Stretches for Runners

It’s important to stretch every part of your body before exercise.

The following is a checklist of some basic stretches to get you started:

Neck:

With your hands to you sides, turn your neck to one side, and hold for 5 seconds, then do the same for the other side. Repeat 1 – 3 times.  Some people might ignore it but it is very important. I hurt my neck due to exercising without stretching my neck correctly.

Repeat the same process with tilting your head too.

Shoulder and Upper arm:

With your left hand, push your right elbow across your chest and hold for 10 – 15 seconds. Repeat for the other side.

Middle back, arms, hands, fingers, wrists:

Interlace your fingers and turn the palms facing out. Extend your arms at shoulder height and keep the position held for 10 to 20 seconds.

Inner Thigh, Groin:

Standing straight with feet facing forward, place your hand on your hips and bend one knee until you feel a stretch. Hold for 10 – 15 seconds and repeat for the other side.

Calf:

Place your forearms on a wall, and rest your head on your hands. Place one leg in front of you, knee bent, and the other leg behind you. Slowly move forward until you feel the back leg stretching. Hold the position for 10 – 20 seconds and repeat on other side.

There are actually several different types of stretching. Here’s a brief overview of the fundamental types:

Static Stretching

This is the most common type of stretching, where a position is held continuously for about 30 seconds to 60 seconds.

Passive Stretching

This is very similar to static stretching, except that instead of holding the position yourself, it is instead done by a partner or some type of apparatus.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves slow, gradual motion that is intended to take you to the limit of your muscle flexibility. It does not involve bouncing or rapid movement.

Ballistic Stretching

The aim of ballistic stretching is to take a muscle beyond it’s normal range of motion by first holding a stretched position, and then bouncing to exert more force on the muscles. This can lead to injury, and should only be attempted by athletes who are about to undertake a vigorous physical undertaking.

If you are not member of a gym and do not want to stretch outdoors, you can do it in your house. Just closed the curtains if you dont want to be seen, then stretch for at least 10 minutes before and after exercising.

Why is stretching important before exercise

An often overlooked element of an exercise regime, stretching properly before any kind of exercise should never be ignored.

It is necessary to stretch both before and after exercise. Stretching loosens our muscles, and allows them to go through a wide range of movements. Doing this increases our body’s flexibility, which lessens the risk of injury.

Stretching after exercise is also very important. Doing so will unblock twisted nerves, and allows nerves and muscles to connect more efficiently. This is turn helps to correctly position muscle fibres, and will make the exercise that was just performed more efficient.

If you start exercising without stretching, there’s a risk that a muscle will tear, which is a very debilitating and painful injury. Additionally, proper stretching will reduce the stiffness that’s often experienced after exercise. I learned lots of stretching moves when attended an exercise program in St Lucia hotel last year.

Another big benefit of proper stretching is that improved flexibility of the neck, shoulders and upper back will improve your respiratory functions.

Overall, in terms of health, well-being and fitness, stretching both before and after any exercise is incredibly important, which is highlighted very well in good exercise programmes. I learned lots of stretching moves when attending a specialised exercise program.