Exercise is a science. Like nutrition, guidelines are always changing as our studies discover new and better techniques. This is why I don’t like to publicly proclaim that I follow any strict diet or one fitness trend. I feel it is perfectly fine to change your beliefs. Stretching is one of those topics that has recently seen changes to its typical protocol.
What To Do:
You want to warm up before any moderate or intense activity, but how you warm up should mimic the movements you are about to perform. If you are going for a light jog, slowly warm up at a moderate to easy intensity. Pick up the pace later once you feel ready.
Below are my top 3 favorite stretches to do before or while warming up for a run. They help loosen up my lower body after a light 5 minute jog. It takes me about a mile to run over to my favorite path so I usually do these moves while waiting for a traffic light signal to change.
In this video I am wearing my favorite fall running jacket, Beyond The Run by Adidas, as well as the Adidas Energy Boost 2.0 and Performer Tights.
The top 3 moves include a walking a lunge, forward leg swings and standing glute stretch. To see how to do them and learn more about their benefits watch the video above.
As a side note, I did not get injured once during my marathon training thanks to these moves, a good plan from my coach and minimal foam rolling. Wouldn’t hurt to try, right?
