What To Do

Categories

Social Bookmarks

Feeds

Runner's Training Tips: Streching

Bottom of Page

1 to 13 of 13

  1.  
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberlms1122
    • CommentTimeJul 29th 2008
     
    lms1122
    I am training for a half marathon in Sept. (so far, so good!). I have always thought I was good at streching after I run (I usually walk and strech for 10 minutes), but whenever I run 5+ miles I still feel tightnes in my legs later that day and/or the next day. I don't know the names of all the streches I do, but I touch my toes, bend and pull my leg behind me, leaning lunges, calf strech against a hard surface, butterfly, widen my legs and do side-bends, and widen my legs and touch the gound in the middle. Does anyone have any suggestions on other streches I could be doing. My hamstrings are always the tightest, followed by my calves, then hips and lastly quads. Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberTiffers110
    • CommentTimeJul 29th 2008
     
    Tiffers110

    http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_1/126.shtml

    Here are some good stretches!  Remember to always stretch when your muscles are warm/post cooldown, and perhaps an epsom salt bath the night after a good run.  :)  GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR 1/2!!!

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberwrs68
    • CommentTimeJul 30th 2008
     
    wrs68

    Tiffers, Thanks for the great link.

    I would be really interested in people's general stretching routines. I have been back running for about a year now (after a long break) and am loving it, but I still haven't established a good warm up/cool down stretch routine. I have had a couple of muscle injuries in that period and I am sure they are at least partly due to poor stretching before and after my runs.

    Any experiences, or tried and tested routines please let us all know.

    Thanks

     

    wrs

    • CommentAuthorFree Membercraigem
    • CommentTimeAug 7th 2008
     
    craigem
    A friend of mine who is a trainer told me recently that before stretching you should warm up a bit. I never knew this! So now I go outside and run around the block slowly and then I stretch. Sure, people look at me funny, but that's not stopping me. He also reiterated how important it is to stretch after running. He said one should be stretching 15 mins after running. I don't have time for that! I try to do as much as I can, though. And then I hurry up and get ready to go to work.
    • CommentAuthorFree MemberFordiet
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2008
     
    Fordiet
    I think opinions are kind of divided on this, but my track coach says that stretching before a run/workout does not lower your chance of injury and doesn't really help you. Of course if it makes you feel more prepared do it..
    • CommentAuthorFree Membercoldshower
    • CommentTimeAug 12th 2008
     
    coldshower

    I agree not to stretch before running.  It doesn't seem to help me.  I always stretch afterward though.  I usually stretch for a solid 10 minutes. Maybe add a little yoga move called 'downward dog' to your stretching routine.  It looks silly, but it really helps me with many muscle groups.  I do not do any other yoga, but this one move seems to make all the difference to my achin' legs.  If you have a staircase in your home, you can also utilize that.  I hop one leg two steps up and lean into it to stretch my hips, hamstrings and quads. 

    Good luck! 

     

  7.  
    RunningKnows

    For those of you who are ambivalent about stretching, you might want to take a look at entering the USATF stretching study....... they're recruiting lots of people to look at the impact of pre-run stretching on injury rates.  They want you to be injury-free for 6 weeks before starting and run at least 10 miles/wk, but other than that their inclusion criteria is pretty relaxed..... you have to keep in mind, though, that you might get assigned to the non-stretching group (interestingly enough, I don't believe in pre-run stretching but got assigned to the stretching group) so if you won't run without stretching, you may not want to volunteer..... here's the link:

    http://www.usatf.org/stretchStudy/

  8.  
    chucky canuck

     

       I'm a huge believer in stretching before a run, mainly because I'm not limber and have pulled muscles when I didn't stretch.

       Before I run anything over 10 miles, I stretch for 20-30 minutes...it's more like Yoga by the end.  The time also lets you get Zen, and maybe listen to music to get you psyched for the run.

  9.  
    Headmonster17
    Prior to any stretch you should warm up beforehand. Doing at least a light jog, some high knees, butt kicks, side shuffles, cariocas and backpedal are just a few that I like to do. I usually follow it up with some lunges, ankle hops, squats and single leg RDLs. I am in the process of my master's program in performance enhancement and injury prevention, so I researched it a little. There is no clinical evidence that stretching prior to activity reduces injuries, although I always stretch beforehand. I think a lot of it is mental and it helps me prepare for my run. But stretching after a workout is important to maintain normal range of motion. Best of luck with the 1/2!
    • CommentAuthorFree Memberlms1122
    • CommentTimeAug 21st 2008
     
    lms1122

    Thanks for all of the advice. I usually do not strech before I run, but I may try what wrs does by warming up, streching, and then running. Sometimes that is hard for me because I just want to do the run, and all of that add an extra 15-20 minutes or so. However, doing that is more like a pre-race routine anyway, so I think it would be good to always have that time to mentally and physically prepare.

    Good news...the soreness has started to go away. The website Tiffers gave is really good and give some good streching suggestions I had not tried before.

    Thanks everyone!

  11.  
    canderson13

    Could it be that your muscles are just plain wore out?

    If so, have you thought about any post-workout recovery drinks?

    I've found that  a serving of Endurox (a popular recovery drink) helps my muscles feel much better the next day.  Been using it for a about 6 months now, and it's actually made a huge difference when working out more than 5 times a week.

     If you're not ready to make the jump to one of these powdered drinks, try 12 oz of chocolate milk.  It has the right balance of carbs to protein, and  can help your muscles rebuild after a hard workout.

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberwrs68
    • CommentTimeAug 22nd 2008
     
    wrs68

    Hi all, here's another good web page on stretching:

    http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?uan=484

    I have started to incorporate the 3 minute routine into every session with a slow paced 1km warm up followed by stretches held for 20 sec's. Then train followed by the same in reverse except holding hte stretches for 30 sec's, before a 1km warm down run.

    wrs

    • CommentAuthorFree Memberjumbolaw
    • CommentTimeAug 23rd 2008
     
    jumbolaw
    I've always had hip problems with running so I make sure to focus on my hip flexors and ITB.  8 years after graduating high school, I still do the same stretching routine.  Even though I know I should be warming up first, it's tough to find the time to do a warm-up run, stretch, actual run, then stretch again!  I try to also find time at night while watching TV to get in a light stretch to try and stay limber.

1 to 13 of 13

  1.