Introduction

Spring is here. The temperature is rising, peach blossoms are in bloom, and I just can’t sit still at home anymore—I keep wanting to go out for a run.

But when it comes to running, what many people remember isn’t joy, but pain: gasping for air after a 100-meter sprint in school fitness tests, that metallic taste in the throat after an 800-meter run, or finally mustering the courage to run once, only to end up sore for an entire week—and then never running again. I was the same. In 2024, I decided to get back into running, but I was out of breath after just a few steps and couldn’t even finish one kilometer. At the time, I thought, this doesn’t make sense—I have a master’s degree in exercise physiology from Beijing Sport University, and yet I can’t even run one kilometer? It’s honestly embarrassing. But then I realized—this might actually be perfect. Why not use myself as an experiment and figure out how to apply scientific knowledge to make running feel easier?

So I started digging into research papers, combining what I had learned in physiology and anatomy, and tackling each problem one by one: why do I get out of breath so quickly? Why do my calves hurt? Why am I sore for days after running? Gradually, I found answers in books. Then I took those answers to the park and tested them through actual runs, refining things step by step until I found a comfortable way to run. Later, I asked my flat-footed wife to try it too—she went from experiencing calf pain every time she ran to comfortably completing 3 km and even 5 km. After seeing the results with her, I brought along friends and colleagues to run together. One colleague who hadn’t run in 10 years managed to complete 5 km on his third try using my method.

Seeing how this “comfortable running” approach worked for people around me, I felt it was time to write about it so more people could benefit. It’s not about discipline or willpower—it’s about applying sports science to help more people get moving.

To help address these issues, I’ve organized a series of six articles. Each one will go into detail on specific techniques to help you start running comfortably. The tentative topics are:

1. Precise pre-run warm-ups to reduce pain during running
2. Mastering running form so you no longer get out of breath—start running light and effortless like a gazelle
3. Controlling breathing rhythm and monitoring training intensity to truly achieve aerobic jogging
4. Proper stretching to relieve soreness
5. Activating your strength system for injury-free running
6. Turning your watch into a coach on your wrist

The content may be adjusted based on your feedback. If you have any running-related questions, feel free to leave a comment.

---

Why Do We Need a Pre-Run Warm-Up

When you think of warming up before running, what comes to mind? Stretching your legs, or putting your hands on your knees and rotating them a few times? These warm-up moves we learned in PE class are not only inefficient—they can even damage our knees.

Leg stretching like “pressing your legs” is a form of static stretching. It only lengthens the muscles without activating their ability to contract, meaning the muscles can’t function like springs to absorb impact and protect the joints. That’s why static stretching is better suited for post-run cooldowns, not pre-run warm-ups. As for the so-called “knee circles with hands on the knees,” they may actually harm the knee joint—because when the knee is in a flexed position, rotating it can compress and shear the meniscus inside the joint.

In addition, a proper warm-up should not only activate your “sleeping” muscles, but also wake up your “lazy” cardiovascular system. Only then can you reduce side stitches and muscle soreness during running.

Activate Sleeping Muscles

Before running, we need to activate the muscles in the front of the lower leg, the inner and front thighs, and the glutes. This not only allows muscles to better protect the joints, but also helps reduce muscle soreness during running. As for soreness in the back of the lower leg, that is better addressed with post-run stretching—because everyday walking already provides sufficient stimulation to those muscles, so there’s no need to specifically activate them before running.

Relieve Front Shin Pain: Foot Dorsiflexion

If you feel pain in the front of your lower leg while running, it’s very likely that your tibialis anterior wasn’t properly activated beforehand. In daily walking, this muscle isn’t heavily engaged, so its activation level is relatively low. As a result, when you start running, it isn’t ready—unable to generate enough force—so the impact absorption falls onto the bones in the front of the shin, making pain more likely.

The simplest way to activate the tibialis anterior is foot dorsiflexion. Make the movement large and slow so the front of the lower leg is fully engaged. Do 10 repetitions before running, or continue until you feel a clear burning sensation in the front of the shin—after that, you typically won’t experience pain when you start running.

An advanced version is the leaning dorsiflexion. Stand upright, step one foot slightly forward, and then perform 10 repetitions of dorsiflexion. This movement not only warms up the front of the lower leg, but also dynamically stretches the calf muscles at the back and the hamstrings in the back of the thigh—achieving multiple benefits in one exercise.

Prevent Knee Pain: Cossack Squat

Knee pain is one of the most common and concerning injuries among runners. Many runners even wear knee braces out of fear of knee pain. However, what they often don’t realize is that the muscles around the knee are actually the body’s natural knee braces. When these muscles aren’t activated, the “natural brace” can’t do its job. So before running, we should activate this natural protection—the muscles around the knee—rather than relying on external braces long-term, which can lead to disuse and weakening.

The Cossack squat is an excellent movement for activating these muscles. It is similar to a lateral lunge, as both involve shifting your body side to side, effectively activating the glutes and the inner and outer thigh muscles. However, compared to a lateral lunge, the Cossack squat includes lifting and rotating the toes at the end of the movement. While activating the muscles around the knee, it also improves ankle and hip mobility. Greater mobility in the ankle and hip further reduces the impact on the knee during running, offering additional protection.

Prevent Patellar Tendon Pain: Squat Jumps

Among different types of knee pain in runners, patellar tendon pain is also very common, often worsening during running or landing from jumps. This happens because the quadriceps at the front of the thigh fail to decelerate effectively during landing, allowing abnormal movement of the patella (kneecap), which repeatedly pulls on the patellar tendon and causes inflammation and pain. A common solution among runners is to use a patellar strap to externally stabilize the kneecap. However, in the long run, the key is to fix the underlying issue—restoring the “braking function” of the quadriceps and activating your body’s natural patellar support. Strengthening the eccentric control of the quadriceps improves this braking ability, helping you stabilize the kneecap during landing.

Squat jumps ¹are a great exercise for activating the quadriceps. The key is to consciously control your landing, keeping it light and soft—like a gazelle. At the same time, squat jumps also activate your glutes and nervous system, preparing your body for the run ahead.

Pre-run Warm-up Summary

Now, let’s briefly summarize the warm-up exercises and their purposes. You can choose the appropriate movements based on your needs.

Bent-over ankle flex and point × 10 reps

• Activate the anterior tibialis and hamstrings
• Prevent and relieve pain in the front of the lower leg during running

Cossack squat × 10 reps

• Activate the glutes and inner thigh muscles, while improving mobility in the hips, knees, and ankles
• Prevent and relieve pain on the outer side of the knee during running

Jump squats × 20 reps

• Activate eccentric control of the quadriceps
• Reduce pain in the front of the knee

Wake Up Your Cardiopulmonary System

Many of us have had this experience: the first 10 minutes of a run feel the hardest—you’re out of breath and struggling. But after 10 minutes or around 3 kilometers, running suddenly feels easier. Compared to muscles, the cardiopulmonary system takes longer to adapt to the intensity of running. Physiologically, this is known as “visceral inertia.” So in addition to warming up your muscles, you also need to warm up your heart and lungs to avoid side stitches during running.

The American College of Sports Medicine suggests a general principle to overcome “visceral inertia”: perform at least 5–10 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity muscle and cardiopulmonary warm-up before exercise. This can effectively reduce side stitches and initial discomfort².

Moderate intensity is roughly the level of brisk walking just before transitioning into a run. The talk test is the simplest way to judge: at moderate intensity, you can talk but not sing. If you wear a watch, your heart rate at moderate intensity is typically around 135–150 bpm. Before your actual run, you can jog at a moderate pace for 5–10 minutes to wake up your cardiopulmonary system, making the run feel easier.

A Flexible Warm-up Strategy

After reading this, you might feel a bit frustrated: “I barely have enough time to run, and now I have to spend an extra 20 minutes warming up muscles and my cardiopulmonary system. Do I really need to warm up for 20 minutes before every run?” Answer: Not necessarily—adjust based on your situation. Cheetahs in Africa never warm up before chasing prey because they are constantly active every day. But for those of us who sit for long periods, maintaining a warm-up habit is still important.

If you can run or exercise daily, you can reduce both the number of warm-up movements and the duration. If not, you can choose targeted warm-up exercises based on any discomfort you experience while running. If you feel no discomfort, you can start your run with shorter strides and a higher cadence, engaging the relevant muscles while simultaneously completing your warm-up. This way, muscle activation, cardiopulmonary preparation, and training are combined into one.

Conclusion

We hope this warm-up strategy helps you take your first running steps with ease. In the next article, we’ll explain how to master proper running form and start as lightly as an antelope.

Staying healthy isn’t just about running—reducing prolonged sitting in daily life is equally important. Long periods of sitting not only cause back pain and wrist discomfort, but also increase the risk of hypertension and diabetes. If you’re struggling with this, I’ve compiled a “Sedentary Health Guide” based on exercise science principles to help you address these issues specifically—so you can relieve pain and stay healthier even at your desk.

1. Jiang Zihao, Wang Guanglan, Chen Peng, Sun Xianghong, Wang Ting, Jia Shaohui, and Zheng Cheng. “Treatment of Patellar Tendonitis Using a Combination of Centrifugal Training and Whole-Body Vibration Training at Different Frequencies.” Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering 28, no. 4 (2024): 493–98. ↩︎
2. American College of Sports Medicine. ACSM Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription. Translated by Wang Zhengzhen, 2010. https://book.douban.com/subject/5272053/.
   ↩︎