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Ben Shephard's schedule doesn't leave much room for injury setbacks, which is why mobility work and a proper warm-up have become an essential part of his fitness routine.
In a Reel with his coach, he shares, 'I definitely didn't used to give this much thought. Now it's a non-negotiable. I've been working through a proper warm-up with Steve and it's made a huge difference, not just for running, but for feeling better day to day.'
Coach Steve Colman agrees. As we age, he explains, taking time to prepare the body before workouts becomes increasingly important, helping maintain mobility, and reduce the risk of picking up niggles.
'As much as I take the mickey, my warming-up routine has become absolutely vital,' says Shephard. 'When you're in your 20s and 30s, you just run off and do something. Now it's fundamental to making sure I can carry on going about work, carry on going about life, without being in pain.'
Ben Shephard's 4-Move Warm-up
1. The World's Greatest Stretch
Colman starts with the aptly named World's Greatest Stretch, a mobility drill that opens up the hips, thoracic spine and hamstrings. From a push-up position, step one foot outside your hand before rotating your upper body and reaching towards the ceiling.
'Breathe out, exhale at the top,' says Colman. 'You're actually creating more intra-abdominal pressure as you breathe in, and then as you exhale.'
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The move helps improve mobility through multiple joints at once, making it an efficient way to prepare the body for exercise.
2. Glute Bridge March
Next comes a glute bridge march. Colman recommends you lie on your back with your hips elevated, lift one knee towards your chest while keeping your pelvis level and stable throughout the movement.
'You're going to pull the knee up without dropping that hip,' he says.
By challenging single-leg stability while working the glutes and core, the exercise helps reinforce the control needed for running.
3. Banded Lateral Walks
The third exercise targets the glute medius, a key muscle for stabilising the hips when running. With a resistance band around your legs, take slow, controlled steps sideways.
'Exercise three is about firing up the lateral part of the glutes,' says Colman. 'Try not to do this with the hip.'
This move warms up the glutes, helping prepare them for the demands of running.
4. Step-Over Knee Drive
The final drill mimics some of the mechanics involved in running. Step over a barbell before driving your knee upwards, focusing on balance, posture and control.
'Keeping this knee facing forward, that's a key part of it,' says Colman. 'Focus on stepping over and coming back up.'
As the knee drives upwards, he also encourages you to 'keep your chest tall' and 'breathe out as you drive', reinforcing efficient mechanics before heading out the door.
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Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.
