2026 Warm Ups

Camas XC 2026 Warm-Up Routine

Easy Jog

Jog one easy lap around the baseball field to gradually raise heart rate and loosen muscles.  "Don't win the warm up jog"

Daily Dynamic Stretching Drills

1. Open gate

Lift your right knee up to waist height.  Swing the right knee out to the side (the "opening" motion)

2. Close gate 

Lift the opposite knee to about 90 degrees.  Rotate the knee inward toward your midline (Close the gate). 

3. Lunge twist 

Combines a lower-body lunge with an upper-body torso rotation

4. Knee huger / heel to glute

     Pull the knee close to your chest using both hands

5. Grave diggers

(aka Glute Diggers) Lunge forward, then scoop your hands and arms down, stretching your hamstring as you step.

6. IT Band Stretch 

While walking, plant your foot firmly on the ground. Hinge at your hips while keeping your back straight.

7. Side lunges

Step laterally into a deep lunge, keeping the trail leg straight to open inner thighs and hips.

8. Frankensteins

Keeping legs straight, kick one leg forward while reaching with the opposite hand to warm up hamstrings.

9. Leg Swings (Front & Side)

Swing leg forward/backward 10×, then side-to-side 10× to loosen hip joints and hamstrings.

Pre-Workout / Race Drills

1. Quick Steps

Keep your upper body relaxed and upright.  Take extremely short, rapid steps forward.

2. A-Skips
   Skip forward driving knee high with a quick pause, emphasizing proper foot strike and knee lift.
   
   

3. B-Skips
   From A-skip position, extend the leg forward before snapping it down to reinforce hamstring function.

4. C-Skips

Skip forward, driving one knee up high toward your chest while pushing off the opposite foot.   Do another small hop, but this time rotate your hip and swing that same knee out to the side before bringing it back down to the center.

5. Side Shuffles
   Low, quick lateral shuffles to engage glutes and improve hip stability.

6. High Knees /  Butt Kicks
   Jog in place kicking heels up toward glutes to activate hamstrings and loosen quads.  Then rapid knee lifts to waist level to fire up hip flexors and increase turnover rate.

7. Mario Straight Legs

Extend one leg straight out in front of your hip. Flex your ankle (dorsiflexion) so your toes point to the sky. Drive the leg down and forcefully pull the foot under your hips. Scuff the ground with a pawing motion as you land

8. Bounds

Focus on covering maximum distance forward, not just jumping straight up. Keep landings underneath your hips rather than reaching too far forward.

9. Strides (Optional)
   50–100 m relaxed accelerations to prime muscles and nerves for an agressive race start or workout pace.