• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Katrina Runs for Food and Books

A True Story of Miles, Meals, and Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact me
    • Privacy Policy
  • Book Reviews
  • Book News
  • Recipes
  • Paleo+Keto
    • Whole 30
    • Keto
    • Gluten-Free
  • Run
    • Couch to 5K plan
    • Race reports
  • ErinCondren

Five Best Stretches before Running

November 20, 2013 By Katrina

dynamic streching

We have all seen it. The pictures at any track meet, local 5K, the Olympics. Runners sitting on the ground or standing in various stages of stretching. Over the past few years, more and more studies are coming out proving that this type of “hold for 30
seconds” stretching can be counter-productive. Think of it like the elastic shot in your pantyhose. Stretching cold muscles and tendons makes them loose. So loose, they do not have the ability to store the kind of energy and power we need out of them when the running starts. They can’t spring into action as quickly as before.

If static stretching is not recommended, are we supposed to jump out of the car and start running? Well, kind of.

Dynamic Stretching

Dynamic Stretching is slow controlled movement of large muscle groups before a sustained workout. We shouldn’t stretch muscles that are “cold”, and we certainly shouldn’t jump into hard cardio on cold muscles. We still need to warm-up.

1. Leg swings. Swing one leg out to the side, then swing it back across your body in front of your other leg.

2. Zombie kicks. Stand upright. Lift leg straight out in front of you, toes pulled back. Alternate legs as you walk across the room. Hold arms straight out for balance.

3. Butt-kicks. While standing tall, walk forward with an exaggerated backswing so that your heels come up to your glutes. When this is easy, try it while jogging.

4. Walking lunges. 1. Step forward with your right leg and slowly lower your body until your right knee is bent at least 90 degrees 2. Pause, then raise up and bring your back foot forward so that you move forward (like you’re walking) a step with every rep. Alternate the leg you step forward with each time.

5. Hackey sack. Lift your left leg up, bending the knee so it points out. Try to tap the inside of your left foot with your right hand without bending forward. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Check out this video for further demonstration.

As with most everything, most rules do not apply to all people. Some runners will still continue to stretch the way they always have, with the idea “if it’s not broken, it doesn’t need fixed” and I cannot argue that AT ALL.  But before beginners learn habits that might not be the most beneficial, keep dynamic stretching in mind.

Happy Running!

You Might Also Like:

Shape.com Fitbit Blogger Update
Running Recap Nov 21
Rock ‘n’ Roll Savannah 2016
Monday Musings
Pin
Share
Tweet

Filed Under: Running Tagged With: Running

« Taming the Tuesday
3 Thing Thursday »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mike Rich says

    January 6, 2015 at 8:58 am

    Thanks for this, I’ll give this a try.

Primary Sidebar

Contact Me

katrinaruns@gmail.com

Subscribe for Updates

Search

Archives

Ambassador

Ambassador

Footer

Subscribe

Sign up to receive updates!

Posts

<
April 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • April 2009
  • December 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
▼
>
SunMonTueWedThuFriSat
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728    
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
2829     
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
       
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
232425262728 
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
2425262728  
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
26272829   
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728     
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
282930    
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930 
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28      
       
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  
       
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
2930     
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
       
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031   
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031     
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829 
       
Load More
@katrinaruns

Copyright © 2018 · Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in