The objective of a warmup is to prime the sensory, nervous, and musculoskeletal systems for dynamic performance. Your warmup should prepare you for unpredictability and to enhance neuroplasticity, proprioception, and brain-body communication.
Science supports that a primed nervous system, activated sensory systems and increased tissue temperature improves overall performance.
The following routine is designed to prepare your body, brain and sensory systems to see the terrain better, respond to the terrain faster, minimize anxiety or stress, minimize the potential for injury AND maximize your performance.
Add this quick Neural Prime sequence to enhance your complete system and overall performance.
*Breath Activation (2–3 minutes)
Purpose: Downregulate sympathetic tone, increase vagal tone, prep the brain for sensory processing.
Exercise 1- 3D Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Inhale 4 sec through your nose, expand rib cage and abdomen 360°
- Hold 2 sec
- Exhale 6 sec out your mouth
- Cue: “Fill your lower lungs like inflating a balloon under your ribs.”
- Progression: Add slow pelvic tilts or standing sway during breaths.
Exercise 2- Trunk (core) activation for greater economy, brain-body connectivity and faster running.
- Inhale completely through the nose, filling your lungs to expand your belly.
- Force 3 intermittent exhalations without taking another breath.
- Upon completion of 3rd exhalation continue to exhale until you feel there is no more breath and then continue for 2-3 more seconds. (This will force some people to cough)
- Perform this 2-3 times and notice the muscles around your spine contracting at the end of your 3rd exhale
*Vision (2–3 minutes)
Purpose: Activate occipital and parietal lobes; enhance sensory mapping and head-eye coordination.
Exercise 1- Saccadic Eye Drills
- Stand tall, hold two thumbs shoulder-width apart.
- Rapidly shift gaze between thumbs 10x.
- Repeat 2 sets in different head positions (neutral, slightly rotated).
- Exercise 2: Head-Eye Integration
- Follow unpredictable light signals or visual targets, moving only your eyes first, then coordinating with head or body turns.
Exercise 2-
- Hold 1 hand under your chin, so your head stays still, and your other arm extended out in front of you with thumb up.
- Moving your extended thumb in random patterns follow your thumb with your eyes without moving your head.
- Make sure to cross your midline and change depth. Do this for 30 seconds, then switch hands
Vestibular & Proprioceptive Priming (2-3 minutes)
Purpose: Activate joint awareness, balance systems, and stabilize pre-run patterns.
Exercise 1-
- Stand on one leg, find balance, close your eyes.
- Fight to keep your eyes closed and foot off ground
- Repeat other side
Exercise 2-
- Stand on one leg, find balance, close your eyes, shake your head side to side
- Fight to keep your eyes closed and foot off ground
- Repeat other side
Mobility & Dynamic Joint Prep (4–5 minutes)
Purpose: Enhance ROM in hips, spine, ankles; reduce neuromuscular stiffness.
Mobility Sequence:
- World’s Greatest Stretch (3 reps/side)
- Lunge to mid-back rotation (3 reps/side)
- Rotate to front leg
- Raise back leg arm overhead while rotating
- Stand on leg, bounce on forefoot (15 seconds each)
- Front to back
- Side to side
- Corner to corner
Dynamic Movement Series (5–7 minutes)
Purpose: Load reactive motor patterns, increase CNS readiness, enhance dynamic competence.
Exercises-
- Lateral Skaters with Pause on each landing (20 sec)
- High Knees with Visual Stimulus Reaction (30 sec)
- Pick a spot out in front of you and don’t let your head move up and down.
- This improves level running and economy/efficiency
- Carioca with Sudden Change of Direction
- Crossover feet front to back
- Mini Bounds to Forward Lunge + Reach (3 each leg)
- Bound forward and land in a lunge while reaching forward with your hands
Run (up to 10 mins depending on the effort distance)
Purpose: To prepare the body for the task specific effort
- Easy run to feel energized, adding some short rhythmic climbs and short fast descents.
Satori is only gained when the brain-body connection is primed and activated.
For more instruction or deeper dive into performance hacks email us at www.satoriendurance.com
Sources:
*Breath-
Romer & Polkey (2006): Showed that inspiratory muscle training improves endurance performance by reducing respiratory fatigue.
Jerath et al. (2006): Diaphragmatic breathing optimizes respiratory mechanics and improves cardiovascular function.
Ma et al. (2017): Found improved HRV and reduced cortisol in athletes practicing slow breathing.
Vision-
Appelbaum & Erickson (2016): Showed visual skills like dynamic visual acuity, depth perception, and tracking are predictive of performance in baseball, basketball, and football.
Vestibular-
Kavounoudias et al. (2005): Vestibular stimulation improves proprioceptive accuracy, aiding balance and dynamic control.
Streepey et al. (2007): Vestibular training reduced fall risk and improved postural stability in dynamic sports.
Smith et al. (2010): Eye movement training increased activation in the parietal cortex—linked to attention and spatial awareness.
Brandt & Dieterich (2019): Vestibular input strongly activates areas involved in body awareness and motor planning (e.g., insular cortex, cerebellum).
