Best Stretches For Runners
in Fit on the Side Stretching

Best Stretches For Runners

best stretches for runners

Best stretches for runners. We just talked about the 6 best exercises for runners, so now let’s take a look at some of the stretches you should be doing consistently. When I worked with running clients, I often noticed that many of them would go for long runs and then bounce around for a few minutes doing something they called stretching or worse yet, skipping it all together. While you shouldn’t be doing deep stretches cold, it is important to warm up before running so that you aren’t jarring your joints and muscles. Leave these stretches for after a long run when your muscles warm and pliable.

best stretches for runners

BEST STRETCHES FOR RUNNERS

Hamstrings. Lying on your back, place your right foot in a band or yoga strap. Gently pull your leg up toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch and hold for 20-30 seconds. If you are fairly flexible then lengthen your left leg on the floor. The other option is to keep your left knee bent while you keep your foot flat on the floor.

Calves. Don’t change your position from the above stretch. Simply bend your leg slightly while pressing your heel toward the ceiling.  Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Quadriceps. Lying on your side (legs stacked) bend your top knee and gently pull your heel toward your glutes. Don’t arch your back and keep your pelvis in a neutral position. You should also feel this stretch in your hip flexors (the front of your hips). This stretch can also be done while lying on your stomach. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Glutes/Piriformis (supine pigeon prep). Lying on your back, place your right foot on the floor and cross your left ankle over your right thigh. With your left hand reaching between your legs, pull them toward you. If you don’t have the flexibility to hold this pose, simply place your right foot on a wall at a 90 degree angle to the floor. You can also gently press your hand on your left thigh. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Illiotibial Band. This is great for runners and those suffering knee pain. Place your left hand on a wall and cross your left foot behind your right foot, pointing your toes. Now take your right hand and place it on your hip and gently press your hip toward the wall. The key to this stretch is to keep your body upright. This one can be finicky, so my preference is to use a foam roller. Simply lie on your side on the roller, propping yourself up on an elbow. Roll from your hip to just above your knee. Warning, this can be quite painful, so breathe. Tip. It also feels great to roll out your quads, hamstrings, calves and back.

best stretches for runners

Although there are standing variants for all of these stretches, I’m recommending that you do them on the floor while still warm from your run. Don’t fight gravity and worry about balance, take this time to really and properly give yourself a deep stretch.

For more don’t forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE PLEASE SHARE IT AND SIGN UP FOR REGULAR UPDATES
blogger
images courtesy of DollarPhotoClub

You Might Also Like

What Is The Deal With All These Diets

Best Exercises For A Desk Job

September Ab Challenge Week Three

4 Ways To Turn Your Walk Into A Workout

Do I Really Need To Workout

How To Feel Beautiful On The Inside and Outside

Health Resolutions You Can Keep Without Trying

Tips For Getting Back To The Gym

Is Running Bad For Your Knees

Muscle Imbalances And Upper Body Pain

Succeed At Working Out

Why Exercise Is Good For Your Skin

How To Ease Sciatic Pain

How To Feel Confident When Working Out

10 Easy Ways To Get More Fit

Best Stretches If You Sit At A Desk All Day

6 Tips To Stop Bloating

Exercise And Your Skin

Diet And Fitness Tips You Need To Ignore

What Happens To Your Body When You Stop Exercising

7 Times It Is Okay To Skip A Workout

How To Know If You Are Exercising Too Much

Stretching Mistakes You Might Be Making

Frequently Asked Fitness Questions

How To Deal With A Bad Workout

How To Speed Up Weight Loss

Why Not Drinking Enough Water Can Make You Fat

Your At Home Workout Routine

Why Should Women Lift Weights

FitWise A Sneak Peek

Pros And Cons Of The Elliptical

A Fool Proof Easy Way To Lose Weight

How To Stay Healthy While Traveling

Why You Need To Cool Down Post Workout

Your Workout Motivation

Easy Stretches For Stress Relief

How To Start Running

The BS Around Diets

How To Increase Your Endurance

Lean Greens Review

How To Be A Better Athlete

Should I Use A Heart Rate Monitor

5 Day Workout Plan Part 1

The Truth About Protein Shakes

How Creativity Can Improve Your Health

Fitness Terms You Should Know

What Is Your Perfect Workout

How To Strengthen Your Bones

Working Out After 40

How To Maintain Weight Loss

How To Workout In The Heat

Great Metabolism Myths

What To Do When You Plateau

Why Exercise Makes You Happy

How To Detox Your Body Naturally

Best Exercises If You Do Manual Labour

Can Food Really Burn Fat

Why You Shouldn’t Weigh Yourself

20 Minute Workout By FitWise

How To Buy Workout Clothes

Losing Weight In Your 40s

How To Always Start Your Day Off Right

What You Should Know About Fitness

Eat Carbs And Lose Weight

7 Healthy Morning Habits for Looking And Feeling Your Best

How To Stop Exercise Procrastination

Do Carbs Make You Fat

How To Make A Short Workout Count

8 Ways To Learn To Love Running

Why Your Workout Suddenly Feels Hard

Learn To Run For 30 Minutes

How To Workout When It’s Hot

How To Alleviate Back Pain

Is CrossFit Right For You

Pocket Fitness Guides

How To Cut 500 Calories A Day Without Exercise

Foot And Ankle Exercises

How To Increase Flexibility

How To Get Your Diet Back On Track

Urban Hiking The New Workout

Foods That Reduce Stress

The Importance Of Cross Training

How To Treat Sore Muscles

Staying Fit When You Have No Time

October Fashion Beauty And Fitness Picks

Your Must Do Morning Workout

Talk Fitness With An Expert

Killer Foam Roller Ab Workout

How To Keep Gym Clothes Fresh

Just Go To The Gym

Hip Strengthening Exercises

Benefits Of Walking

Best Wrist Exercises For Writers

Dealing With Knee Pain

Best Low Impact Workouts

Home Gym Must Haves

Easy At Home Workout

Why You Have To Focus While Exercising

Top 10 Songs For The Gym

Stay Fit And Healthy For The Holidays

How To Improve Your Posture

How Much Weight Can You Lose In A Month

Can I Lose Weight And Still Eat Sweets

Why You Should Take A Dance Class Now

Working Out Diet And Your Period

20 Minute Workout From FitWise

Should You Exercise When You Are Sick

Why Do I Need To Stretch My Calves

Muscle Imbalance And Knee Pain

Get Fit The Easy Way

Why You Are Doing Your Ab Workout All Wrong

All About Your Knees

Best Arm Exercises For Summer 2015

Tips On Getting And Staying Fit In 2016

How To Deal With Gaining Weight

How To Easily Get Fit And Healthy

Diet Foods To Avoid

No Gym Arm Workout

The Truth About Abs

Everything You Need To Be A Runner

How To Get A Shapely Butt

Natural Energy Drinks

Best Headphones For Working Out

Best Exercises To Tone Your Glutes

How To Come Back After An Injury

Traveling With A Sensitive Stomach

Health Fitness And My Thyroid

The Basics Of Hip Stretches

Fitness Myths Debunked

How To Increase Your Bust Size

Staying fit when it is cold outside

How To Become A Runner

How to Stick With Your Diet When No One Wants You To

5 Stretches To Do Before Bed

Must Do Morning Stretches

The Truth About Weight Loss

How To Curb Emotional Eating

Is Training Harder Better

Caffeine And Working Out

Hit The Gym In Style

High Impact VS Low Impact

Ballet For Fitness: Is Back In Style

Your Ultimate Running Guide

How To Incorporate Pilates Into Everyday

How To Wear Athleisure

What To Eat Before A Party

How To Work With A Personal Trainer

11 Most Common Workout Mistakes

How To Maximize Your Gym Time

At Home Quickstart Workout

How To Lose Weight For Good

Why Do We Focus On Weight

Best Stretches To Relieve Shoulder Tension

How To Eat Healthy Without Trying

How To Feel Good About Your Body

Your Guide To Killer Abs

How To Deal With Bloating

How To Maintain Your Weight

How To Love Your Body

How To Keep Your Diet On Track

Tips On Working Out In Summer Months

How To Relieve Joint Pain

Diet And Exercise After 40

Treadmill Running Charts

Best Complimentary Activity For Your Workout.

Yoga VS Pilates Which One Is For You

Exercise Tips For Beginners

5 Best Abdominal Exercises

Cute Workout Gear For Every Body Shape

How To Stay Healthy For The Holidays

Why You Are Not Losing Weight

Morning Stretches True North Fitness Guide

The Importance Of Stretching In Style

Why You Need Fitness Goals

September Ab Challenge Week Two

How To Make Exercise A Habit

Losing Weight In 2017

Underactive Thyroid And Weight Loss

Eat Carbs And Sweets And Still Lose Weight

5 Daily Habits That Hurt Your Health

Ultimate Foot Guide And How To Relieve Foot Pain

The Only Diet You Need Is Balance

My Gym Bag Essentials

How To Workout In The Morning

European Travel Italy

How To Incorporate Exercise Into Everyday

How To Buy The Best Running Shoes

Best Exercises For a Toned Back

Run Better With These Easy Tips

Is being thin enough

How To Counteract Sitting All Day

How Important Is A Warmup

Best Warmup For Your Workout

Running Outdoors in Winter

What To Eat Pre And Post Workout

When To Listen To Your Body

Why What You Wear To The Gym Matters

Wrist Exercises For Bloggers

Shoulder Stretches

Your Summer Fitness Guide

Best Travel Workout

How To Workout And Not Hurt

Which Activities Count As Exercise

All About Pilates

How To Pick The Best Running Shoes

How To Stay Healthy In Winter

Fitness Fanatics Shopping Guide

Post Workout Beauty Hacks

September Ab Challenge Week One

Ultimate Weight Loss Guide

How To Prevent Common Running Injuries

Get Fit While Watching TV

Why Is Sitting Too Much So Bad

Best Exercises If You Hate Exercise

What If I Hate The Gym

How To Boost Your Metabolism

How To Have Energy After Lunch

When You Don’t Have Time To Workout

How To Deal With Muscle Cramps

Best Gifts For The Fitness Lover

September Ab Challenge Recap

Toning VS Bulking Up

Muscle Pain VS Injury

Why Your Gym Clothes Matter

A Beginners Guide To Gym Equipment Part 2

Best Exercises If You Are On Your Feet All Day

What Is Pilates

How To Choose A Personal Trainer

Top 5 Fitness Posts of 2015

Best Stretches Pre And Post Swim

How To Be Healthy While Traveling

5 Day Workout Plan Part 2

Best Post Flight Stretches

Never Have Motion Sickness Again

5 Cardio Myths Debunked

Theraband Workout

How Breathing Can Improve Your Workout

Muscle Imbalance And Back Pain

Why Should You Meditate

Best Recipes For Food Sensitivities

Eat Healthy Without Changing Your Entire Diet

Best Foods To Give You Energy

Why Is Exercise So Important

How To Be Healthy Without Trying

How To Feel Confident About Your Diet

6 Best Exercises For Runners

Best Stretches For Relaxation

How To Actually Lose Weight

Cold Weather And Muscle Pain

Sports Drinks VS Water

Beginners Guide To Gym Equipment Part 1

September Ab Challenge Week Four

Live Like You Are On Vacation

Summer Health And Beauty

What To Do Post Workout

Killer Abs Ball Workout

Easy Ways To Be A Healthier You

Which Style Of Yoga Is Best For You

Are you Over Exercising

How To Choose The Best Running Shoes

Ballet Inspired Leg Workout

What To Look For In A Smoothie

Everyone Can Learn To Love Exercise

FitWise Straight Talk About Getting Fit And Healthy

Free Weights VS Machines

By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information

The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.

Close