Chapter 9
Stretching

Stretching is a regular part of the training program. Every Hill and Speed session includes a light warm up run followed by a series of stretching exercises leading up to the high intensity portion of the workout. This allows us to make the transition to a higher intensity workout without "shocking" our bodies.
Improving flexibility in key parts of the body can be essential in maintaining a good running form and staying healthy. This lecture is a great opportunity to ask an expert about what stretches will work best for you.

Common Questions:
Q:I hurt myself during a run yesterday, will stretching help?
A: With a recent or acute injury now is probably not a great time to start stretching. Stretching the injury now, may contribute to more tearing in the muscle, ligament or tendon. An obvious sign of this is an increase in pain after stretching. Wait for a reduction in swelling before attempting to stretch it out. As always, with any injury, make sure you see a qualified physician (hopefully one who runs or understands the special needs of runners) as soon as possible.

Warm Up, Stretching, and Cool Down

Along with aerobic fitness and strength, flexibility is also an important component of total body health and wellness. It has been traditionally believed that performing warm up exercises that include stretching can help avoid injury during the subsequent activity. Although this may not be completely true, a well-planned warm up, cool down and stretching regimen are important aspects of every training session.

The Purpose of Warm Up

The main purpose of warm up is to ready the body for the subsequent activity. It assists the heart, lungs, and muscle prepare for the intensity of exercise and ease the body through the transition between rest to exercise. There are many forms of warm up. Calisthenics, stretching, and other forms of stationary exercise are popular. The best form of warm up is doing your planned exercise activity only much more slowly for the first few minutes of the session. For example, you may want to start your run with a brisk walk and a slow jog. Tennis players often warm up playing at the service lines rather than using the full court. Start your activity only on a smaller scale. How do you know if your warm up has been long enough? Are you sweating yet? Perspiration is a sure sign that warm up can end and your exercise session can begin.

The Purpose of Cool Down

The purpose of cool down is the exact opposite of warm up. Incorporating a planned cool down at the end of your exercise session assists the body in the transition from exercise to rest. It allows the heart to adjust to the decreased intensity more slowly and can prevent labored breathing at the end of higher intensity exercise sessions. Blood flow can slow more naturally with a cool down which will prevent the pooling of blood in the exercising muscles and thus any dizziness or nausea that can results from suddenly stopping particularly high intensity exercise. The optimal length of the cool down period is dependent on the intensity and duration of the prior exercise with the long, more intense sessions requiring an extended cool down. A cool down period of 5-10 minutes should suffice for almost every workout. Like warm up, the bulk of the activity done during the cool down should be the same as the exercise session, only slower or on a smaller scale. Finish your run with a slow jog or a walk.

Stretching

Stretching is always best done when the muscles are warm. If your preference is to stretch before you workout, then be sure to do a full warm up first (10 minutes). On the other hand, stretching can become a part of an extended cool down. If improved flexibility is your goal, then stretching while your muscles are cooling from a training session will give the best results. Never sit down and stretch too soon after your workout. Stretching is only recommended after an appropriate cool down.

How To Stretch

Stretching should be done slowly without bouncing. Stretch to where you feel a slight, easy stretch (not pain). Hold this feeling for approximately 20 seconds. As you hold the stretch, the feeling of tension should diminish. If it doesn't, ease off slightly into a more comfortable stretch. This easy first stretch readies the tissue for the developmental stretch.

After holding the easy stretch, move slightly farther into the stretch until you feel mild tension again. This is the developmental stretch, which should be held for 20-30 seconds. This feeling of stretch tension should slightly diminish or stay the same. If the tension increases or becomes painful, you are over-stretching. Again, ease off to a comfortable stretch. The developmental stretch reduces and will safely increase flexibility.

Hold the stretch at a tension that feels comfortable to you. The key to stretching is to keep relaxed while you concentrate on the area to be stretched. Your breathing should be regular. Be sure not to hold your breath. Don't worry how far you can stretch in comparison to others - increased personal flexibility is a guaranteed result of a regular stretching program.

Stretching Exercises

The Stretches

The following are recommended stretches for beginner and novice runners.

/ Calf:
Stand about 3 feet (1 metre) from a wall, railing or tree with your feet flat on the ground, toes slightly turned inwards, heel out, and back straight. The forward leg should be bent and the rear leg should be gradually straightened until there is tension in the calf. Finally, bend the straight leg at the knee to work closer to the Achilles tendon.
/ Hamstring:
Place one foot on a railing, wall or bench with your knee bent and back straight. Slowly straighten the leg. For an additional stretch, keep your back straight and bend forward. An alternate stretch is to sit with one leg straight out and the sole of the other foot opposite your knee. With the back straight, lean forward.
/ Quadriceps:
(also known as "quads")
Place one arm on something handy to balance yourself and use the other hand to pull the foot back when one leg is bent at the knee. The bent knee should touch the other knee. Don1t push it forward or pull it back. While this stretch is being executed, the belly button should be pulled up under the rib cage; this is called a pelvic tilt. The tilt protects the back.
/ Iliotibial Band Stretch:
With one leg towards a railing, bench or wall and the other leg slightly bent, cross the leg to be stretched behind the bent leg. Shift your hip towards the wall to stretch the iliotibial band. You should feel the stretch over the hip area.
/ Buttock Stretch:
Sit up straight with one leg straight and the knee of your other leg bent, with the foot of the bent leg on the outside of the straightened leg. Slowly pull the bent leg towards the opposing shoulder. The buttock of the bent leg will be stretched.
/ Hip Flexor Stretch:
Kneel on one knee and place the other leg forward at a 90 degree stance. Keep the back straight and maintain the pelvic tilt while lunging forward. The rear knee is plated to stretch the hip in front.

Body Weight Strength Exercises

While stretching helps reduce the risk of injury by keeping muscles and fibrous tissue from becoming rigid and inflexible, strengthening helps to prevent injury by keeping weak muscles from being overpowered by stronger ones. The three basic opposing muscle groups for training include:

  • Abdominal vs. lower back
  • Quadriceps vs. hamstrings
  • Anterior shin muscle (front of leg, below knee) vs. calf/achilles

Also important is the Iliotibial band as this band is vital in stabilizing the lower leg during running. It is the most commonly inflamed structure on the outside of the knee, and in runners is a frequent cause of pain and soreness at the outer hip.

The hamstring is vulnerable to strains if it is overpowered by the quadriceps' strength. The hamstring therefore demands both stretching and strengthening in a total conditioning program. While your quadriceps are often strong already, they can also benefit from further strengthening to help prevent many of the overuse problems involving the kneecap.

Strengthening exercises should be done after running, rather than before. For maximum benefit it is recommended that you follow this routine 3-4 times per week.

#1 Abdominals

Curl-ups

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Keep your belly flat and raise your back until your shoulders clear the floor. Add difficulty by raising your arms above your head. This exercise prevents lower back pain.

#2 Quadriceps

Terminal Extensions

Sit down, bend one leg and extend the other. Place a rolled towel under the knee of the extended leg. Lean back on your elbows. Straighten the extended leg and lift 2 inches above the towel. Hold for 3 seconds. Complete 10 repetitions then repeat with the other leg.

#3 Hamstrings

Hip Extensions

Lie on your stomach with legs extended. Raise one leg 6 inches, keeping your knee straight. Hold for 3 seconds. Keep hip muscles relaxed. Complete 10 repetitions then repeat with the other leg.

#4 Tibialis Anterior

Ankle up-and-down

Sit down with your legs extended and together. Place a loop of Theraband around your feet. Bend one knee and pull that foot toward your head. Hold for 3 seconds. Complete 10 repetitions then repeat with the other leg. This exercise helps prevent shin splints.

#5 Post Tibialis

Ankle Eversion

Sit down with your legs extended and together. Place a Theraband loop around your feet and hold. Point your toes down and out.

#6 Peroneals

Ankle Inversion

Repeat Exercise #5 with your legs crossed