I’ve been sharing my running journey on Instagram over the last few months as I train for another marathon this September. I’ve been receiving a lot of questions about my stretching and foam rolling routine so I thought I would write a blog post about it!
Did you guys know there are 2 types of stretching?
STATIC VS DYNAMIC:
- Dynamic stretching = what to do before you run
- Static stretching = what to do after you run
Static stretching is when you hold a position for a period of time with little to no movement. Static stretching may actually inhibit the muscle’s ability to fire if it’s done prior to exercise, therefore it’s not recommended before a run.
Dynamic stretching is the preferred warm up for runners because it increases blood flow and the range of motion of the lower extremities and prepares your body to run.
Before heading out for a run I always go through several dynamic stretches to get my blood moving and legs ready to hit the pavement. I do wake up earlier to make sure I get my stretching in, but it’s worth it because it helps prevent injury.
My go- to dynamic stretching warm-up:
- Banded air squats- 10 total
- Lateral banded walks
- Banded monster walks
- Forward lunges- 6 each leg
- Lateral lunges- 6 each leg
- Side leg swings- 10 each leg
- Opposite toe touches- 10 each leg
- Good mornings- 10 total
I’ve also been trying to be better about my foam rolling routine. I’ve been having pain in the lateral aspect of my right knee on/off throughout my current training cycle. I’ve been trying to be better about foam rolling BEFORE and AFTER my runs. Foam rolling improves circulation– which helps get your body ready for a workout and also helps it recover afterwards. The important thing to remember with foam rolling is you don’t have to vigorously roll on your muscles with the roller. Instead try to focus on MOVING SLOWLY and STOPPING to hold for 20-30 seconds at most on tender areas. Also, it’s important to roll on the soft tissues and never on the joints.
The areas to focus on when foam rolling before and after a run are:
- Calves
- IT band (Outside of the thigh)
- Pirformis (deep in the buttock, behind the gluteus maximus)
- Hamstrings
- Quadriceps
- Hip flexors
- Adductors (Inside of the thigh)
I’ll link the foam roller I currently use HERE. You can also find it on my SHOP MY FAVORITES page!
Let me know if you guys have any questions about my stretching and foam rolling routine! Happy Running!
