5 Cool Down Stretches to Help You Recover
The best way to get ready for your next run is to stretch after the run you just finished.
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After a run, your heart rate is elevated and you may be breathing faster. Your muscles and the rest of your body are on alert, too. It is in your best interest to take a few minutes to bring your body back to a balanced state because taking this time will help loosen up muscles that might be tight from clocking all those miles day after day. If you stretch and cool down postrun while your key running muscles are still warm,your body and mind will be better prepared for your next run.
The two of us—both longtime runners who work at the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) in Greenville, South Carolina, frequently hear from runners who want to get faster and enjoy the sport for life, as well as, unfortunately, from those who’ve given up on running entirely. Mostly, they stopped because injuries have made it too frustrating or too painful to continue.
To that end, we spend a lot of time discussing what we can do now to increase the likelihood that we’ll log miles well into old age. We want to be able to keep doing what we love to do—and that’s probably a goal of yours, too.
Based on our experiences as athletes, coaches, and exercise scientists, we developed the 7-Hour Workout Week, which is detailed in our book Train Smart, Run Forever. The plan includes activities to enhance cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and of course, stretching.
Cool down stretches are critical for staying healthy as you become fitter and faster. Here are five cool down stretches we recommend you add to your regular routine.
How to do this workout: Perform the stretches immediately following a run or workout. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds on each side. Repeat as many rounds as needed. An exercise mat is optional, but will make each move more comfortable. Jess Movold, run coach and certified trainer, demonstrates each move.
1. Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch
- Kneel on left knee, with right foot in front of body so knee and ankle form 90-degree angles.
- Lean forward from the hips, engaging core and left glutes.
- Keep chest lifted and hips forward.
2. Hamstring Stretch
- Lie faceup and loop a strap or resistance band around right foot.
- Extend left leg straight out on the floor.
- Gently lift right leg up toward the ceiling, then pull it back toward chest until there is a light stretch along the back of the leg.
3. Figure-4 Stretch
- Lie faceup with knees bent and feet flat on the mat.
- Cross right ankle over left knee.
- Thread hands behind left thigh and gently pull left thigh toward torso. Use right hand to press right knee down for a deeper stretch.
- Keep both feet flexed.
4. Lower-Back Stretch
- Lie faceup. Bring bent knees into chest and grab opposite wrists, around knees.
- Gently pull toward chest.
5. Child’s Pose
- Start on all fours.
- Send hips back until glutes rest on heels. Lower chest to the floor and stretch arms out in front.
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