Warm up length

Here is a warm up based on your session and the weather. Harder sessions and cold mornings need a longer one.

Your details

Your warm up

20 min

including 5 extra for the cold

Easy movement (walk, jog, spin)10 min
Dynamic drills (leg swings, lunges, skips)6 min
Build ups at session pace4 min
Cool down after 60 min10 min: 5 easy, then gentle stretching if you like
Time to set aside, start to finish1 hr 30 min

A warm up should leave you slightly warm and ready, not tired. Save static stretching for after. A cool down will not stop next day soreness, but it lets your heart rate and breathing settle, and keeping moving stops you feeling dizzy after a hard effort.

Feeling dizzy when you stop suddenly is common after hard efforts; keep moving gently. Fainting needs a GP check.

The working

Intervals on a cold morning

A hard session gets 15 minutes, plus 5 for the cold: 20 minutes. That is 10 minutes of easy movement, 6 of dynamic drills and 4 of build ups at session pace.

The evidence

Does it help?

A 2010 review found warming up improved performance in 79% of the studies it looked at. Football's FIFA 11+ warm up has been shown to cut injuries in amateur players.

Dynamic drills

Ideas

Leg swings, front and side
Walking lunges with a twist
High knees and heel flicks
Arm circles and band pull aparts

Cool down

The other end of the session

The page also sizes the cool down: 5 minutes after an easy session, 8 after a steady one and 10 after a hard one, with 5 more after 90 minutes or longer. A 2018 review (Van Hooren and Peake) found active cool downs do little for next day soreness, but they bring heart rate and breathing down gently and help you avoid feeling dizzy. So a hard hour on a cold morning needs about 1 hr 30 min in the diary: 20 to warm up, 60 of work and 10 to cool down.

Read with care

What this cannot tell you

Injury prevention for allWarm ups help, but do not guarantee anything.
Static stretchingLong static stretches before sprinting can slightly reduce power.
Heart conditionsA longer, gentler warm up may be advised.

Questions

Common questions

How long should a warm up be?

5 minutes for easy sessions, 10 to 15 for hard ones, more when cold.

Should I stretch before running?

Dynamic movements are better than long static stretches.

Do I need to warm up for a walk?

Start the first few minutes slowly; that is the warm up.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Spotted something wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.

Before you push on

New to exercise, or got a heart, lung or joint condition? Have a word with your GP or practice nurse first. Stop and get help if you feel chest pain, faintness or unusual breathlessness, and call 999 if it is severe.