In the world of running, there is perhaps no issue more polarizing than that of stretching. Some people firmly believe you should stretch both before and after a run, others think it’s only needed before a run (the people in these two groups are very silly), some say after a run (smart group), and then there are the lunatics who never stretch at all.
Photography & Video: Ben Murphy
Model: Will
As we’ve said before, the best time to stretch is after your run. There are pre-run warm-up stretches like leg swings, etc, but the real stretching should be done after your run, and that’s what we’re going to talk about today.
These are the stretches I, Pancho Copperfield, do after every couple of runs. I should probably be doing them after every run, but I’m goofy like that.
When I started running, I experimented with a variety of stretches but eventually settled on the four listed below. There are, of course, many other great stretches, but these are the ones I really enjoy, and they’re really simple, which I like because who wants to struggle through a bunch of complicated, awkward-ass yoga moves after going for a run? Not me. I just want a big glass of water, a hot shower, and a long cry. Just kidding about the cry.
I know these are some of the most common and obvious stretches in the world, but they’re well-known because they work and feel good. I figure if a stretch doesn’t feel good, it probably isn’t good? Like, you know when a cat or a dog wakes up and does a big stretch with its paws out in front and its back arched? Well, that must feel fantastic otherwise they wouldn’t do it. Imagine a dog suffering through some complicated pretzel stretch. It wouldn’t happen. They wouldn’t do it. So, be more like dog. Dog good.
Disclaimer : blah, blah, blah—it’s not our fault.
Imagine a dog suffering through some complicated pretzel stretch. It wouldn’t happen. They wouldn’t do it. So, be more like dog. Dog good.
Curb Calf Stretch
This is the first stretch I do, and, man, does it feel good. And, of course, you’d know this stretch. I mean, who doesn’t know this one? You’ll need some sort of a step or curb or an incline board, but you may as well use the curb outside your house since you paid for it with your tax dollars. You’ll also need something to brace against, like a wall or a signpost. With both feet, stand on the step, and then slip one foot back so that the heel is off the step, then slowly lower the heel and feel the stretch through the calf. Hold for thirty seconds and swap legs. It's pretty easy but pretty stretchy, too. Important: Don’t drop into the stretch too quickly, or you run the risk of injuring your ankle and/or foot. And if you have Achilles issues, this one is probably not gonna be great for you. Check with your doctor, and if you can’t check with your doctor, ask a smart friend who says things like ‘Significant’ and ‘Remarkable’ and ‘Case in point.’
Standing Quad Stretch
It doesn’t get much more duuuuh than the standing quad stretch. You’re probably already doing them. Maybe you’re doing one right now. Or maybe you’re looking at this on your phone on the toilet, which is gross to the max. Don’t do that. Now, with this quad stretch, are you making the mistake of holding your foot instead of your leg where it meets the ankle (as demonstrated by Will below)? Because that’s the best way to mess your ankle up. So, stand tall, brace yourself against a wall, grab your lower leg at the ankle (a little bit of foot is okay, but you want to hold mostly ankle/leg), and feel the stretch through the front of the upper leg (the quadricep). Hold for 30 seconds and change legs. With all these stretches, I like to do each one twice: left leg, right leg, left leg, right. It takes two minutes to do one stretch properly and 16 minutes to get through the whole four. That’s a small commitment, even for commitment-phobes who prefer long-distance relationships that never really have a chance of becoming something real. What are you afraid of, man? Let go.
Hippy-Hinge
We already told you about the Hippy-Hinge in a previous installment, but we’ve included it again because it feels so good.
As we said before, this one is great after every couple of runs to keep your back, shoulders, and neck nice and loose. With your legs hip-width apart, push your chest out, stand tall, and raise your arms over your head in a grand sweeping motion, then grasp your elbows, inhale, and slowly hinge forward at the hips as you exhale. With your knees locked, come to a tabletop position so you look like an upside-down uppercase ‘L’. Hold for three breaths before exhaling and letting yourself hang at the hips with your knees still locked and the weight of your skull pulling you toward the floor. Important: keep the weight in your heels, not the front of your foot. After five breaths in this position, release your elbows and let your arms and head hang. Don’t look at your feet; just hang there like you’re dead from the waist up. If you want, you can bend your knees a little to get a deeper stretch through the back. This is a great way to release all the tension that runs up your legs and into your back and neck. You might hear a couple of pops on the first one. That’s your chi energy moving again. Actually, I don’t know what that sound is. I don’t mind it, though.
Shoulder Stretch
Lastly, I like to do a handful of little shoulder stretches because I occasionally get sore shoulders because my form just isn’t great. I think I hunch my shoulders a bit. In fact, I know I do. A friend saw me running by one day and videoed me. I was appalled when I saw my raised shoulders and rounded back. I looked like I was running an errand for Dracula. But at least now I know to drop my shoulders and push my chest forward, even though I forget most of the time, which results in sore shoulders. Anyway, this is your classic shoulder stretch.
Extend your arms like you’re an uppercase ‘T’, palms facing out, then bring one arm across your chest and the other up and over the stretching arm’s elbow and hold it in place. You should feel this in the shoulder of the stretching arm. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, then swap arms. I also like to interlock my fingers behind my back to stretch out my chest, and sometimes I throw a hand over my shoulder to touch my spine while my free hand pulls back on the elbow. I like that. I also like it when birds leave their footprints in concrete.
So, there's some super low-maintenance post-run stretches you can do. Or not. You can always just never stretch and see what happens. Why not chew on some asbestos while you’re at it? Good luck to you.
