I need good leg stretches.....

Scarletblue

and all over stretches, but what are some of the best stretches that runners use to loosen up and not end up with painful injuries?
Ty in advance.

LyonInLondon

For runners, you will need to focus on your calfs and ITB (inter-tertiary band ... it goes from your butt round the outside of your leg to your knee and causes most runner's knee problems!) This is a list of what I do - I'm not a physio or anything, I just love stretching!

Only stretch when you are already warm or to cool down.

Google images for these stretches (hold each for 20seconds, do NOT bounce) ...

1) Quad stretch - standing, lift your leg up behind you and hold your ankle to your butt. Keep your knees together. To increase the stretch, push your hip forward. Hold and then switch leg.

2) Hamstring - lay down on your back. Lift a leg, straight towards your chest, foot flexed. Hold behind thigh or calf or foot, slowly bring towards you until you feel the stretch. Keep other leg straight. Then switch legs.

2a - Sit up, legs in front. Keeping back straight, stretch towards your flexed feet. Move from your hips. Keep breathing.

2b - Bring one foot into your groin area; other out straight. Reach towards your straight leg's foot. Hold, then switch.

3) Inner Thigh (butterfly stretch) - Sitting, bend your legs and bring the soles of your feet together. Keeping your toes together with your hands, slowly use your elbows to push down on your inner thighs; try to get your outer thighs and knees to touch the ground.

4) Seated ITB - Sit, one leg out straight, bend and cross the other leg's foot over the straight leg. Placing the foot on the outer side of the straight leg's knee. Sitting straight, pull the bent leg up and into your chest. Hold, switch legs

4b - Lay back down. Facing up. Bend knees 90 degrees. Cross one ankle onto the other knee. Put your hands on the 90 bent leg's thigh, pull this leg into your chest (back still on ground). Feel the stretch on leg you're not holding.

5) Back, cat stretch - Go on all fours, arch your back like a cat, tucking your chin into your chest. Exhale and reverse but keep your neck long and elbows straight. Repeat a few times.

6) Calf stretch - I either find a step to put my toes and balls of my feet on, then lower my heels down the edge OR I find a tree or wall and standing close, angle my toes up to the sky against the wall/tree and bring my body closer to the wall/tree - feeling the stretch all the way up my calf

7) Trunk twist - lay down again, bend knees up. Bring knees together down to one side of your body. Arms straight out to the side of your body, look the other direction to your knees. Hold then switch sides of your knees and head.

These are the main ones for a runner. Also can do shoulder, neck, arm stretches, but these are the important ones for when running. Hope it helps and sorry if this is super long and wordy! Explaining positions isn't easy!