Warm up

[Ukdebdow]

Hi just on week 7. If i stretch before and after do i still need to do the 5 mins warm up and down? Thanks

[AlMorr Ambassador Graduate]

Congratulations Ukdebdow on almost completing C25K, not long now until you graduate, 🎓by all means do the warm up walk before you run and after the run, you can also do some stretches as well.

If you wish to either pace or time your runs on weeks 7, 8, or 9 it's better not to time the warm up walks just the running 🏃 part. 😊

[Ukdebdow Graduate in reply to AlMorr]

Thankyou

[Maddee_6333 Graduate]

Yes, keep the warm up walk even if you are stretching.

Or maybe try incorporating some dynamic stretches into your cool down walk.

[Ukdebdow Graduate in reply to Maddee_6333]

Thankyou

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

With colder weather here again it s even more important to warm up well.

You can do some dynamic stretching, not static, before a run, but cold muscles are more prone to injury and one of the best ways to warm up is with a brisk walk.

There are other alternatives mentioned in this article runnersworld.com/beginner/a...

Your cool down is highly recommended, as explained in this article. runtastic.com/blog/en/cool-... although the advice about dispersion of lactic acid is contentious.

Static stretching immediately after a run helps release tightened muscles, improving blood flow and relieving tendon tension, making you less likely to ache between runs or start the next one with tensions and imbalances in your muscles.

Elite athletes warm up and cool down. Our bodies are not developed to their level, so I would say it is probably more important for us recreational runners with slightly creaky bodies than it is for them.

[Ukdebdow Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thankyou for your advice

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Yep... get those muscles warmed up... we need them to be 1 degree above normal body temperature to get maximum efficiency, and as IannodaTruffe says the warmup is even more vital when it’s cold.

[Ukdebdow Graduate in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thankyou