Hi Everyone!
Stretching is one of the most important things you can do to keep your body healthy and injury free. It will help maintain your bodies biomechanics, improve blood flow to your muscles (which helps them heal and strengthen more efficiently), and allows you to complete exercises through the full range of motion to maximize the benefits of each movement.
This is my post-run stretching routine, but it can be used after any workout. Pre-workout you want to do dynamic stretching (check out Jesse’s Running Warm-Up and Cool Down here.) Post workout you can transition to static stretches as demonstrated in the video below.
I completed this stretch routine when I got home from running my Half Marathon, along with some foam rolling (you can find my Foam Rolling routine here.)
As a result I had minimal soreness after my race. I noticed some soreness through my quads when walking down stairs. I repeated this routine for the first three days after my race to avoid late onset muscle soreness. Often people find that the true soreness doesn’t kick in until two days after a hard workout.
I plan on continuing with this stretching routine, as I have noticed a decrease in my flexibility, and I want to improve/maintain my current abilities.
I hope you all enjoy this stretch routine!
Melissa
*To maximize the benefits of this workout, hold each stretch for 60 seconds. You can build up stretch time based on your bodies tolerance.*
1. Flat Back Table Fold
2. Forward Fold
3. Wide Leg Twisting Fold
-Chest to Leg and then Obliques to Leg.
-Repeat Right and Left
4. Pigeon Pose
-Repeat Right and Left
5. King Arthur Pose
-Repeat Right and Left
6. Knee to Ground Lunge to Shin Stretch
-Repeat Right and Left
7. Down Dog
8. Up Dog
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| Flat Back Table Fold (Instagram Tutorial Video) |
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| Forward Fold |
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| Wide Leg Twist Fold |
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| Pigeon Pose with Overhead Reach |
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| Pigeon Pose |
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| King Arthur Pose |
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| Knee to Ground Lunge to Shin Stretch (Instagram Tutorial Video) |
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| Down Dog |
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| Up-Dog |