Written by

Gina Conley, MS

January 30, 2026

Warm Up Before Running: 15-Minute Standing Mobility Flow

Fitness, Motherhood, Postpartum

Whether you’re gearing up for a big race or heading out for a training run, how you warm up before running matters. A thoughtful, dynamic warm-up can help your body feel more prepared, more mobile, and more efficient once you start running—especially if you’re postpartum, juggling busy days on your feet, or stacking multiple race days back-to-back.

I’m Gina, a perinatal fitness trainer, birth doula, and mom of four. I recently completed the Disney World Goofy Challenge—a half marathon followed by a full marathon the very next day—16 months postpartum. This exact 15-minute standing mobility flow is what I used before both races to help my legs feel as fresh and ready as possible, even after long park days with my kids and a half marathon already in the books.

The best part?
✔ No equipment
✔ All standing
✔ Easy to do while waiting in the corral

Let’s walk through the full pre-run mobility sequence and why each part matters.

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Why a Dynamic Warm-Up Before Running Is So Important

Before a run or race, we want to mobilize, not exhaust. That means:

Increasing blood flow
Improving joint range of motion
Waking up muscles that support efficient stride mechanics

Instead of long static stretches, this warm-up focuses on dynamic movement, pelvic and thoracic rotation, and areas runners often feel tight—especially postpartum runners.

Standing Hip Shifts: Deep Glute & Pelvic Floor Prep

We start by shifting weight side to side, loading one hip at a time.

By placing more weight into one foot and gently rotating the pelvis, you’ll feel a deep stretch in the glute “hip pocket”—an area that often gets tight with running and prolonged standing. This movement also targets the back half of the pelvic floor, which can become overactive in runners.

Key focus cues:

Keep the big toe of your weighted foot down
Slight knee bend if you feel it too much in the hamstrings
Think of the opposite hip and knee gently drawing toward each other

This movement helps restore pelvic rotation, which is essential for a smooth, efficient stride.

Alternating Hip Shifts With Arm Swings: Add Thoracic Mobility

Next, we begin alternating hip shifts side to side and add exaggerated arm swings.

Running is a full-body movement. If your rib cage and thoracic spine don’t rotate well, your pelvis often compensates—leading to inefficiency or discomfort.

Adding arm swings:

Encourages thoracic rotation
Helps the pelvis move more freely
Improves coordination between upper and lower body

Move at whatever pace feels good—slow and controlled or a bit more rhythmic.

Lateral Hip Shifts: Inner Thigh & Groin Mobility

Now we widen the stance slightly and shift weight laterally.

This portion targets the inner thighs and groin, areas that are heavily involved in pelvic stability during running but often overlooked in warm-ups.

To deepen the stretch:

Rotate the pelvis as you shift (don’t just lean sideways)
Keep both big toes grounded
Option to reach toward the opposite foot for added rotation

This movement helps improve lateral pelvic mobility, which can be especially helpful if you tend to favor one side when running.

Heel Walks & Toe Transitions: Prep the Calves and Feet

Many runners are midfoot strikers, which can leave the calves working overtime. Heel walks help gently mobilize the calves and ankles before impact begins.

We then transition between:

Heel contact
Toe extension

This restores full foot range of motion and prepares the calves and Achilles for repetitive loading—particularly helpful if you’re sore from recent training or racing.

Hip CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations): Gentle Joint Circles

Next up: hip circles.

While traditional CARs are done very slowly and precisely, pre-run mobility is more about warming and lubricating the joint. Circular hip movements increase synovial fluid, improve awareness, and often just feel really good before running.

You can:

Move freely
Switch directions
Do about 8–10 circles each way

Knee Pulls: Hip Extension & Balance

Pulling one knee into the chest while standing helps:

Create extension in the stance hip
Gently mobilize the hip flexors
Improve balance and coordination

You can keep the standing foot flat or add toe extension for a little extra stretch.

Leg Swings With Rotation: Final Dynamic Prep

We finish with leg swings, adding light thoracic rotation.

This reinforces:

Hip mobility
Core-to-limb coordination
Dynamic movement patterns your body will use while running

This is also a great time to check in with how your body feels and make any last adjustments.

Staying Warm at the Start Line (Race-Day Tip)

If you tend to get cold at early-morning races, one of my favorite race-day hacks is hypothermia blankets. They’re lightweight, inexpensive, easy to carry, and simple to discard once you start running.

Arm sleeves are another option if you know you’ll warm up quickly after the first mile.

Fuel & Hydration Notes

Before races, I typically include:

A simple carbohydrate (like a banana)
Gels or chews
Water with electrolytes

LMNT is my personal favorite, especially Lemonade or Watermelon flavors.

Final Thoughts

This pre-run mobility warm-up focuses on:

Deep glutes and pelvic floor
Inner thighs and groin
Thoracic spine rotation
Calves, feet, and hips

It’s designed to be simple, effective, and race-friendly, whether you’re running your first 5K, returning postpartum, or tackling a multi-day challenge.

If you have favorite warm-up moves, I’d love to hear them—drop them in the comments! Even a short walk or light jog can be a helpful addition depending on your needs.

And if you’re looking for structured support to:

Return to running postpartum
Train for a race or marathon after birth

Check out our Return to Running and Return to Marathon Postpartum Programs.
Use code YOUTUBE10 for 10% off—we’d love to support you on your journey back to the road.

Prenatal Support Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

How should you warm-up before a run?

Before a run, you want to mobilize—not exhaust—so your body feels prepared without burning energy you'll need on the road. A short, dynamic standing flow works well: hip shifts to open the deep glutes and pelvic floor, arm swings for thoracic rotation, lateral shifts for the inner thighs, plus heel walks, hip circles, and leg swings. The whole sequence takes about 15 minutes, needs no equipment, and can be done right in the corral while you wait to start.

What are 5 warm-up exercises?

Five standing moves from this pre-run flow work beautifully together: (1) standing hip shifts to open the deep glutes and prep the pelvic floor, (2) alternating hip shifts with arm swings to add thoracic mobility, (3) lateral hip shifts for the inner thighs and groin, (4) heel walks with toe transitions to wake up the calves and feet, and (5) hip CARs (gentle hip circles) to lubricate the joint. Each one focuses on dynamic movement rather than holding a stretch, so you finish feeling mobile instead of tired. If you have an extra minute or two, you can add knee pulls and leg swings as well.

What to do 30 minutes before a run?

In the half hour before a run, keep it simple: fuel with an easy carbohydrate like a banana, add gels or chews if you need them, and sip water with electrolytes. Then move through a 15-minute dynamic warm-up to mobilize your hips, pelvis, and thoracic spine so your stride feels smooth from the first mile. If it's an early, chilly start, staying warm helps too—a lightweight hypothermia blanket or arm sleeves are easy to wear and easy to ditch once you get going.

What should you not do before running?

The main thing to skip is long, static stretching—holding stretches before a run can leave you feeling loose but not actually warm or ready to move. You also don't want to exhaust yourself; the goal is to mobilize, not to turn your warm-up into a workout. Instead, focus on dynamic movement—gentle rotations and weight shifts that increase blood flow, improve range of motion, and wake up the muscles that support an efficient stride.