Runners Warm Up Routine - Quick and Easy - 4 minutes - Dynamic Stretches for Runners - Ben Parkes

Aug 13, 2025

Intro: This is a quick summary of Runners Warm Up Routine – Quick and Easy – 4 minutes – Dynamic Stretches for Runners from Ben Parkes. It’s a great watch — we’re breaking it down so you can try the workout today. Be sure to check out the full video for all the details.

Key Points:

A 4‑minute dynamic warm‑up that boosts blood flow, hip mobility, and glute activation while reducing injury risk.
Combines a light jog, gate‑opening/closing drills, leg swings, walking lunges, butt‑kicks, and high‑knees.
All moves are body‑weight only, perfect for any location (park, track, or indoor space).

Workout Example:

Easy jog – 60–90 seconds at a very relaxed pace.
Gate open & close – Face a wall, swing one leg parallel to the ground forward (gate‑open) then back (gate‑close). 10–15 reps each side.
Leg swings – Hold a support, swing leg forward/backward for ~10 reps, then side‑to‑side swings for ~10 reps each leg.
Walking lunges – On a flat 10–15 m stretch, lunge forward, knee lightly tapping the floor, core engaged. 8–10 reps per leg, then turn back.
Butt‑kicks – Light jog, bring heel toward glutes, focus on ankle‑knee alignment. 30 seconds.
High‑knees – Either stationary or moving forward, drive knees above hip level while pumping arms. 30 seconds.

Practical Tips:

Keep the jog truly easy – the goal is movement, not speed.
Maintain a tall, engaged core during lunges and swings.
Use a railing or tree for balance on leg swings if needed.
Adjust reps or time based on your current fitness; the routine is scalable.

Closing Note: Give this six‑move warm‑up a go before your next run and feel the difference in mobility and confidence. You can easily tweak the paces or rep counts in the Pacing app to match your own training level—just have fun and stay injury‑free!