Best Stretches For Before and After a Run

A perfect day has popped up and the streets are calling your name. Your body wants to run. You want to ride that wave of enthusiasm and just get out there. But you know warming up and stretching will help you prevent injuries. What pre-run routine is an absolute must-do before heading out for to run?

Philadelphia, PA area trainer JoAnn Meyer says warming up muscles is key. “You don’t want to stretch cold muscles. I have my runners walk 5-10 minutes before running,” says JoAnn, who has completed marathons and teaches a couch-to-5k running clinic year-round.

After a nice walk to loosen up the muscles, Ms. Meyer suggests stretching as the next step. “The new way of thinking is dynamic stretching before running and static stretching after running,” Ms. Meyer says.

Dynamic stretching is moving your muscles in ways that loosens them up. Instead of the traditional posed stretches, dynamic stretches use movement and momentum to lessen the tightness that is known to cause muscle tearing.

Here are 5 must-do dynamic stretches for pre-run warm-up:

1. Walking High Knees: Lift knees to hip height, alternating legs in a walking motion. 20x
2. Walking Butt Kicks: Yup, just like it sounds. Bring heels, one at a time, up to glutes, in a walking motion. 20x
3. Walking Lunges: Huge steps in walk that bring the body down into a lunge position. Bring back knee almost to touching the ground.10x
4. Deadlift Walk (also called Airplanes): Keeping leg stiff, raise leg behind the body, keeping torso in line with leg. Bring leg up to hip level, keeping leg and torso parallel to the ground. Arms hang in front of torso, perpendicular to the ground. Alternate legs in a walking motion. 10x
5. Heel Walking/Toe Walking: Walk only on heels, then only on toes. 25x each.

Repeat these stretches as necessary to feel warmed up and loose before your run.

Static stretching is the traditional activity that comes to mind when we think of “stretching.” The still, held poses (no bouncing!) of static stretching are perfect post-run exercises that help prevent chemical build-up in the muscles.

Here are 5 must-do static stretches for post-run cool-down:

1. Hurdler: Bend one leg in front of you, tucking foot close to your body. Put the other leg straight out in front. Bend down and grab toes on straight leg. Repeat on both sides.
2. Runner’s Lunge: Starting in a standing position with feet shoulder-width apart, step forward into a lunge, taking care to keep bent knee in line with heel (shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Avoid hyper-extension over the foot). Push off with ball of opposite foot and bring that leg up so that knee is in line with hips (like a Walking high knee exercise). Pump arms as if in running motion. Repeat a few times, alternating sides.
3. Lying Quad: Starting in a lying position, roll on to one side. Bring foot of the top leg up to the glute. Grab the foot and pull toward the body. Roll onto other side and repeat.
4. Lying Hamstring: Starting in a lying position with both legs straight, lift one straight leg (bend knee only slightly if you must) toward the ceiling, making it perpendicular to the floor. Bottom of foot should be parallel to the ceiling. Pull leg toward your body to stretch the hamstring. Added stretch: flex and circle ankle while leg is still up. Repeat on the other side.
5. Lying Hip and Glute: Starting in a lying position with both legs straight, bend one knee and lay the leg across the neighboring leg, pushing bent knee toward the floor. Hold knee with opposite hand. Stretch other arm (same side as bent knee) out and away from your body. Repeat for the other leg.

When on the floor for static stretches, make sure to use a comfortable, non-slippery clean surface. You don’t want to get injured while trying to avoid other injury. Look into investing into a gym mat for your home gym or your stretching area.

When those streets are perfect for running, by all means, get out there! Dynamic stretching pre-run will get you moving and warmed up at the same time. Then run, run, run. Then cool down with the static stretches and you’ll be ready for the next time a perfect running day rolls around.

This post was prepared by Shana Brenner for CoverSports USA. CoverSports USA specializes in gym mats and gym floor covers along with outdoor athletic surfaces such as baseball field tarps.