The Runner's Engine Room

The Runner's Engine Room: A Focused Guide to Warming Up Your Heart and Lungs

The heart and lungs are muscles that must go through a warm-up process similar to the rest of your body. The lung is an organ, but multiple muscles must work for each breath. For many runners, in the eagerness to feel the pavement disappear beneath their feet, this crucial step is overlooked. This perspective, however, is not just misguided—it's dangerous. Neglecting to prepare your body's engine and ventilation system is like starting a race by shouting at your most critical systems, risking a breakdown that leads to diminished performance and potential harm.

Why a Gradual Start Is Non-Negotiable

When you launch into a run from a state of rest, you plunge your body into an immediate and significant "oxygen deficit." This sudden demand forces a shock to the system. Your heart begins to pump furiously, causing a jarring spike in heart rate and blood pressure that places the cardiac muscle under immense, inefficient strain. Your respiratory system faces a similar shock, and the abrupt need for massive amounts of oxygen can trigger a defensive narrowing of the airways—a condition known as bronchospasm. This is the culprit behind the searing, "burning lung" sensation and uncontrollable coughing fits that can derail a run.

I have regularly found that some runners’ struggle with breathing during a run is based on this overwhelming stress from the lack of a warm-up for the heart and lungs. They set a bias for themselves, believing they have difficulty breathing whenever they run, solely based on the difficulties they experience at the start. When they are instructed on a correct warm-up process focused on preparing the cardiovascular system, their overall running difficulty decreases. You must treat the heart and lungs like any other part or system in the body before training; allow the heart rate to increase gradually, get deep controlled breaths, and do not surprise the system.

The Right Way to Warm Up

A proper warm-up should always focus on your body's movements during exercise. These movements must be dynamic and controlled, designed to point you toward peak performance. This means you should not perform ballistic movements—quickly and forcibly swinging limbs past their normal range of motion. Instead, use well-controlled movements to go through the normal range of motion for the joints doing the work.

When preparing to run, it is critical to focus on deep breathing and moving the most air possible with each breath. Avoid using shallow, faster breathing that only uses the upper chest. Warm up before the run, not during it!

A Practical 3-Minute Warm-Up for Heart and Lungs

Allow at least 3 minutes of constant movement before running with any intensity. Anyone can do multiple sets of these exercises to ensure the heart and lungs are ready for a long, steady-state run:

• 30 seconds of Jump Rope: This gives the heart time to react to an increased demand for oxygen in a controlled, rhythmic way.

• 30 seconds of Backward Walking: This serves as a mild increase in intensity while allowing you to focus on good breathing technique under low stress.

• 30 seconds of Side Plank (each side): The obliques play a significant role in breathing. Holding this static position while breathing slowly and deeply is a great way to prepare the lungs for more work.

Remember, at the start of a planned and well-thought-out run, the muscles, heart, and lungs do not know if they will run for 20 seconds or 20 minutes. That is why warming up those lungs with focused, deep, and heavy breaths is essential. Give the heart a chance to adjust to the rate needed in preparation for a run that delivers maximum training value.