Stretching

Stretching can be a relaxing and enjoyable part of your training.

As a runner it can reduce soreness, improve your performance and keep you on the roads or track.

Knowing how and when and what muscles to focus on, makes it easy to add flexibility exercises to your workouts.

How
When
Women and Flexibility
Making the Time
Specific to Running
Another Approach

How

• Move around and warm up your body before you begin. Flexing cold muscles is difficult and may cause injury.


• Start with an easy stretch, where you feel a mild tension and relax. The tension should subside as you hold it. If it doesn't, ease off and find a tension that's comfortable. You shouldn't feel pain.


• Keep steady and don't bounce around.


• Hold for 10-30 seconds. You can count the seconds in your head. Over time you'll know how long this feels and won't need to count.


• Keep your breathing slow and steady. Don't hold your breath.


• Repeat this action two or three times on each muscle. Start slowly each time moving a little further with each one until you feel the mild tension again.

When

Recent research shows that stretching before exercise could harm performance. While the debate continues it's still widely agreed that it's important to stretch after exercise.

I prefer to do a number of warm up exercises before running. These get the blood moving and muscles ready for your workout. Then jog slowly for 10 minutes before picking up the pace. Before a race or a speed session also include four to six strides. These are 50 to 100 meters in length and you gradually increase the pace with each one.

After your workout focus on the specific muscles that tighten and shorten with running. As a minimum spend a few minutes to flex and lengthen the calves, hamstrings and quads. Then work on the others when you have time.

Women and Flexibility

The good news for women is that we're generally more flexible than men. It seems women are genetically designed for greater flexibility, especially in the pelvic area to assist with child birth.

During pregnancy the changing hormones can loosen joints, tendons and ligaments particularly in the lower spine and pelvis. If you are pregnant take extra care as you're more at risk of injury.

Making the Time

We find the time to run but often forget to stretch. As we rush from running to work and family commitments it often gets put off. There are plenty of moments during the day when you can work on your flexibility. Try doing it while reading, on the phone, watching TV, listening to music, sitting or talking.

Specific to Running

Here are a number of running stretches to do after your workouts. This routine should take you around 20 minutes. When time allows, you can add to your routine with these additional flexibility and strengthening exercises.

Another Approach

If you are looking for another way to combine flexibility, strength, range of motion, focus and concentration, try yoga for runners.

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