warming up before exercise

[milly143]

What are the best warm ups to do before exercising? I walk 6-8 miles at a fast pace most days of the week but am finding that my legs, around my shins are quite painful for the first 2-3 miles of the walk and I can't keep up the pace. Any ideas?

[spaced]

I do kung fu, so the warm ups may differ, but we do: -

star jumps to get the blood flowing, stretches to get the ligaments, muscles and everything else warmed up and ready for action. This includes leg and arm stretches. We also do ankle workouts where you place your foot on its toe and rotate it to warm the ankles out get rid of any stiffness. good stretech for groin is to sit on the floor, put feet together and as close tour groin as possible, pulling in with your hands and slowly lift and lower your legs, whilst still being held. This exercises the groin. Remember that you should always warm up in warmth and not in a cold air conditioned room as it negates the warming up process.

[Clanad]

That's a good pace, milly. Shin pain is quite common and due, usually, to weaker shin muscles. Try these to strengthen:

Walking on heels, and walking on toes: Probably the single easiest way to strengthen your shins is to walk on your heels.

Toe taps: Standing or sitting, tap the floor with the foot for 2 minutes.

Heel raises: Stand on one leg with a chair turned backwards in front of you. Holding onto the chair back, raise up on your toes keeping your knee straight. Hold for 1 second. Slowly lower to the ground. Repeat 10 times. Toe raises: Same as heel raises only stand on heels and raise toes.

Toe points with ankle weights: Place a weight on your foot. While sitting; flex your foot and then point your toes. Do three sets of 10 with each foot. (you can start these with no weights.)

Exercise bands: Anchor an exercise band to an object on one end and loop the other end around your foot. Move your foot up and down and side to side against the band. (Thanks to: The Walking Site)

And, finally, use the wall push... stand away from a wall at least two or three feet, place your hands open palm against the wall about the height of your head and push against it with one foot extended and bearing the weight, heel firmly on floor. The idea is to stretch the calf muscle and hamstring. Hold for count of ten and do the other leg... Keep moving the extended foot farther away as you continue to condition. Best of luck!

[milly143]

Thanks for the answers, I'll give them a try tonight. How long should I do them for?

[spaced]

Keep each stretch held for 10-15 seconds. Warm up time - we do 30 mins, but I would suggest 10-15 should be ok for a run. if you feel like you need more warming up, just do it for 20 mins, otherwise you will be tired even before you've left your house.