8 Best Stretches for Runners Before & After Exercise from Superfeet on Vimeo.
Both dynamic (stretches that incoporate movement) and static stretching (stretches that hold a position) can help prevent injury.
Dynamic Warm-Up Stretches for Runners Before Your Run
The purpose of the dynamic exercises are to warm you up and ready the body for exercise to increase blood flow and improve mobility through the hips and the legs.
Golf Ball Reaches
Stand one one leg. Keep the knee slightly bent and your hips pointed forward. Balance on the one leg and reach straight for the floor as that other leg comes up. Press firmly through the heel and come back up to standing and repeat.
Single Knee to Chest Stretch with a Lunge Reach
Grab one knee and pull it up to your chest. Grab that foot behind you and then reach forward into a lunge. Pause, come back up and then switch to the opposite leg.
Lateral lunge with Overhead Reach
Lunge out to the side and reach with both arms as tall as you can up to the ceiling. Press and come back and repeat on the other side.
Forward Lunge with a Hip Raise and Side Twist
Start in the middle, standing. Lunge forward, down and reach for the floor. Pull back with the hips high. Drop back down to the floor and then rotate gently to the same side as your forward leg. Step forward with the next leg and repeat.
Static Stretches for Runners Before Your Run
It's important to do the static stretching afterward so that you're getting more length out of those pre-warmed muscles.
Kneeling Stretch
This is important stretch because it's helps stretch hip flexors. Kneel down on the side that you want to stretch. Tuck the tail bone under and lift up tall out of the waist. If you need more stretch raise that arm of the kneeling arm straight up towards the ceiling. For even more, side bend away from that hip.
Doorway Hamstring Stretch
This is the equivalent of having a trainer stretch you at home but you get to use the doorway instead of having somebody to rely on. Lie in a doorway opening. Take the one leg up against the door. Keep a slight bend in the opposite knee and keep your heel up against the doorway.
Piriformis Stretch
Lie on your back with knees bent to 90 degrees like you're sitting in a chair. One foot still stays firmly against the wall. The other leg bends across that knee. Take both hands and press the bent knee away towards the wall.
Soleus Stretch
Stand against a wall with one front in front of the other and feet spread apart. Keep both foot firmly planted on the ground but bend your knee instead of having the straight knee in the back leg. And stand against a wall.
