Get your softness back! 5 stretching exercises to eliminate muscle fatigue

Nowadays, stretching is an exercise that everyone knows and can do, regardless of gender, age or status. In addition to being done during warm-up and cool-down exercises, it is also a low-load, gentle exercise for the elderly and is very popular.

Stretching means stretching the muscles.

Muscles that are constantly contracting and relaxing will become stiff when they are tired. At this time, relaxing and slowly stretching the tense muscles can promote blood flow and restore the original flexibility of the muscles. Stretching does more than just relieve fatigue. If the muscles lack flexibility, they will not be able to exert their best strength, which will affect the athletic performance. Ichiro Suzuki of the Major League Mariners always stretches his shoulders after hitting a hit and reaching base. He never forgot to stretch during the game, which shows how cautious he is.

So, what about runners?

I believe that many people "stretch well before a competition, but rarely do it during normal practice." What are the reasons for not stretching? Too troublesome? No time? No venue? Once you understand the effects of stretching, you will know that it is actually an indispensable action for running.

The effect of stretching

The effects of stretching can only be said to be of great benefit to runners. First of all, stretching the muscles can improve the circulation of the capillaries in the muscles. Good blood circulation not only warms up the muscles, but also helps eliminate old waste substances in the muscles and promotes the elimination of fatigue.

Stretching can also improve muscle flexibility and increase the range of motion of your joints. As your flexibility increases and your range of motion widens, your body will feel more relaxed when running and your running posture will become smoother. This also means that every movement in running can be done without trying too hard, reducing the risk of sports injuries. If you stretch slowly while taking deep breaths, it can also relieve tension. Minor muscle soreness can also be relieved by stretching.

Adding stretching movements to warm-up exercises is to prepare for smooth running. Stretching during exercise can help eliminate fatigue early and reduce muscle soreness the next day. For runners who never take stretching seriously, stretching can solve many of your problems. It can be done in a concise manner and does not necessarily take a lot of time. I hope all runners can stretch well and say goodbye to pain and sports injuries.

At least do some quality stretching

If you study stretching exercises, you'll find that there are hundreds of different ways to do it. There is no need to remember everything, runners only need to remember the part about running. That is to stretch the muscles between every joint from the ankles to the shoulders and neck.

If you're short on time, at least do some quality stretching exercises. Here are eleven stretches in total. An average of fifteen to thirty seconds per part of the body should be enough to stretch. Don't hold your breath. If you exhale slowly while stretching, your muscles will gradually become soft. The worst thing about stretching is doing it in a hurry.

1. Ankle and shin stretch. Stand on your toes and slowly increase your weight on your toes.

2. Stretch the outside of the ankle. Stand with the soles of your feet facing inwards.

3. Stretching of the calf and Achilles tendon. Spread your feet forward and backward, and slowly put your weight on your back foot.

4. Stretch the back of the thigh. Cross your legs and bend your upper body forward and downward.

5. Stretch the front of the thigh. Pull one leg back and support it with the hand on the same side.

6. Stretch the outer thigh. Bend one knee with the inside of the knee close to the floor and press the knee with the other foot.

7. Hip stretch. Bend one knee, place the outside of the other ankle on the knee, and lean forward.

8. Waist stretch. Stand up on one knee and place it on the outside of the knee of the other straight leg. Use the hand on the opposite side as a fulcrum to twist your body above the raised knee.

9. Back stretch. Grab your hands and stretch them in front of you, trying to open your shoulders.

10. Shoulder stretch. Reach forward with one hand and use the other hand to push inward toward your body.

11. Neck stretch. Use both hands to press the back of your head and tilt your neck forward.

Use props for stretching

Of course, you can stretch just by using your body, but recently there are gadgets on the market that can enhance the effectiveness of stretching. Using these props, you can do your stretches more carefully and thoroughly. Here are a few props that are very helpful for runners.

1. Balance Ball

A spring ball with a diameter of about fifty to sixty centimeters. When sitting on an unstable ball, the body will naturally try to find balance. This principle can be used to exercise muscles and stretch them. Just sit on the balance ball, move a little and then regain balance, you can achieve the effect of stretching the waist muscles.

2. Yoga Column

This cylindrical prop is about 15 cm in diameter and is made of foamed polyethylene. It has similar effects to a back massage.

3. Stretch board

A plate-shaped prop that can be adjusted according to the angle of the stand. Stand on this to stretch your calf and inner thigh muscles. Compared to the effect of doing it on flat ground, it can enhance the stretching effect.

4. Hanging props

For example, holding the iron railings with your hands and hanging your body below, or fixing the railings with your ankles and hanging upside down like a bat. Regardless of which method you use, you can use the weight of your own body weight to stretch your back muscles and the muscles around your back.

This article is from Yuanliu Publishing's "Starting from Walking, a Complete Guide to Running a Marathon in Less Than 4 Minutes"