hamstring swings: Put your hamstrings through a range of movements, without the impact of running on the road.
- Reverse walking: Walking backwards activates the gluteal muscles, which helps to stabilise your pelvis while running.
- Prone kicks: These get your synovial fluid running, helping to protect your knees from injury.
- Short runs: Finish your warm up with 25 metre runs, accelerating form a slow start to a brisk pace.
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