dont stretch after running no wonder your waist and legs are thick

It's winter, and continuing to run has become a very difficult task. Therefore, your persistence in running is truly commendable. Rest assured, if you run diligently, you will definitely see results. Your physical fitness and mental state will be much better than those who stay lazy at home.

However, I want to ask, do you stretch properly after each run? If you don't stretch or don't know how to stretch after running, then running is useless. You will definitely gain weight again over the winter!

Post-run stretching and cool-down exercises are often neglected or overlooked by many runners. During running, muscles repeatedly contract, causing muscle fibers to expand and become short and thick. Without proper stretching and relaxation after running, muscles will gradually lose their elasticity and flexibility, limiting the range of motion. Tight muscles make it difficult for runners to rely on the natural elasticity of tendons to help move forward, requiring more effort to run, leading to fatigue and decreased performance.

So today we are sharing a series of post-run stretching exercises, covering various parts from the lower limbs to the upper body, with illustrations for better understanding. Learn them seriously!

1. Groin and Core Muscles

Sit with the soles of your feet together, lightly hold your feet with your hands, and lean your body forward to stretch the groin and core muscles. Your knees should be relaxed and not exert force. The more you lean forward, the greater the intensity of the stretch. Stretch until you feel a slight tension and hold the position for about 30 seconds.

2. Lower Back and Neck

Sit cross-legged, bend your upper body forward, and touch the floor in front of you with your hands. Imagine your hands and head extending forward, allowing your entire back to relax and stretch. Some people may have very tight lower backs and cannot bend forward much. Just stretch until you feel a stretch, do not force yourself to bend too much.

This exercise is very effective for relaxing the neck and back. It is not only good for post-run relaxation but also suitable for office workers who sit for long periods.

3. Hips, Hamstrings, and Soles

Sit with your legs spread out to the sides until you feel a slight tension in your groin. Take a deep breath and try to hold your soles with your hands, slightly pulling them up. This can simultaneously stretch the hamstrings and plantar fascia. Alternate stretching each leg, and you will find that the range of stretch gradually increases. If you cannot fully straighten your legs or touch your soles, extend your hands towards your feet until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings and back. Do not force the stretch to avoid hamstring injury.

A variation of this exercise is to bend one leg backward and straighten the other leg. Lean your upper body forward and try to hold your sole with your hands. This can simultaneously stretch the plantar fascia, hamstrings, hip joints, quadriceps, lower back, and neck, making it a comprehensive stretching exercise.

4. Abdomen, Tibialis Anterior, and Quadriceps

Continuing from the previous exercise, slowly lie back. You can use your hands to support yourself initially, allowing the quadriceps of the back leg to get a preliminary stretch before trying to lie down completely. If your hips are too tight, you may not be able to lie down. In that case, just maintain the supported lying position.

The quadriceps are the muscles on the front of the thigh, needed for climbing, fast running, and sprinting. They also protect the knees by dispersing the impact absorbed by the legs during running. To further stretch the front of the thigh, you can adopt a kneeling position and lean back. The greater the backward lean, the more intense the stretch.

5. Enhanced Hamstring Stretch

The hamstrings play a role in lifting the legs, recovering steps, and maintaining running efficiency and economy. Overly tight hamstrings can affect the smoothness of steps and are more prone to injury during high-intensity training. To stretch the hamstrings, start by lying down, bend your right leg, and hold your sole with both hands to initially stretch the hips and buttocks.

The second step is to lift your right leg, holding your calf. Those with good flexibility can hold the sole. Keep the hips stable and gently stretch the right leg backward. The leg can remain bent; it does not need to be straight. Maintain a feeling of tension in the back of the thigh, calf, and buttocks for 20 seconds, then switch sides.

6. Spine, Neck, and Gluteus Maximus Stretch

Sit with your legs bent, cross your right leg over the outside of your left knee, hold your left knee with your left hand, and stabilize your right leg. Twist your body to the right and backward until you feel a stretch and comfort in your lower back. This exercise also stretches the gluteus maximus of the right leg and the muscles on the side of the neck. Hold the position for 20 seconds and switch sides.

During running, with the swinging of the arms, hips, and legs, our spine actually undergoes slight twisting. If the muscles on the left and right sides are unbalanced, it can cause the body to twist more to one side or one side of the back to feel tighter and more painful. Stretching the muscles of the back and spine helps alleviate tightness and imbalance, contributing to the stability of running movements.

There is also an enhanced version of this exercise. Lie on your back, extend your right leg and cross it over your left leg. Keep your legs relaxed and twist your body to the right. Place your hands on the ground to assist with the stretch. If your waist and hips are very tight, you may not be able to touch the ground with both hands and feet simultaneously. You can ask a friend to help stabilize your hips and assist in twisting your upper body to the right until you feel a stretch in your lower back. Hold the position for 20 seconds and switch sides.

7. Enhanced Lower Back and Abdominal Stretch

Lower back pain is one of the common modern ailments, especially for office workers who sit for long periods. An overly tight lower back can also affect the movement of the lower body, limiting stride length and causing hunching and instability in the torso during long runs.

To stretch the lower back and waist, there is a simple yet effective exercise. Take a prone position, support your upper body with your hands, and look forward or towards the ceiling. This effectively stretches the lower back, abdomen, and waist.

8. Simple Calf Relaxation Massage

If runners lack core and thigh strength, they are likely to overuse their calves while running, causing tightness in the calves after running, which can affect foot movements. In addition to post-run stretching, massage is also a very effective relaxation method. The key to massage is to control the pressure, avoiding excessive pain. There should be a sense of pressure and slight fatigue. Additionally, keep the area to be massaged completely relaxed. It is best to have someone else assist with the massage for complete relaxation.

Achilles Tendon Massage Position

Calf massage mainly includes the Achilles tendon, tibialis posterior, soleus, gastrocnemius on the back (from bottom to top), and the tibialis anterior on the front. Massage along the muscle fibers, and use your fingers to press the junctions between muscles and bones.

Soleus Massage Position

In addition to controlling the pressure, the muscles may feel slightly swollen and sore the next day after a massage. This is a normal post-massage condition. However, remember not to run excessively or at high intensity after a massage to avoid injuring the slightly damaged muscles.

Gastrocnemius (left) and Weizhong Acupoint Massage Position

There is an acupoint called Weizhong in the center of the back of the knee. Proper pressing can relieve calf fatigue and promote blood circulation in the legs. However, be careful not to apply too much pressure to avoid damaging nerves and blood vessels. It is best to take a prone position and have an experienced friend assist with the massage.

Tibialis Anterior

If your feet are not relaxed enough while running, you may habitually lift your toes when lifting your legs, causing fatigue and tightness in the front of the calves. The massage method is to gently massage from the sides of the shinbone towards the heart, along the gap between the muscles and bones, to effectively relieve fatigue in the front of the calves.

Learning and mastering these exercises helps relax the main muscle groups used in running. Consistently and patiently stretching thoroughly after each run will improve your recovery the next day. The soreness or stiffness that used to occur without stretching will also be reduced, and your running performance will improve as well!