Stretching- an often overlooked action in exercise until there is an injury. Taking a few minutes out of your schedule each day, or even working it into your already busy schedule can help with the prevention of injury, though.
Two main types of stretching are dynamic and static- there's more though. Yes, different types of stretching for different times of the day/workout. The difference between the two is the actual movement and time spent in the movement/position. Dynamic stretching- best done pre-workout/run- is a form of stretching that wakes up your muscles through quicker movements of contraction and lengthening like jumping jacks and high knees. Static stretching- best done post-workout/run or off days- allows your muscles to relax into stretches for longer periods of time (we're talking 20-30 seconds here). Research has shown that static stretching pre-workout/run can actually be detrimental to your performance so it is suggested to do static stretching post-workout/run.
For the purposes of this blog, we will focus on static stretching. Since this seems to be what all four of us lack in our routines, it seems to be the most important. We get our dynamic stretch on as a part of our regular routine.
When starting or implementing a stretching program, I've found some important tips to remember.
- Hold stretch for at least 30 seconds- you shouldn't feel pain, discomfort- not pain.
- Don’t hold your breath. Lengthen your stretch on the inhales and try to relax deeper into the stretch on the exhales.
- Don’t bounce in stretches.
- If you stretch one muscle group, stretch the opposing groups as well (stretch hamstrings, don’t skip the quads).
Important muscle groups to stretch regularly for runners and the best stretch that targets the muscle...
Hamstrings: pike (single and double)
Glutes: pigeon
Quads: Heel to butt
IT Band: pigeon
Calf: lunge
A few of the resources used:
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