Importance of Stretching Before Running

Stretching before physical activity has always been the golden rule for professional athletes and trainers. Contrary to popular thought, warm-up and stretching are not synonymous. Analogically, stretching is akin to pulling elastic. Too much, too intensely can be more harmful than helpful. Where as,a warm-up is like priming an aquarium filter or lawnmower motor before start-up.

Physiologically, a warm-up scenario before running motivates muscles for optimal performance and may fewer injuries. That makes sense in the analogies. The filter may burn up if not pre-primed with water or a lawnmower motor may flood if not primed with fuel first. Likewise, cold muscles for runners jeopardize health and endurance.

Repetitive muscle movements in runners seem to tax certain muscle groups, conversely causing imbalances. Warm-ups versus stretching only, per Donna Rachlin of Team Continuum are different. Stretching alone accomplishes flexibility only. A proper warm-up literally raises body temperature within five to eight minutes or so.

The right regime includes smooth flex-stretches, lite-warm up routines, and then safe targeted stretching. The flex-stretches lead into lite, rhythmic exercise consisting of arm circles, walking, torso rotations, and knee lifts to mention the classics

Safe stretching, either as part of a warm up or to increase the range of flexibility should focus on the athletes “normal range of motion” per the experts. In that way spared from injurious hyper-extension are joints, tendons and ligaments.

Slow is advisable for executing a stretch, then ease into the range of motion holding for a brief fifteen to twenty seconds. Runners tend to need systematic stretching of hamstrings, major leg and feet tendons. A ‘runners lunge stretch’ incorporates the hips, Tensor fasciae latae, and the front and back leg. Time to correctly warm-up with stretches is important!