If you’re a runner, you know the high you get from pounding the pavement or a treadmill belt. Not only are you boosting endorphins, improving cardiovascular endurance, increasing leg strength, and decreasing your risk for disease, but you’re improving mental health as well.
But let’s rewind a bit – before you start logging your miles, how do you warm up? And when you’re finished, how do you cool down?
These factors are essential not only in decreasing your risk of injury but also for prepping and preparing your body for a good workout and subsequent recovery. When you begin your training, you want to incorporate a solid dynamic warm-up – which most people do (in some shape or form). However, it’s the latter cooldown that’s often overlooked…and this is where stretching comes into play.
Why Should You Stretch?
For most runners, incorporating static stretching into your routine after completing your run is ideal. Not only does this help you bring your heart rate down gradually, but it also aids in improving your flexibility by stretching muscles that are already warm and pliable.
It will take a little time out of your day to do a post-run stretch, but there are so many reasons to take 10-15 minutes after your run to get more flexible.
Benefits Of Stretching
- Stretching aids in recovery. Lactic acid accumulates during exercise, and a post-run stretch can help filter this acid out of your system and prepare your body for the next workout.
- Stretching after your run can help prevent injury – a crucial component, especially if you’ve got goals you want to achieve. With consistent stretching after your runs are complete, your muscles are continually lengthened, improving your overall range of motion and decreasing the risk of injury (i.e., like tight hamstrings pulling on your lower back).
- If you’re running for the mental benefits, then a cool down is just as important as the high you get while running. That’s because as you cool down, your body brings itself back to a state of rest, and endorphins that are released during exercise can utilize their full effect as you’re relaxing after your run – and in turn, leaving you with a mood boost!
- Stretching after a run aids in reducing delayed onset muscle soreness, known as DOMS. This feeling of soreness hits within a day or two of exercise and is expected – however, doing a good post-run stretch can help reduce the effects of DOMS and get your hamstrings, quads, and glutes feeling better faster.
Now that you know some of the benefits of stretching after your run let’s take a look at a few exercises you can incorporate into your routine to round out your workout.
3 Post-Run Stretches
1. Quad Stretch:
From a standing position, lift your right leg behind you, bending at the knee and grabbing your ankle with your right hand. Keeping your right knee pointed down toward the ground, slowly pull your heel toward your glute, feeling the stretch in the front of your leg. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat the stretch on the opposite leg.
2. Hamstring Stretch:
Begin on the ground, on your back. From here, bring your right leg up to your chest, with your leg bent. Slowly extend your right leg out straight, keeping your left leg on the ground. As your leg straightens, hold the back of your leg with both hands, slowly pulling it toward you while keeping your hips and lower back on the ground. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat the stretch on the opposite leg. If it’s challenging to have a completely extended leg, you can bend your knee slightly and still feel the stretch in the back of your leg.
3. Butterfly Stretch:
From a seated position, bring the bottom of your feet together (so your knees drop out to the sides). Sit up as straight as possible, placing your hands on your feet and slowly leaning forward, hinging from the hips. Feeling the stretch in your inner thighs, you can lean forward as far as is comfortable until the stretch is achieved. Hold for 30 seconds.
Things To Keep In Mind
These are just three of many amazing stretches that you can incorporate into your post-run routine, and they don’t take up much time. Even 10 minutes of stretching can reap multiple benefits.
Ensure you don’t feel pain as you’re stretching – you may feel discomfort if a muscle group is overly tight, but excessive pain is never okay.
Breathe through your stretches, and allow your body to relax after getting your heart pumping. You’ll begin to notice that even after just a few days of stretching after your run will have you feeling more loose, limber, and ready for your next workout!
