Warm Up Like an International
The dynamic warm-up for a hike or a trail run. Ready to go in five to ten minutes.
Warm Up Like an International
The dynamic warm-up for a hike or a trail run. Ready to go in five to ten minutes.
Before kick-off: what the pros have on youInhalt
Before kick-off at the 2026 World Cup, no international simply strolls onto the pitch. First comes the circle: easy jogging, lunges, short accelerations. That dynamic warm-up protects muscles and joints, and sharpens reactions.
The same principle works before a hut tour or a trail run, just more compact. Cold muscles mean more strains and more trips. Want a bit of the tournament feeling? Have a look at the World Cup Arena.
Why those few minutes pay off
Dynamic, not static: why cold stretching is finishedInhalt
The old rule said stretch first, then go. Sports medicine has moved on. Holding a stretch for long can shave 5 to 10 per cent off your strength and jump performance in the short term, which is the opposite of what you want on a mountain.
A dynamic warm-up works better: controlled, swinging movements that lift the pulse and take your joints through their full range. The professionals do essentially the same thing, only harder.
The kit: four building blocks of every good warm-upInhalt
International squad, day hike or trail run, a good warm-up always follows the same kit:
- Gentle activation: 3 to 5 minutes of easy walking or jogging for pulse and circulation.
- Joint mobilisation: circles for feet, knees, hips and ankles, plus trunk rotation.
- Dynamic stretching: leg swings and lunges, holding nothing, staying in motion.
- Sport-specific activation: light running drills and short accelerations for impacts and changes of pace.
Five-minute warm-up for hikersInhalt
This compact routine needs no mat and no equipment. Do it at the car park or the trailhead. Allow roughly 5 to 8 minutes.
- 1
Arrive and roll in (1-2 min)
Brisk walking on level ground, arms swinging loosely. Optionally throw in a short stretch or two walking backwards to wake up the calves and foot muscles.
- 2
Mobilise the joints (2-3 min)
Ankle circles, 10 to 15 seconds each side. Half squats with the arms reaching forward and up, 10 to 15 reps. Standing trunk rotation, turning the upper body loosely left and right, 30 to 40 seconds.
- 3
Dynamic stretching for legs and hips (2-3 min)
Leg swings forwards and back, using a tree or a pole for support, 10 to 15 reps per leg. Lateral leg swings for the adductors, 10 to 15 per side. Dynamic lunges forwards or sideways, 8 to 10 per side.
Ten-minute warm-up for trail runnersInhalt
Trail running asks more of your reactions, your ankles and your coordination than the road does, so the warm-up can run a little harder. Use our pace calculator to plan the effort and the heart rate zones to keep the opening easy.
- 1
Easy jog and mobility (3-4 min)
Three minutes of easy jogging on flat ground, not yet on the steep trail. Circle the shoulders, swing the arms deliberately and work in short trunk rotations.
- 2
Dynamic stretching and leg control (3-4 min)
Leg swings forwards, back and sideways, 10 to 15 reps per leg. Dynamic lunges with trunk rotation, 6 to 8 per side. Lateral lunges and shuffles, 6 to 8 per side, for the adductors and the lateral chain.
- 3
Trail-specific activation (3 min)
Two sets of 20 to 30 seconds of high knees and heel flicks on a flat path. Two sets of 20 seconds of short, controlled accelerations on a slight rise, focusing on quick but soft contacts through the fore and midfoot.
Which warm-up suits your day?
Ideal für
Hikers and trail runners who want to start injury-free and moving well.
Nicht ideal für
Anyone looking to improve range of motion after the effort. Static stretching after the tour is what that is for.
The most common warm-up mistakesInhalt
Most of them are quick to fix:
- Static stretching before the start. It costs you strength and reaction, and belongs at the end of the day.
- Too cold, too fast. The first minutes belong to easing in, not to race pace.
- Forgetting the ankle. On trail, foot stability is what stands between a rolled ankle and a solid step.
- Same length in the cold. On cold days or at altitude, give it a few extra minutes.
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