Whether you take pleasure in a run alongside the lakefront or a stroll across the block, summertime is the proper time to revisit working stretches.
Prior to your run, dynamic stretching is finest. This sort of stretching retains your physique shifting; it doesn’t maintain a stretch. The function is to heat up the physique with motion. After a run, you may maintain these stretches in a static place for a number of breaths. This is named a static stretch. After a run your physique is already warmed up so that you’re not making ready it for any extra motion, holding stretches longer may be extra soothing and enjoyable for the muscle mass versus pre-running the place the objective is to get them mobilized and prepared for motion.
Check out my high working stretches to maintain you unfastened, limber and assist stop accidents:
Lunge & Lean
This is the proper pre-run stretch to loosen up the hips and hamstrings. Stand with the ft as broad because the hips, after which step the left foot again. Bend the precise knee right into a lunge and really feel a stretch within the entrance of the left hip. As you stretch the hip flexor, slowly start to straighten the precise leg and lean ahead. Exhale as you fold ahead and stretch the again of the precise leg. Move backwards and forwards between the hip flexor stretch and the hamstring stretch. It’s essential to maintain shifting all through this stretch as you need to do dynamic stretching earlier than understanding to heat up the muscle. (After you run, you may maintain every of those positions for longer.) Repeat this 10 occasions, after which swap to the opposite aspect.
A aspect attain is a good pre-run stretch in your sides and core.Brian Ernst/Sun-Times Side Reach
To stretch the torso, attain the precise arm down your leg and attain the left arm up in the direction of the ceiling. Reach up and over as you stretch the left aspect of your physique, after which come again via heart and repeat on the opposite aspect. Keep shifting aspect to aspect in a dynamic movement earlier than you run to loosen up your torso and higher physique. After you run, you may maintain this to the precise aspect after which left aspect for a number of breaths to every aspect.
Inner Thigh/Groin Stretch
To stretch the internal thighs, step your proper foot to the precise and bend the precise knee. Keep the left leg straight and really feel a stretch within the left internal thigh and groin. Then transfer via heart and lean to the left aspect. Keep this stretch shifting earlier than you run, alternating back and forth. After you run, you may maintain to every aspect for five breaths and actually breathe into the stretch.
By getting right into a pre- and post-running stretch routine, you’ll hopefully not solely really feel looser and extra relaxed throughout your run but in addition really feel rejuvenated and limber after your run!
Stephanie Mansour needs you to ‘“step up” your health routine. Mansour coaches personal shoppers in weight reduction, gives health/well being/life recommendation on nationwide TV reveals, and presents her free 21 Day Challenge on-line. Check out her health suggestions each Thursday within the Well part of the Chicago Sun-Times. And go to her web site at stepitupwithsteph.com.