Before a race, stretching usually goes in the “needed” column, not the “required” column. I can’t wait to use my energy to get going, you know?
But there is one track that doesn’t bother me at all because everything makes me feel like I’m getting stronger and better prepared for the start line. This stretch is called «one-leg hip hinges».
Best prices – Stretching for running on AmazonRunner’s Touches Stretching Exercise
One-leg hip hinges, also known as runner’s touches, is an effective stretching exercise for runners that can help improve your overall flexibility and range of motion.
This exercise involves the runner standing upright on one foot and slowly bending the knee of the standing leg while lifting the opposite leg behind, bending the hip and keeping the torso upright.
The runner should keep the lifted leg straight, with the heel reaching for the back and the toes pointing towards the ground. The runner should then lower their torso until it is parallel to the ground, keeping the lifted leg as close to the torso as possible, and hold the position for 10-30 seconds before returning to the starting position.
This exercise should be repeated on each leg and can be done as part of a warm-up before running, as part of a cool-down after running, or as a standalone stretching exercise. Runner’s touches can help increase the flexibility of the hip flexors, strengthen the muscles of the hip and leg, and improve balance and coordination.
Hartmann’s notes on the best stretches for runners:
- It is important to do the stretches in order from one to ten. The program is based on a natural progression from one muscle group to another.
- The body is placed in the best anatomical position to maximize isolated stretching.
- Each stretch is held for 2-4 seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat each stretch 8 to 12 times. Repetition increases the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the muscles.
- Stretch is never applied. Muscles should be gently stimulated to stretch. The basic rule of thumb remains: never force a stretch beyond the point of mild irritation.
- Since the stretches are active and don’t last more than 4 seconds, the stretching routine can be done before the race (some runners run for 7-10 minutes to get the blood flowing before starting the stretches ). this is optional).
- The routine can be done after running to restore tissue elasticity.
- One of the traits associated with aging in runners is the loss of flexibility. Regular stretching is the most important thing you can do to keep your body flexible, prevent stiffness, and limit injury.
- By following this daily routine of 10 stretches for runners, you can ensure that you improve your flexibility and running efficiency.
Single Leg Pelvic Tilt Stretch Photo: Brad Kaminski
Dynamic stretching reduces the risk of injury.
Mobility exercises like dynamic stretching increase blood flow and help warm up muscles before a workout. It prepares the muscles and connective tissues for hard work and increases the range of motion of the joints, reducing the risk of injuries due to sudden movements and high forces.
Who doesn’t want to run faster? Some research suggests that dynamic stretching before exercise may improve performance.
Static stretching
The stretching examples in this guide focus on static or stationary stretching. Static stretching involves holding the same position for longer, ideally 45-60 seconds.
Muscles do not remain in their natural range of motion, but are gently pushed under slight tension. For runners, some studies suggest that it’s best to do static stretching after a run to avoid losing strength mid-race. However, this result is controversial.
The effect of static stretching in preventing injuries and muscle pain
Although stretching plays a reasonable role in treating injuries, static stretching cannot prevent injuries as we thought. A 2010 review published in the Scandanavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports concluded that static stretching had little to no effect on injury prevention. It should be noted that injuries often occur due to many factors, making it difficult to isolate the precise role of stretching in injury prevention.
In fact, many argue that too flexible movement increases a runner’s risk of injury. This boils down to the rubber band model. If his muscles and tendons are too loose and plastic, the time to impact with the ground is likely to be longer, which can be a contributing factor to the injury. Hypermobile runners need to be careful when performing static stretching. Their flexibility could cause them to overstretch, which can lead to muscle tears.
