Stretch It Out: Must-Do Post-Workout Stretches for Runners

Have you ever gone to workout but your legs are sore and tired? Do you stretch after every workout? If your answer to those questions is yes and no then this is for you. Stretching is often the last thing runners think about doing but it is important to stretch in order to help your muscles recover and be ready to go for the next workout. If you don’t stretch you are increasing your chances for injury and general soreness. Stretching allows your muscle to more quickly return to its normal state after a workout. What I mean by that is when you workout, your muscles contract and expand during the workout. Oftentimes when you finish a workout, your muscles haven’t fully returned to that relaxed and expanded state. This means that when you go to do your next workout you will feel sore or tight and the quality of the workout will be greatly reduced. On top of that, if your muscles are tight there is a much higher chance of tearing or pulling a muscle so stretching will also mitigate that injury risk. There are a lot of really basic and easy stretches but it is important that you stretch every muscle group. I usually try to do 5-7 minutes of stretching after every workout and potentially more if I am feeling really sore. The main groups I focus on are my quads, hamstrings, hips, and calves. I usually try to do 2-3 stretches per group and hold each one for 30-45 seconds. The other important thing is to make sure that you are giving equal attention to both legs even if one feels more sore. If you stretch one leg more than the other, you will create imbalance in your legs and could cause issues through that imbalance. Those are just a few tips for you guys to be able to feel prepared for your next workout!