How long should you stretch after a run?

After running, many people will go home directly to rest. This practice is wrong. Here we remind everyone to keep in mind that you must take some time to stretch after running. Stretching after exercise has many benefits, such as relieving muscle tension. Many people are prone to muscle soreness after exercise, and stretching after exercise can prevent muscle soreness. So how long do you need to stretch after running?

How long should you stretch after a run?

After running, just rest for a few minutes and then stretch for a few minutes.

Stretching method:

1. Calf stretch

The calves are under a lot of stress when running, so the calf muscles need to be stretched and relaxed after running.

How to do it: Spread your arms apart and press them against a wall. The two legs are separated, one in front and the other behind; the front leg is bent, the back leg is not bent, and both feet are facing forward without bending. Press your heel down on the ground; feel the stretch in your calf muscle, and hold for 15-30 seconds. Switch legs.

2. Ligament stretching

The hamstring muscles, which are in the back of the thigh and run from the pelvis to the calf, are prone to injury, so stretching the muscles in the back of the leg is also important.

Exercise: Cross your legs and put your feet together; bend and straighten your knees; try to touch your legs with your feet or body; hold for 15-30 seconds; switch legs.

Hip flexor stretch

Part of the power of the hip flexors is to lift your legs while running, so these muscles need to be well stretched after a run.

Exercise: Spread your legs apart, one in front and one behind; keep your body upright with your feet facing forward. Press your thighs with your hands and move your hips forward until they are in front of your hips and over your thighs. Hold for 15-30 seconds; switch legs.

Quadriceps (front thigh muscles).

How to do it: Stand up straight and step your left foot behind you, grabbing it with your left hand. Try to keep your knees together. Use your left hand to slowly pull your left foot toward your hip until your quadriceps stretches. Hold for 15-30 seconds; switch legs.

Stretching is a fitness method that can make the coordination between ligaments, muscles and joints more gentle and reduce the possibility of injury. Includes active stretching and passive stretching.

The so-called active stretching means relying mainly on the strength of muscle contraction rather than other external forces to keep the movement in a certain position. The benefit is that it can increase the flexibility of the movement and the strength of muscle contraction. The so-called passive stretching refers to using one's own body weight or equipment to keep the limbs in a certain stretched position. It is a slow, relaxing stretch that can also be expected to reduce nerve and muscle excitability, and is a good method to relax after exercise.