A few easy laps and a handful of toe touches may feel like a warm-up, but they don’t prepare the body equally well for a 100-metre sprint, a 5,000-metre race or a javelin throw. A useful athletics warm-up builds gradually: raise your heart rate, move your joints through a comfortable range, then rehearse the actions and pace your event demands.
What a good athletics warm-up does
A warm-up should leave you feeling alert and ready, not tired. It increases body temperature and blood flow, helps you practise coordination, and gives you time to check how your body feels before harder efforts. A typical session takes around 15 to 25 minutes, though the right amount depends on the event, weather, training session and individual athlete.
Think of it in three stages:
- Raise: Begin with easy movement to bring your heart rate up gradually.
- Mobilise: Use controlled, dynamic movements for the ankles, hips, shoulders and spine.
- Activate and prepare: Add drills and short efforts that resemble your event, building intensity without going all-out.
A practical warm-up, step by step
1. Start with easy movement
Jog easily for five to eight minutes, or use brisk walking and gentle running if you’re new to training. The effort should feel conversational. In cold weather, allow extra time to get warm; don’t try to make up for a rushed start with sudden, hard sprints.
For a field-event session, a light jog is still useful, but you can also include relaxed skips or marching movements. If running aggravates an injury, choose a comfortable alternative and follow advice from a qualified clinician or coach.
2. Add dynamic mobility
Move smoothly rather than forcing a stretch. Try ankle circles, controlled leg swings, walking lunges and hip openers. Arm circles and trunk rotations can help prepare the upper body, particularly for throwing events. Keep the range comfortable and gradually make the movements a little larger.
Long, intense static holds are usually better saved for a separate flexibility session or after training. They aren’t a substitute for warming up, and holding a deep stretch immediately before explosive work may not suit every athlete. If you use static stretches because they’re part of your routine, keep them gentle and brief, then follow with active movement.
3. Use running drills with purpose
Choose two or three drills, not a long checklist. Marching, skips, ankling and controlled high knees can help you practise posture, rhythm and foot placement. Keep each repetition short—about 15 to 30 metres—and focus on smooth technique. Drills should prepare you for running, not become a race against your training group.
Strides are relaxed accelerations over roughly 50 to 80 metres. Start at an easy pace and build towards the speed planned for the session, then walk back and recover. A distance runner may do a few controlled strides; a sprinter may progress to faster accelerations with full recovery.
Adjust the warm-up to your event
The last part of your warm-up should match what you’re about to do. An athlete preparing for a 400-metre session needs a different final build-up from a shot putter or a distance runner.
| Event or session | Useful specific preparation | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Sprints and hurdles | Progressive accelerations, short starts, and controlled hurdle walkovers or lead-leg drills | Increase speed in stages; save all-out efforts for the session itself. |
| Middle- and long-distance running | Easy running, mobility, a few running drills and relaxed strides | Keep the warm-up economical, especially before a long or hard workout. |
| Jumps | Short accelerations, approach-run rhythm, and controlled take-off or landing rehearsals | Build approach speed carefully and avoid repeated maximal jumps while cold. |
| Throws | Shoulder and trunk mobility, light implement drills, and progressive standing throws | Start with light or easy efforts; don’t open with a maximal throw. |
These are starting points, not fixed prescriptions. A coach may adapt the routine to the athlete’s event, training plan, age and experience. For example, a sprinter might finish with two or three accelerations, each slightly faster than the last, while a distance runner could use four relaxed strides. Recovery matters: you should feel ready for the next effort, not rushed into it.
Common warm-up mistakes
- Going hard too soon: Maximal sprints, jumps or throws at the start can catch unprepared muscles off guard. Build speed and force gradually.
- Doing too much: A warm-up that leaves your legs heavy has become part of the workout. Keep drills brief and purposeful.
- Using the same routine for every event: General movement helps everyone, but the final drills should relate to the event or session ahead.
- Ignoring discomfort: Mild stiffness may ease as you warm up, but sharp, worsening or unusual pain is a reason to stop and reassess rather than push through.
- Forgetting the conditions: Wind, rain and cold can make it harder to stay warm between efforts. Wear suitable layers and keep moving gently while waiting.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long should an athletics warm-up take?
For many training sessions, 15 to 25 minutes is a reasonable guide. A competition warm-up may take longer, especially if athletes need to wait before their event. Adjust it so you feel prepared without becoming fatigued.
Should I stretch before running or jumping?
Dynamic mobility and movement drills are useful ways to prepare. Avoid relying on long, forceful static stretches as your entire warm-up. Whatever flexibility work you choose, follow it with active movement specific to your event.
Do distance runners need strides before every run?
No. Strides are often helpful before a faster workout or race, but they aren’t essential before every easy run. Keep them relaxed and skip them if you’re tired, sore or unsure whether they suit your training plan.
What if I have very little time to warm up?
Prioritise a few minutes of easy movement, dynamic mobility and a small number of gradual event-specific efforts. Don’t jump straight into maximal work. If you’re injured or in pain, a shorter warm-up isn’t a reason to ignore the problem.
Final Thoughts
The best athletics warm-up is progressive, specific and repeatable. Start easy, mobilise with control, then rehearse the pace and movement your event requires. You should finish feeling sharper—not spent—and ready to train with good technique.
Aiden Cross is a sports writer and editor at BeliveSports, covering a broad range of sports with a focus on clear, accurate, and practical information. His work covers rules, techniques, player roles, competitions, equipment, statistics, and the details that help readers better understand how different sports are played. Aiden takes a research-driven approach to sports writing, using reliable sources and established sporting information to provide context rather than simply repeating surface-level facts. His goal is to make complex topics accessible while maintaining the accuracy and depth expected by knowledgeable sports fans. At BeliveSports, Aiden contributes to the site’s editorial standards by focusing on accuracy, clarity, useful context, and reader-first explanations.