Running can make your muscles stiff and potentially reduce your performance. In addition, it can increase your risk of getting injured, and your muscles can shorten and become tight if your joints can’t go through their entire motion range. This article teaches you 10 stretches that can boost your workout and recovery.
Forward and Backward Leg Swings
To do this exercise:
● Stand with your feet hip-width apart and put your right hand on a wall.
● Keep your left foot on the floor with your knee slightly bent while engaging your core and moving your right leg forward and backward in a gentle swinging motion
● Repeat with the opposite leg
Ankle Circles
To perform this exercise:
● Spread your feet hip-width and keep your arms at your sides.
● Put your weight on your right foot and raise your left foot a few inches off the floor
● Flex your left ankle to point your toes and slowly rotate your left foot clockwise, making small circles with your ankle.
● Rotate your left foot counterclockwise
● Repeat with the opposite foot
Side-to-Side Leg Swings
For this exercise:
● Stand with your feet hip-width apart and put both hands on the wall for balance
● Keep your right foot on the floor with your knee slightly bent, while engaging your core and swinging your left leg gently to your left side.
● Swing your left leg across and in front of your right leg before reversing the motion to swing the left back to your left
● Keep your swinging leg straight with your hips facing forward.
● Repeat with the opposite leg
Walking Lunges
For this exercise:
● Place your feet hip-width apart and put your hands on your hips
● Engage your core and place your left foot forward, bending your knees to lower your hips
● Keep your front knee behind your toes and tuck your pelvis in
● Push through your left foot to put your right foot forward
● Keep alternating your legs as you step forward with each lunge
Windmill Reaches
To get started:
● Stand with your feet apart and your toes pointed slightly outward
● Extend your arms to the sides till they’re parallel to the floor
● Keep arms straight and bend your knees slightly while hinging your hips forward
● Reach your left hand toward the outside of your right foot while allowing your right arm to reach upward
● Reach your right hand to the outside of your left foot and extend your left arm upwards
● Keep alternating both sides
Butt Kicks
To perform this exercise:
● Keep your feet hip-width apart with your arms at your sides
● Squeeze your right hamstring to raise your right heel to your right glute
● Quickly return your right foot to the floor and repeat the same action with your left foot
● Keep alternating
High Knees
To do this exercise:
● Keep your feet apart with your arms at your side
● Raise your right knee toward your chest and slightly above waist level
● Bend your left elbow and move your left hand upwards in a pumping motion
● Quickly your right foot and left hand and repeat with the alternate limbs
Standing Quad Stretch
For this exercise:
● Stand with your feet hip-width apart
● Place your weight on your right foot and raise your left foot off the floor
● Grab your left ankle with your left hand and gently press your left knee into your inner thigh
● Tuck your tailbone slightly and pull your left leg back until you feel a gentle stretch on the front of your left thigh
● Hold and repeat on the opposite leg
Supine Figure-4 Stretch
To get started:
● Lie on your back with your feet on the floor
● Raise your left foot on the floor and cross your left ankle over your right knee
● Lock your fingers around your thigh below your knee
● Straighten your left foot
● With your back on the floor, pull your right knee to your chest until you feel a light stretch in the opposite glute
● Hold, then repeat on the opposite leg
Runner’s Stretch
To do this exercise:
● Stand facing a wall at arm’s length from it with your feet apart
● Put both hands flat against the wall and bend one
● Step the other foot back so your leg is straight with your heel on the ground
● Keep both feet pointed forward and lightly press into the wall until you feel a stretch in your back calf and heel
● Hold, then repeat on the opposite leg
Conclusion
These stretches can prevent and improve muscle tightness while running. You can also add them to your running routine to boost flexibility and maintain joint range of motion.
