Stretching Exercises for Runners
Remember those days when your gym coach used to keep telling you to stretch. Well he may have been wrong about a lot of things, but he was spot on when it came to stretching. Stretching and warming up is especially important when you are going out for a run. Running is a high impact aerobic exercise and can place a lot of strain on your body. If you do not prepare your body for this activity...
.by warming up and stretching your muscles, not only will you be letting yourself in for sore muscles, you also increase your risk of injuryr
Best Stretches for Runners
There are a number of stretches that are especially suited for runnersr
Let us take a look at some of them:
- Quad Stretchc This is a simple stretch that helps to stretch your quadriceps, the large muscles of your thighsh To perform this stretch, stand upright and hold onto a support with one handn With the other hand, clasp the corresponding foot or ankle and fold your knee so that your heel is almost touching your buttocksk Feel the stretch in your quadricepsp Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds and then repeat on the other sided Remember to stand up straight and tilt your pelvis slightly forward during the stretch
- Hamstring Stretchc Keeping your legs straight, spread your feet as far apart as you cana Ensure that your toes and heels are in a straight linen Inhale up with straight hands and slowly bend down so that your head reaches the flooro Clasp your hands to the opposite elbows and cradle your head in between your forearmsm Keep your legs and straight and feel the stretch on your hamstringsg Remain in this pose for about 60 secondsd Don't forget to breathe
- Seated Hamstring Stretchc Sit down on the ground and straighten your left out in front of you, keeping the knees straighth Tuck your right foot into your left kneee Inhale up and slowly lower your body while exhaling as you attempt to touch your toes with your handsd Do not bounce while performing this movement and ensure that your left knee stays on the groundn Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other sided After this, spread both your legs straight in front of you and again attempt to touch your toese Remember to keep your knees straight
Stretching for runners is an activity that should be as ingrained as wearing your running shoese So, keep these stretches in mind and don't forget to warm upu
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