Why Stretch

Flexibility is a key factor in injury prevention. Think of maintaining flexibility as a ticket to running longevity. When we are flexible, our body is better equipped to handle the stresses of our daily activity and running. When we lose flexibility, we are less able to adapt to stresses and strains we place on our body. An example of this would be a new rubber band versus an old, stretched out rubber band. The new band can adapt to a variety of shapes and sizes, and goes back into place, where as an older band will break!

When to Stretch

It is best to stretch when your muscles are warm. Ideally, you should warm up for 5-7 minutes, and then do some brief stretches the major muscle groups before starting your workout.

After your work out stretch all muscle groups in you torso and legs. In addition, you want to pay extra attention to stretching after a particularly hard workout, one in which you have increased either intensity or distance.

Why?

When you increase the intensity of your workouts, you create micro-damage in the muscle, and stretching will help that damage heal and maintain your muscle length. 

How to Stretch

1. Always figure out which muscles you are supposed to be stretching, and make sure you feel the stretch in that muscle. Example: If you are stretching your hamstings (back of the legs) you should not feel the stretch in your low back.
2. Slowly get into stretching position, move until you meet resistance, and then hold that position. DO NOT BOUNCE! (Bouncing actually triggers the muscle to contract and can limit the amount of stretch you are getting)
3. You should hold the position 15 - 30 seconds. During the period stretching, you can explore your range of motion, and you may be able to deepen the stretch during the 30 second session.
4. Stretching each muscle group one time is sufficient, but if you have time, you will get great benefits from doing 2-3 repetitions.

Why are some people flexible and others not?

1. Part of flexibility is genetic – it depends on the make-up of your muscle fibers.
2.  Much of flexibility is through repetitive use: When you are running you use the same muscles throughout the same range over and over again, and this creates tightness. When you stretch, you are helping your muscles remember how long they actually can be.
3. Much of tightness that we experience is not so much from exercise but more from positions that we put ourselves in throughout the day. For example, sitting in a chair puts our hip flexors and hamstings be in a shortened position, contributing much to much of the tightness that people experience in these muscle groups.
4. Remember to stretch throughout your day, not only when you are exercising, this will help your body feel better, and help your body adapt to running on a regular basis.