Warm up smarter before your Vancouver run: why stretching more is not always the answer
Every spring in Vancouver, the same scene comes back.
People gathering near the Seawall before a run. Runners stopping beside their car in Kitsilano to stretch a hamstring against the bumper. Marathon participants pulling aggressively on their calves while checking their watches.
And yet, many runners still warm up in ways that do not truly prepare the body to run. At Bonjour Osteopathy, Lucile Delorme regularly sees runners who believe they are “doing everything right” before training, but still feel stiff, heavy, or uncomfortable during the first
kilometres.
One thing she notices constantly during marathon season in Vancouver?
A lot of people spend several minutes doing passive stretching… while skipping the cardiovascular warm-up their body actually needs.
Why passive stretching before a run is often misunderstood
Your body needs activation more than relaxation
Many runners associate warming up with “loosening muscles.”
That idea is not completely wrong. But before running, the body usually responds better to progressive activation than long static stretches.
Passive stretching means holding a muscle in one position:
- pulling the foot toward the glute,
- holding a toe-touch stretch,
- leaning deeply into calves,
- or staying motionless while stretching hamstrings.
The problem is that running is dynamic.
Your:
- circulation,
- nervous system,
- breathing,
- joint loading,
- and muscle coordination
all need to increase progressively before effort.
Lucile often explains it to patients this way:
“Going from sitting in your car directly into a hard run after passive stretching is a bit like
starting a cold engine and immediately driving uphill.”
The body generally performs better when movement, circulation, and temperature increase
gradually. According to the British Journal of Sports Medicine, dynamic warm-ups are generally associated with better muscle readiness and performance than prolonged static stretching before activity.
One Downtown Vancouver patient training for her first half marathon explained that she used to spend nearly 20 minutes stretching before every run because she thought tightness
automatically meant she lacked flexibility.
But despite all that stretching, her first kilometres still felt “heavy and awkward.”
After shifting toward:
- brisk walking,
- dynamic movement,
- breathing-focused preparation,
- and gradual jogging,
she immediately noticed that her stride felt lighter and smoother.
“The body likes progression,” Lucile explains. “It rarely responds well to sudden intensity.”
What surprises many runners
Tightness is not always caused by lack of flexibility
A lot of Vancouver runners assume tight muscles automatically mean they need more
stretching.
But in practice, Lucile often notices something different.
Many people already have enough flexibility. What they lack is:
- circulation,
- movement preparation,
- breathing efficiency,
- or nervous system readiness.
This becomes especially noticeable in Downtown Vancouver professionals who spend most of
the day:
- sitting at a desk,
- commuting in traffic,
- clenching their jaw,
- or breathing shallowly in front of screens.
Then they expect their body to instantly transition into smooth athletic movement after work.
One patient working near Coal Harbour described always feeling stiff during the beginning of her evening runs despite doing yoga several times a week. During treatment sessions, Lucile noticed significant rib cage stiffness and shallow breathing mechanics.
Once the patient focused more on:
- dynamic warm-ups,
- rib cage mobility,
- and gradual cardiovascular activation,
she reported:
- smoother breathing uphill,
- less hip tightness,
- and less fatigue during the first part of her runs.
That type of feedback is incredibly common.
Because stiffness is not always a flexibility problem. Sometimes it is the nervous system asking for a smoother transition into movement. says Lucile Delorme.
Why Vancouver runners often carry more tension than they realize
Stress changes the way the body moves
Running is not only about muscles.
It is also about:
breathing mechanics,
rib cage mobility,
pelvic movement,
coordination,
and nervous system regulation.
Many people living in Vancouver train after long workdays while carrying far more tension than
they realize.
Lucile frequently notices:
elevated shoulders,
shallow breathing,
abdominal bracing,
and limited rib cage movement
in runners who believe they simply “need to stretch more.”
But the body does not always need more pulling.
Sometimes it needs:
better circulation,
improved movement variability,
and a nervous system that feels ready to move safely.
Research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research suggests that dynamic warm-ups may improve performance outcomes more effectively than static stretching before endurance or explosive activities.
This is where many runners get it wrong
Many runners warm up by trying to relax muscles that are not actually prepared for movement
yet.
Lucile often encourages patients to think differently about warm-ups.
Instead of trying to “force flexibility,” the goal should be to wake the body up progressively.
That includes:
- circulation,
- breathing,
- coordination,
- rhythm,
- and cardiovascular preparation.
One patient preparing for the BMO Vancouver Marathon explained that simplifying her warm- up completely changed the way her body felt during training.
“I stopped feeling like I had to fight my body for the first few kilometres,” she said.
That sentence describes what many runners experience surprisingly well.
This is where many runners get it wrong
The warm-up should prepare the whole system
At Bonjour Osteopathy services, Lucile frequently encourages runners to think less about “stretching harder” and more about gradually preparing the entire body for movement.
A warm-up is not only about muscles.
It is about preparing:
- circulation,
- breathing,
- joints,
- coordination,
- and nervous system regulation.
Some simple habits she often discusses with patients include:
- Before your run, stop passive stretching
- Why it may help
Brisk walking for 3–5 minutes Gradually increases circulation
Dynamic leg swings Helps prepare hips for movement
Gentle bouncing movements Activates elastic tissues
Deep breathing while
walking Improves rib cage mobility
Progressive jogging allows the nervous system to adapt gradually
These adjustments may look simple, but they often create a noticeable difference in how the body feels during the first part of a run.
Especially in Vancouver where people frequently train:
- early in the morning,
- in colder rain,
- or directly after stressful office days downtown.
The body usually needs transition time.
Running should feel fluid, not forced
Your warm-up influences more than performance
A good warm-up does not only affect pace or performance.
It can also influence:
- breathing quality,
- comfort,
- confidence,
- movement efficiency,
- and perceived effort.
At Bonjour Osteopathy contact page, many runners book appointments because recurring
tightness continues despite stretching regularly.
Lucile Delorme’s approach focuses on understanding how the whole body prepares for
movement, not only isolated muscles.
For many runners, the issue is not a lack of stretching.
It is:
- accumulated tension,
- shallow breathing,
- insufficient cardiovascular preparation,
- or a nervous system that never truly shifts out of stress mode.
If you enjoyed this article, you may also like our guide on constipation and body mechanics like pelvic floor exercises,
which explores how breathing, posture, and nervous system regulation influence everyday
functions many people overlook.
Because whether you are preparing for a marathon or simply trying to feel better during your morning run along the Seawall, the principle is often the same:
The body usually responds better to gradual preparation than force.
Lucile Delorme
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