Self-priming loop execution for loop prolog instruction

A method of operating a multiple execution unit microprocessor in a software pipelined loop is disclosed. This method executes the loop body before the pipeline is fully initialized, thus replacing prolog instructions with additional loop iterations. The method has the potential to greatly reduce prolog size for many software pipelined loops. As a further aspect of the method, the loop results are insulated from any deleterious effects of loop body execution prior to full initialization-methods for accomplishing this are disclosed, including array overallocation, conditional execution of some loop body instructions, and register initialization.