What Stretches Should I Do Before Running?
Hi there and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.
If you’re a runner or you’re training for a marathon, you’ll know just how important stretching can be. Running can be very stressful on your legs, and you need a regular stretching routine to counterpart these stress effects. However, there’s so much information out there that it’s hard to know what stretch to do and for which muscle.
As a runner, you need to focus on three main areas if nothing else: hamstrings, calves and quads. The following stretches will target the muscles that runners use most. They’ll definitely boost your running performance, but they’ll also put an end to the aches and pains that you may experience afterwards.
Hamstrings
Your hamstrings are prone to injury, and this is especially the case amongst runners. They are notorious for tight hamstrings, which can lead to pulled muscles and lower back problems. Try this standing single leg hamstring stretch before your run to ensure your performance isn’t compromised:
- Stand with your feet hip distance apart.
- Bend your right knee and extend your left leg pointing toes up.
- While holding this position, lower your upper body and reach toward your left toes as far as you can.
- Hold the position for 30-second then switch to the other side.
Calves
The Calves are the most overworked muscles on your run, and losing flexibility and mobility in this area can set you up for calf strains, shin splints and plantar fasciitis. Try this runner’s calf stretch to also boost the length and cadence of your strides:
- Stand facing a wall and with your arms extended and back straight, place both arms on the wall.
- While keeping both feet flat, take a step backward with your right leg, while keeping your heel planted to the ground and the leg extended without bending the knee.
- To stretch the calf, lean forward slightly to the wall while actively pressing your back heel into the ground until you feel a good stretch in muscle.
- Breathe deeply and Hold the stretch for 30-second or more then switch sides.
Quads
Flexible quadriceps are essential for a stronger knee lift and speed. The dreaded runners’ knee can be traced back to tight quads, but this standing quad stretch will help you become less prone to injury:
- Stand with legs hips distance width apart.
- Grab a chair for balance (if necessary) and stand tall while holding your right foot behind butt pointing knee to floor.
- Slowly move your right foot to the back and feel the stretch in your quadriceps.
- Keep your thighs lined up and core engaged throughout the stretch and hold for no more than 30-second.
- Repeat with the left leg.
Until next time,
Mohsin Salya
