If you haven’t yet received the memo, here it is: gone are the days of spending the first 15 minutes of practice doing static stretching. Basically, the research says doing that falls somewhere between a waste of time (best-case-scenario) and detrimental (worst-case-scenario). Our trainer compares it to a rubber band – is a rubber band more elastic when it’s cold or when it’s warm? If you want to static stretch after your workout, you won’t hear me complaining (though we don’t do much of that either).
What you want to do is a dynamic warm-up. Ease the body into movements that will gradually demand more and more front it. We do these after a short jog – ideally 6-8 minutes (though it was pulling teeth just to get my sprinters up to 800m). The first half of these (Leg Swings through Backwards) are basic loosening drills and could easily be altered, rearranged or replaced. Starting with Ankle Pops, we get into our sprint technique drills. They are still part of the dynamic warm-up but also serve to teach and promote proper sprinting technique – something even distance runners can benefit from.
If you have any questions or comments, leave them in the comments section (obviously).