I know I am often guilty of not wanting to warm-up like I know I should. Sometimes it feels like “just another thing” I need to do, especially when everything is feeling good. But, what always helps me step back and focus on warming up, even when I don’t want to, is thinking back to the scientific understanding of why it’s so critical and just exactly how much it can help decrease injuries. So, in today’s episode we’re going to help you by giving you that in-depth understanding of the why, the benefits and the how to so you can remind yourself just how important it is on those days you want to skip it. We’re going to dive into… Exactly why the warm-up is so important to performance and injury prevention How we often confuse flexibility with being warmed up and why we need to rethink this concept. The difference between active stretching and a dynamic warm-up Plus, how long and what type of warm-ups to do, even in bad weather You’ll learn a lot of helpful lessons in this one, so let’s get to it! Connect, Comment, Community Follow RunnersConnect on Instagram Join the Elite Treatment where you get first dibs on everything RTTT each month! Runners Connect Winner's Circle Facebook Community  RunnersConnect Facebook page GET EXPERT COACHING AT RUNNERSCONNECT! This week’s show brought to you by: LMNT Maintaining healthy electrolyte levels will not only improve performance and endurance on the run, but can help with preventing headaches, maintaining a healthy weight, and help with recovery.  That’s why we recommend all runners check out Element this summer. It's loaded with everything you need to replenish your electrolyte balance with 1000mg of sodium, 200mg of potassium, and 60mg of magnesium, and doesn't include anything you don't need like extra sugar or anything artificial. Even better, they are currently running a special deal where you can get a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order. So, order your favorite flavor and get a free sample pack to try out new flavors or share with your running friends.   To get this special offer and make sure you’re hydrating properly this summer, head over to drinklmnt.com/runnersconnect. Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers.  Supplementing with magnesium before you go to bed has been shown in scientific studies to… Increase in muscle oxygenation during high intensity exercise Reduce inflammation  Significantly improve sleep quality Improve aerobic exercise capacity when training. When you’re looking for a magnesium supplement, make sure you take one that is organic and has all 7 unique forms of magnesium.  Our recommendation is Magnesium Breakthrough from Bioptimizers because it’s made with the highest quality, organic magnesium and contains all 7 critical forms. Most other magnesium supplements are synthetic and only contain one or two forms of magnesium, which is simply not enough. For an exclusive offer for Run to the Top  listeners go to magbreakthrough.com/runtothetop and use code run10 to save 10% when you try Magnesium Breakthrough. Plus, they offer a full refund up to one year after your purchase, no questions asked.