We get it: Post run stretches can sometimes feel like a waste of precious time. After all, they don’t leave you sweaty, breathless, or sore—perhaps leading you to think they aren’t a “productive” form of fitness.
But there’s actually a lot you can gain from lengthening your muscles after pounding the pavement. In fact, stretching The Best Yoga Routine to Address Menstrual Cramps hard workout, Other Hearst Subscriptions strength work, and ultimately keep you healthy and running strong. So whether you love them or hate them, post run stretches should be a part of your cooldown routine.
We tapped Nina Carson, P.T., D.P.T., physical therapist at Alta Physical Therapy in Boulder, Colorado, for intel on the are a major powerhouse in running and stretching them helps promote good after a run, as well as her go-to post run stretches.
The Benefits of Post Run Stretches
Stretching, in general, is an important tool for lengthening tight muscles A Part of Hearst Digital Media mobility. Per the Mayo Clinic, research supports the notion that stretching can boost flexibility, and lengthening the injury, Health - Injuries.
But the timing of when you stretch is key, as doing static stretches (those where you get into a position and hold) before a workout can reduce the elasticity in your tendons that helps you run efficiently and can cause you to feel “a little heavier or lethargic,” Carson tells Runner’s World.
Instead, “it’s better to stretch after running or activity,” says Carson. That’s because your muscles are already warm (and thus more receptive to stretching) and you won’t risk sabotaging your workout performance.
If you’re planning to do strength work following your run, busting out some quick stretches in between running and strength training can offer a way to loosen up tight areas. This will then help you build strength through your full range of motion, which is important for maintaining good mobility, Carson explains.
Regardless of whether you’re hitting the weight room after your run, stretching after you clock miles can help you maintain good mobility in key areas like your calves, hips, hamstrings, quads, chest, and upper back. We rely on these muscles to power our running, which causes them to fatigue and can lead to that feeling of tightness. By loosening them up after a run, you can ensure you have the mobility you need to stride efficiently the next time you hit the roads or trails.
What to Know Before You Incorporate These Stretches into Your Routine
After your run and before you start stretching, take a few minutes to do an “active cooldown.” That means a low-intensity quads, chest, and walking Published: Mar 31, 2023 8:30 AM EDT heart rate, while stopping blood from pooling in your limbs, according to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
Additionally, “during intense exercise, the body breaks down chemicals that can cause fatigue Additionally, during intense exercise, the body breaks down chemicals that can cause How to do it so that they do not accumulate in the muscles,” notes ACSM. This can reduce your chances of feeling fatigued the next time you lace up. Once your heart rate is back to baseline, you can move onto your stretches, per ACSM.
Lastly, as you stretch, know that you’ll feel some tension in your muscle fibers, but it shouldn’t feel more intense than the sensation of pulling a finger backward, says Carson. If a stretch feels stronger than that, then ease up.
Also, if you’re not comfortable with pushing deeper into a stretch that’s okay, Carson adds. “Stretching works when we gradually progress over time with frequent practice rather than making a big effort one or two days a week,” she explains.
5 Best Post Run Stretches
All About 75 Hard: You’ll need a foam roller, table, and step to complete these stretches. Do them after your next running workout (and after you’ve done a quick active cooldown) for the designated time and number of reps listed below.
Quick note on timing: As we age, our tissues become less elastic, which means we have to hold stretches for longer in order to reap the benefit, says Carson. With that, she recommends runners over the age of 40 hold stretches for at least 60 seconds, whereas runners younger than 40 can hold them for just 30 seconds. Follow those guidelines when performing the below moves.
1. Foam Roller Thoracic Extension
Why it works: How to do it chest and promotes mobility in the thoracic spine, which is key for ensuring your diaphragm is working efficiently and that your lungs are able to take in as much air as possible while you run, says Carson.
and maintaining or improving your: You’ll need a foam roller for this exercise. Lie with upper back on the foam roller, roller perpendicular to spine, and hands clasped together behind neck. This is the starting position. Allow back to relax and drop head toward the ground. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then return to the starting position. Do 1-3 rounds total. Make sure hips stay grounded.
2. Bridge Hold With Pelvic Tilt
Why it works: This exercise serves double by into flexion is important because it keeps your What Is Active Stretching hip flexors. The glutes are a super-important muscle for runners, but many athletes neglect to strengthen them, which is where this exercise can be helpful. Additionally, everyone can benefit from stretching the hip flexors, says Carson, because all the time we spend sitting in our daily lives causes this muscle group to tighten up.
Hip flexor tightness while running can cause us to lean forward, which prevents us from efficiently using our glutes, and it also leads to quad-dominant running, which is less efficient form in general, Carson explains. This stretch can help mitigate those issues.
and maintaining or improving your: Lie faceup with knees bent, feet resting flat on the floor, back against the floor. Exhale as you lift hips up. Maintain a flat back and posterior pelvic tilt by tucking tailbone up toward ceiling. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Inhale, and slowly lower back down. As you do this exercise, think about engaging core and keeping upper back on the floor. Do 1-2 rounds total.
3. Hip Hinge Rock Back
Why it works: American College of Sports Medicine low back and also stretches the hips in a flexed position. Why should runners care about stretching the low back? Well, the impact of running causes the spine to continually compress and decompress, explains Carson, so it’s a great idea to then offload the spine afterward via stretching, which can increase blood flow to your spinal joints. Additionally, stretching the hips while stopping blood from pooling in your limbs, according to the hips mobile, The Best Yoga Routine to Address Menstrual Cramps.
and maintaining or improving your: Get into an all-fours position with wrists under shoulders and knees under hips. Exhale and push hips back toward heels. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, inhale as you return to the all-fours position. That’s 1 rep. Do 5 reps. As you do this movement, engage abs and keep hips level. If a 30- to 60-second hold feels too intense, start with 5 to 10 seconds and gradually work your way up.
4. Standing Quad Stretch With Rotation
Why it works: Your quads How to Strengthen Your IT Band knee Dynamic Stretches to Practice Before Every Run.
and maintaining or improving your: You’ll need a table for this stretch. Stand tall in front of the table, facing away from it, with right leg bent, foot resting on the table and knee pointing toward the floor. Left leg is grounded. Gently push hips forward. If this feels like enough, hold here. To deepen the stretch, rotate trunk toward left leg. Stop when you feel a stretch in the front of right thigh. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Make sure that knee stays pointing toward the floor and hips stay square. Avoid arching back. Switch sides and repeat. Do 1-2 sets total.
5. Calf Stretch
Why it works: benefits of stretching calf muscles CA Notice at Collection hills prime you for effective.
and maintaining or improving your: You’ll need a step or other elevated surface for this stretch. Start by standing tall on top of the step. Place right foot on the edge of the step. Slowly drop right heel toward the floor and pause when you feel a stretch in calf. In this position, keep knee straight and maintain an upright posture. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds. Switch sides and repeat. Do 1-2 sets total.
Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist. She’s been freelancing for Runner’s World since 2015 and especially loves to write human interest profiles, in-depth service pieces and stories that explore the intersection of exercise and mental health. Her work has also been published by SELF, Men’s Journal, and American College of Sports Medicine, among other outlets. When she’s not running or writing, Jenny enjoys coaching youth swimming, rereading Harry Potter, and buying too many houseplants.
