Dynamic Stretching and Strides

Before Your Workout

Dynamic stretching uses controlled leg movements to improve range of motion, loosen up muscles and increase heart rate, body temperature, and blood flow to improve running efficiency. A dynamic stretch moves limbs through their full range of motion.

This stretching is also called functional stretching, meaning that training that mimics the activity you’re training for.)

Ten Minute Dynamic Warm-up (do each drill over 20 yards):

1. Forward toe walk with small arm circles (arms parallel to ground).


2. Backward heel walk with small arm circles.


3. High knee walk with hamstring hug: walk forward slowly, pulling knee of non-weight bearing leg to the chest with both arms.


4. High skip: skip forward, making wide circles with arms


5. High knee run: run with dorsi-flexed feet (turn toes upwards) while bringing the knees as high as possible.


6. Butt kicks: run while bringing your heels to your glutes.


7. Tin soldiers: walk forward and kick up the non-weight bearing leg with knee locked in extension.


8. Seesaw: take step forward and lean forward letting non-weight bearing leg extend behind you and reach for the foot with the opposite hand.


9. Figure 4 walk: step forward, externally rotating the hip of the non-weight bearing leg, bending its knee and holding its ankle in front of you.


10. Backward skip: skip backwards.


11. Backward run: run backwards .


12. Karaoke or grapevine: keep your arms at shoulder height. Start off walking and then start skipping sideways with shoulders and trunk facing forward and weight on the balls of feet.


13. Overhead lunge walk with side bend: with hands over your head lunge forward and bend to the side of the forward leg.


14. Inchworm: start in a push-up position, walk your feet towards your hands; then walk your hands out to the push-up position.


15. 90 degree spinal twist: lie on your back with hips and knees bent at 90 degrees and rotate your hips from side to side.

Strides Before a Speed Workout

If you are planning on running intervals or fast running, run a few strides (four to six) after warm-up drills. Strides are short runs over 50 meters that focus on running technique.

Begin running slowing with short strides, making sure that your body posture and technical elements (landing, push-off, knee lift, kickback, etc.) are correct. Then lengthen your stride, increasing range of motion and turnover.

Cathy Utzschneider Ed.D. (human movement), M.B.A., professor of goal setting and competitive performance, Boston College; coach, Liberty Athletic Club, MOVE and Women-Running-Together.com.

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