5 Cool Down Stretches to Help You Recover
These exercises will help you relax and pinpoint any areas that need extra attention.
You just finished a run and it’s time to bring your body back to a balanced state. As your heart rate comes back down, and you catch your breath, you should dedicate some time to a few cool-down stretches. Doing so will help loosen up spots that might get tight from clocking all those kilometres, and it’s smart to stretch post-run while your key running muscles are still warm.
At the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training (FIRST) in Greenville, South Carolina, we hear from runners who want to get faster, from those who simply want to enjoy the sport for life, and from those who’ve given up on running entirely. They’ve stopped because injuries have made it too frustrating or too painful to continue.
The two of us — both longtime runners — spend a lot of time discussing what we can do now to increase the likelihood that we’ll log kilometres 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.
While many runners have confessed that they skip the resistance training, stretching, and cross-training, 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 use this list: Perform the stretches below immediately following a run or workout. Each move is demonstrated by Runner’s World run coach and certified trainer, Jess Movold, so you can learn the proper form. 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.
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. Hold for 30 seconds. Then switch sides.
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 you feel a light stretch along the back of the leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Then switch sides.
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. You can use right hand to press right knee down for a deeper stretch. Keep both feet flexed. Hold for 30 seconds. Then switch sides.
4. Lower-Back Stretch
Lie faceup. Bring bent knees into chest and grab opposite wrists, around knees. Gently pull toward chest. Hold for 30 seconds.
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 of you. Hold for 30 seconds.
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