Running Stretches for Flexibility

Flexibility - not just reserved for the Pilates and Yoga crowd. It’s for you too. Especially if you’re a runner.  

But why? You’re already doing enough: strength training and mobility. Not to mention pounding the pavement.  

Now we’re not here to add to your load. In fact, a little bit of flexibility in your routine actually might help to lighten it, giving you faster runs that take up less of your energy. Here’s why.  

How does flexibility help my running? 

The first thing to know is: you don’t already need to be flexible to improve your runs. Working on your flexibility takes time and you’ll see improvements the more you do it.  

It works like this: when you run your muscles and joints get tighter. It’s great for creating power but over time, those same joints and muscles become stiff. That’s because of the repetition of the same muscles contracting to drive you forward and the stress on your joints.  

When you stretch for flexibility alongside your training, you’ll release the tension you feel, particularly in your lower body. That will help you to run more efficiently, giving you more push off power. After all, in running, your performance depends on absorbing energy from the ground and being able to drive energy through it too.  

Not only will stretching out your joints and muscles feel good but you’ll also prevent injury through stiff muscles going through repetitive motion.  

What muscles and joints need to be flexible? 

Typically, it’s going to be those lower body muscles and joints that need to be flexible for a better run. That’s your hamstrings, calves, ankles, hip flexors and your lower back. Having flexibility in these areas gives you a better range of motion which will help with your stride and running economy.  

For example, the more flexibility you have in your ankle, the easier you’ll find it to push off the ground and the more power you’ll generate when you do.  

How is flexibility different from mobility? 

Mobility and flexibility go hand in hand. While being flexible is good for running, tipping the scales too far can mean your muscles are too loose, giving you less stability and increasing your risk of injury. Which is why mobility and strength training are also important parts of your routine.  

Flexibility relies on stretching with the pull of gravity or a band lengthening out your muscles and relieving tension in your joints. It’s about how far your muscles can stretch.  

On the other hand, mobility is about the range of motion that you have in your joints. When you’re doing mobility exercises, it’s about controlled movement which requires your strength.  

Things that will work your flexibility are exercises like yoga and static stretching. Things that will tap into your mobility are dynamic stretches.