Training for 10k: how much too warm-up?

donothoponpop

Hi,

I've been training a group of ladies who are mostly first timers to run the Flora 10k in June. So far we've been only doing very light stretching and 1min jog to warm up before training (longest training run is only 3 miles so far). I don't usually do much warm up myself, when training for marathons, but as these ladies will be running 40+min training runs soon, I'm wondering if the board has any suggestions as to how to best warm-up/cool-down.

Thanks,

-donothoponpop

ps I *know* this isn't a marathon question, but this board seems more suitable to 10k questions than the athletics board.

hunnymonster

Assuming you have a group of beginners who don't do a lot of exercise? Start by walking, then get the arms moving mode, then raising the legs a bit higher i.e. gradually increase the intensity and range of movements. Then start to jog slowly for approx 5 minutes before the run proper starts. I would leave the stretching until the end when muscles are warm and used. Go through a full range of stretches.

donothoponpop

hunnymonster wrote: »

Assuming you have a group of beginners who don't do a lot of exercise? Start by walking, then get the arms moving mode, then raising the legs a bit higher i.e. gradually increase the intensity and range of movements. Then start to jog slowly for approx 5 minutes before the run proper starts. I would leave the stretching until the end when muscles are warm and used. Go through a full range of stretches.

Thanks, this is very useful.
There's a lot of conflicting advice on warm-ups, with some books advocating a full stretching session prior to run, and some advising against any. Since no-one in my group is going to pull a hamstring through speeding, I'll increase their warm-up run to 5 mins.

-donothoponpop

cfitz

I do not do any warm-up before a run unless it's going to be at a faster pace (intervals or tempo runs for example).

When warming-up I would recommend very easy jogging. After that there is conflicting opinion on whether to do drills or stretching or both. From what I can see, most people stretch - but the scientific view seems to be that drills are better and that stretching is only useful after a run.

Stretching after a run seems to be universally accepted as a good practice.

--amadeus--

Why do you feel the need to get them to warm up? Not being funny but are you doing it for a specific reason or are you just doing it because you think you should? You don't do it yourself and most runners I know talk about the importance of warm up / cool down but it's almost all lip service! If there is no really good reason then why do it?

Assuming that there is a good reason then I'd go with what HM says, incorporate teh warm up into a gentle start to the run.

Phil01

I've never warmed up for a triathlon race, but for just running 10km, i dont see the need in a warm up unless its a really cold day.

donothoponpop

--amadeus-- wrote: »

Why do you feel the need to get them to warm up?

Hi amadeus,

Just because when I was at my running prime (20+ years ago) it was always drilled into us to warm-up, including stretching. No warming up suits me just fine, I've stayed injury free for two years now, but as I'm wearing the "trainer" hat, I'm second guessing my own routine. I've managed to grow the running bug in a bunch of first-timers for the past month, and now that they will be increasing their training, I don't want any crocks on my hands due to my lack of "fundamentals". A lot of advice continues to be stretching prior to running, but I think what Hunnymonster says is the way to go.

-donothoponpop

hunnymonster

If you are in charge of a group of people that you don't know very well, it is a good idea to get them to gradually ease into the exercise. Particularly this time of year when it's realtively cold.

thirtyfoot

Stretching before a race or training won't warm you up and hunnymonster's little warmup routine sounds perfect for your guys. Warming up is as much mental preparation as physical, gets you focused.

Dynamic warmups are much better for getting you physically warmed up, sitting around and statically stretching won't raise your core temperature which is what essentially you are trying to achieve. Many people are dubious of non-stretching warmups so it can be good to do a combined static/dynamic warmup to introduce. I was a doubter but now never stretch in a warmup, all dynamic. I laugh and slag sprinters when I see them faffing around for an hour warming up for training:eek:

You could also follow the Willie Duggan example. When playing for Blackrock he had driven up from Kilkenny and was a bit late for training or a match, not sure. The coach, using new fandangled stretching and warmup techniques, told Willie to hurry up and get warmed up with the rest of the lads to which he replied "I'm grand, I had the heating on in the car on the way up, I'm already warmed up" or something to that effect, in a funny way he was probably right.

donothoponpop

Tingle wrote: »

Stretching before a race or training won't warm you up and hunnymonster's little warmup routine sounds perfect for your guys. Warming up is as much mental preparation as physical, gets you focused.

Thanks, a gentle jog as opposed to stretching was my gut instinct, the advice given suggests this is best, this is what we will do.

Tingle wrote: »

You could also follow the Willie Duggan example. When playing for Blackrock he had driven up from Kilkenny and was a bit late for training or a match, not sure. The coach, using new fandangled stretching and warmup techniques, told Willie to hurry up and get warmed up with the rest of the lads to which he replied "I'm grand, I had the heating on in the car on the way up, I'm already warmed up" or something to that effect, in a funny way he was probably right.

Brilliant!:)