Stretching is an important part of exercise that warms muscles before exercise, lubricates joints, helps stretch muscles back to their original size, helps blood flow to muscles to facilitate recovery, and prevents potential sports injuries.
However, many runners tend to forget or ignore the importance of stretching after running.
If you're looking to improve your overall flexibility but don't know where to start, take a look at this article to introduce you to the 10 most important post-workout stretches.
Stretch of hamstrings on the back of the thigh
If the hamstrings in the back of the thighs are not stretched properly after any leg or aerobic exercise, the back of the thighs will feel very tight when walking or standing afterwards, and it is easy to strain the hamstrings when continuing other exercises.
Stand up and take a big step forward with your left leg resting on your heels on the ground and your toes up. Bend your right knee so that your thighs are parallel.
Transfer the weight of your body to your right leg and place your hands on top of your left knee. Lower your torso center of gravity until you feel the hamstrings on the back of your left leg stretch. The pelvic protection is tilted upwards so that the back of the body can be bent upwards while keeping your back straight.
Then repeat on one leg and again.
Quadriceps stretch in the front of the thigh
After squats, leg exercises, and cycling, it is especially necessary to stretch the muscles on the front of the thighs (the most important muscles in the legs).
Stand with your feet parallel to hip-width apart, then lift your right heel and hold your ankle with your right hand so that it is facing your hip. Will remain in a neutral position, then gently press your feet towards your hips with your hands, keeping your legs and knees together.
To allow yourself to feel the stretch of your thigh muscles, move your pelvis forward and squeeze your hips while keeping your knees together.
Then repeat on one leg and again.
Hip flexor extension
First, place your left knee on the ground and kneel your right foot at a 90-degree angle, then place your hands on your right thigh or on either side of your waist, tilt your hips forward, stretch in the front hip area, hold for 5 seconds, and then stretch on the other side.
Thigh extension
Stand in front of the wall with your left leg lunging forward, keeping your right leg upright behind you and your heel on the ground, noting that it is important to keep your heel pedaling during this movement.
The toes are pointing forward or the toes are slightly inward. Use the wall as a support so that your pelvis is in a straight line with your back (don't pout).
To increase stretch, use steps or curbs (road teeth) to bend your left knee and hip, keep most of your weight on your left leg, and gently press your right heel down while pulling your toes up.
Then repeat on one leg and again.
Gluteal skin extension
Sit on the floor and place your left leg above your right knee. Straighten your left arm through the gap between your left and right legs and grab the back of your right leg with your right hand.
Bend your right knee so that your right knee is closer to your chest with your left leg and lie on your back on the floor as you feel like you're doing some form of karate grip with your legs close to your chest. At this point, you will feel a stretch in your buttocks and outer thighs.
Lower back extension
In yoga, this movement is called "cat-cow pose" because when the back of the first movement is bent like a cow, the second movement is bent backwards like a cat.
Inhale, raise your head, chest up, hips up, abdomen tighten and sink. Inhale, raise your head, chest up, hips up, abdomen tighten and sink.
Cat Pose: Exhale, arch your back with your chest, look for your collarbone with your chin, look at your navel, and your back as upward as possible, in an arc.
Thoracic extension
Stand facing the corner of the wall, raise your arms up, your big arms at shoulder level, and your lower arms against the wall on either side, open your chest, and spread your legs back and forth, with your weight on your front legs.
Support your arms so that your chest sticks out towards the corner, feel the shoulder blades in your back squeeze closer, and stretch your pectoral muscles in front of your body.
Upper back stretch
In yoga, this movement is called "cross-legged forward bend pose".
Sit cross-legged on a yoga mat with your hands straight above your head. Inhale and lean your upper body forward while maintaining the movement of the spine lengthening. Lie your upper body completely on the mat with your head resting on the ground, and if you can't touch it, you can use the yoga block to place it in front. Hold for 3-5 breaths and then slowly get up.
Triceps extension of the upper arm
Raise your right arm above your head with your palms facing your back and let your forearms hang back. Raise your left hand and gently push your right elbow back until you feel a pull on the back of your right arm.
Then repeat with one arm on the other.
Shoulder extension
Place your right arm at shoulder height and straighten it, then use your left hand (holding above your right elbow) to gently press your arm towards your chest. You can use the upper back muscles to push the shoulders forward and down to get the shoulder muscles more involved and stretched to the upper back.
If you want to increase the stretch, grasp a firm brace or bar with your right hand, and in a similar way, even over your body, with your right arm holding the bar or brace, twist your upper body to the right.
Source: Shaanxi Mountaineering Association