What is your pre/post run look like?

SteveHunt113

Before I run, I try to warm up my body and do light stretching to my hams, quads, calves and groin. After my run, I do the same stretches, but deeper and longer.

Is there a better way to warm up before a run and cool down after a run that would help avoid leg injury ... something I'm very prone to?

RGv2

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

_Zardoz_

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

This , There's been a lot of research over the past decade that have shown that static stretches can cause injury.

meerkat70

I warm up with a walk in the summer, in winter, jumping jacks, or walking up and down the stairs in my house, swing my legs, and then have a brisk walk for a couple of minutes, before I start to run. No static stretches.

After my run, I walk out at the end, and then do fifteen minutes yoga for runners. Helps me stretch hamstrings, calves and my dreaded piriformis, and also helps me unknot any upper body tension I've built during my run.

KathleenMurry

I just walk half a KM before I run and roll my shoulders and neck a bit. Before a race, I'll do butt kicks, high knees and jumping jacks.
No stretching until after the run though.

jacksonpt

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

I've read this before as well.

Personally, I don't stretch at all.

cwolfman13

For reasons noted above, I don't do static stretching before hand. I usually do a 5 minute or so brisk walk...maybe throw some high knees and heel kicks in there or something. I also cool down with a 5 minute or so walk and do a bit of static stretching, but honestly probably not as much as I should...

RGv2

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

I've read this before as well.

Personally, I don't stretch at all.

Nor do I. I do perform dynamic stretches or plyometric warm ups prior to competition (game or race).

just_Jennie1

I hop on the treadmill and run.

Then when my run is over I hop off the treadmill and hit the weights.

I don't do any pre or post stretching and have never had any issues.

SteveHunt113

Some good advice here, thanks!

I've never been one to pre-stretch as I've always preached to others that you can cause injury. My thinking has been that if i stretch after I lift weights but before I run, my body is already warmed up and would hopefully not be prone to injury.

I do like the idea of high knees/kicks forward and reverse, along with forward and reverse "walking" squats. Will give that a try for my pre run warm up.

CarsonRuns

I don't do squat. I walk out the door and start running, but I take the Kenyan approach. I start out super slow and easy. My first mile may be a minute or even two slower than my easy run pace. I let everything warm up gradually. It usually takes about 2 to 3 miles before everything starts to feel right.

Post run, I stop running, drink some water and eat like a black hole.

Cheval13

Nice. I find myself doing different things for easy runs than for hard runs. For long runs, I do diddly squat except ice my knees and shins near my ankles afterwards. Oh and eat.
For easy runs, I'll do some strides afterwards to stretch those muscles and then do a quick stretching routine. For hard runs (intervals, tempos, fartleks), I actually do things before the run (after stumbling out of bed). I'll have a 20 minute warm-up and do some drills with 4 100m strides to round that out. After the workout, I do a 15 minute cool down. This is something I learned from cross country and it really helped prevent my normal soreness/injury potential, not to mention it has made me faster.

GBPack93

All I do is wake up, bleed the lizard, shove down a banana and toast and head out the door. Never stretch or warm up.

nytrifisoul

I walk my son to the school bus stop and hit the treadmill and walk 2 mph with 12% incline to warm up before stepping up my 60 min run/workout.

GiddyupTim

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

Actually, I have never heard that static stretching before athletic activity promotes injury. What it does do, and why serious athletes do not do dynamic stretching prior to activity, is that it interferes with performance. Your muscles are something like 10-40 percent weaker for about 20-30 minutes after static stretching.
Some researchers have speculated that the diminished strength associated with static stretching may make someone prone to injury. But it has never been definitively demonstrated.
Whatever the exact percentage is, the diminished strength is appreciable. So now, most serious and informed coaches recommend dynamic stretching prior to an activity -- stuff like easy jumping jacks, crab walks, high knees -- to warm up.
Static stretching can be done afterwards. I like to do it and think it is an important part of my conditioning. But, know this, research has never shown that stretching prevents injury. In fact, many experts who have examined the evidence say that they no longer spend much time stretching. (I suspect they just have not been able to demonstrate it; but I am convinced that someone who is more limber is less prone to injury, and stretching enhances limberness -- over time.)

TMLPatrick

There's some research that shows that stretching before sustained exercises (running, swimming, etc) aren't worthwhile because you're not really putting a lot of strain on the tendons whereas stretching before "bursty" exercises (soccer, basketball, etc) help limber up tendons that will be getting jerked back and forth a lot during the workout and prevents injury.

cwsikes

I walk a few minutes before I run and start off slow on my run, and then I walk after my run. If it was a race, I make sure to keep walking for a good bit after to attempt to prevent my muscles tightening up. During all this, I watch and laugh at all the serious runners doing ridiculous stretches.

mmipanda

If I don't stretch my hamstrings before & after interval running, I'm in agony the next day. And the run feels very taxing on my legs, especially behind my knees.

If I make sure to stretch them out after warming up, and doing some yoga & stretches after my run, I feel fine. My hamstrings are so tight and rubbish >:(

moondawg14

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

Actually, I have never heard that static stretching before athletic activity promotes injury. What it does do, and why serious athletes do not do dynamic stretching prior to activity, is that it interferes with performance. Your muscles are something like 10-40 percent weaker for about 20-30 minutes after static stretching.
Some researchers have speculated that the diminished strength associated with static stretching may make someone prone to injury. But it has never been definitively demonstrated.
Whatever the exact percentage is, the diminished strength is appreciable. So now, most serious and informed coaches recommend dynamic stretching prior to an activity -- stuff like easy jumping jacks, crab walks, high knees -- to warm up.
Static stretching can be done afterwards. I like to do it and think it is an important part of my conditioning. But, know this, research has never shown that stretching prevents injury. In fact, many experts who have examined the evidence say that they no longer spend much time stretching. (I suspect they just have not been able to demonstrate it; but I am convinced that someone who is more limber is less prone to injury, and stretching enhances limberness -- over time.)

Look harder. There are several studies out there. In fact, they even studied people who already stretch before running, and people who don't. They discovered: People who change their pre-workout routine get injured. So, if you already stretch, keep stretching. If you don't stretch, don't start.

If you REALLY want to prevent injury from running, incorporate strength training to strengthen the muscles and tendons that keep your form strong. If your running form is good, and stays good while you run, and you don't overuse your body, your chances of getting hurt from running are SMALL.

Summing up:
1. Don't change your warmup routine.
2. Get good, strong muscles by incorporating strength training.
3. Don't overuse your body. (gradually increase distance over time, rest if you're tired.)

blueboxgeek

For reasons noted above, I don't do static stretching before hand. I usually do a 5 minute or so brisk walk...maybe throw some high knees and heel kicks in there or something. I also cool down with a 5 minute or so walk and do a bit of static stretching, but honestly probably not as much as I should...

This is pretty much me. I always do a 5 min walk at the start to warm up and 5 min walk at the end to cool down. Maybe a few jumps or kicks beforehand, and a only about a minute of deep stretches at the end.

burbacka1132

I run first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (just a sip or two of water because food and too much liquids give me cramps). I walk 2 minutes to the sidewalk/trail, then just start running. Same thing with cooldown...walk the 2 minutes from the trail to my house.

Nyksta

The C25K programe I've been following just tells you to walk to warm up/down (5 mins either side) but since I strained/stretched my side a few weeks back I've been stretching after my runs too (actually after all my exercise or incoperating the stretchign into my strength sessions). I like the idea of yoga for runners though I'm not sure I'd have time for that following my running sessions during the week (5am before work ).

Nyk

stephiehampshire

I have a dodgey hip from being hit by a car so my stretches may sound a bit odd but they help prevent pain when running

Start of my jog: walk to the end of my road, then jog slowly for half a mile, then I do a kind of squat with my right leg stretched out and lean into it so the inner leg and hip area gets a good stretch then I do the other side, then I find a step or a curb and step onto it just on the toes and put my heels down so that it stretches out my calves. Then I start off on my jog

At the end of my job depending on the distance I like to walk about half a mile to cool down and then I repeat my calf and hip stretches

These are the only two area's that ever cause me pain that I have to specifically stretch, for my other leg muscles I find just walking to cool down is enough

RGv2

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

Actually, I have never heard that static stretching before athletic activity promotes injury

Some researchers have speculated that the diminished strength associated with static stretching may make someone prone to injury.

Are you agreeing or disagreeing? I stated that static stretching can lead to injury, you said you've never heard of it, then state where you've heard of it...

Through HS to college to other competitive leagues, every trainer I've had whose job is to prepare athletes for competition ignored stretching prior to competition due to the heightened chance of injury. It was ALWAYS plyometric warm ups.

smarionette

I walk for about a quarter mile on non race days and up to a mile on race days (you know, from where you can actually park! :laugh: ) before a run, and on race days i'll do various yoga poses to keep warm while I wait to start. After a run I'll walk for a little bit, maybe stretch if something feels wonky.

missdibs1

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

Actually, I have never heard that static stretching before athletic activity promotes injury

Some researchers have speculated that the diminished strength associated with static stretching may make someone prone to injury.

Are you agreeing or disagreeing? I stated that static stretching can lead to injury, you said you've never heard of it, then state where you've heard of it...

Through HS to college to other competitive leagues, every trainer I've had whose job is to prepare athletes for competition ignored stretching prior to competition due to the heightened chance of injury. It was ALWAYS plyometric warm ups.

I agree

You are very knowledgeable. I enjoy your insights.

maryjaquiss

Slow jogging to warm up, then a bit of yoga afterwards to stretch out the muscles and cool down (sun salutations followed by a few sitting positions normally).

RGv2

I personally never stretch. Plyometric warm ups.

If you feel you need to, look into dynamic stretching. I'm guessing if you do the same stretches before and after, you're performing static stretches before. That can actually promote injury rather than prevent.

Actually, I have never heard that static stretching before athletic activity promotes injury

Some researchers have speculated that the diminished strength associated with static stretching may make someone prone to injury.

Are you agreeing or disagreeing? I stated that static stretching can lead to injury, you said you've never heard of it, then state where you've heard of it...

Through HS to college to other competitive leagues, every trainer I've had whose job is to prepare athletes for competition ignored stretching prior to competition due to the heightened chance of injury. It was ALWAYS plyometric warm ups.

I agree

You are very knowledgeable. I enjoy your insights.

SteveHunt113

After my run yesterday, I found that my calf did not impede my ability to run in any way, nor did it feel any worse after the run. That is good news in that I didn't do any further harm. My hope is that, by slowly adding distance and time to my run, my legs will strengthen to support what I'm doing. When I start out, I was not doing any static stretching but was doing things like high knees. This helped warm up the body, but I was afraid it wasn't doing anything to prepare me for my run. I've been static stretching for about 2 weeks, so I'll go back to what I started with and see what that does.

I appreciate all the insight from the many posters!