The 5 Best Cooldown Stretches for Runners

Cooldown stretches for runners.

Runners demand a lot out of their bodies. The athletic performance needed for a sprint or a marathon far exceeds the normal physical capabilities of an average person.

This huge stress is mostly directed at the muscles.

After a run, the muscles are pretty much swimming in lactic acid, which is a natural product of metabolism and energy release. This is the substance responsible for cramps and soreness.

Additionally, an exhausted muscle tends to contract and become rigid.

These aren’t the most favorable conditions for a runner, who normally seeks lean flexible muscles. The best way to maintain that agility is through cooldown stretches.

These stretches would benefit you if:

  • You want your muscles to stay healthy
  • You’re a serious athlete who wants to avoid injury.
  • You aim to enhance your overall performance

If you belong to any of these groups, then you should definitely check out the following cooldown stretches for runners

Table of Contents

The Best Cooldown Stretches for Runners

The Main Benefits of Cooldown Stretches After Running

Return the Body to a Rest & Digest State

Release Muscle Tightness

Improve Flexibility and Overall Performance

Protect the Joints From Injury

How Long Do Cooldown Stretches Take?

What Not To Do in a Post-Workout Cooldown?

Which Muscles Should You Target in a Cooldown Stretch?

The 5 Best Cooldown Stretches for Runners

Arms and Abs Stretches

Side and IT Band Stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch

Lower back Stretch

Hamstring Stretch

Final Words

The Main Benefits of Cooldown Stretches For Runners

Cooldown stretches can help runners in various ways. Here are some of the benefits you’d get if you do these post-workout stretches regularly.

Return the Body to a Rest & Digest State

Running often triggers a flight or fight response, also known as moving into a sympathetic state. This entitles using up all the body’s resources for the demanding task at hand.

Returning back to the resting state when the workout is done relieves the body from this red alert situation.

Cooldown stretches are quite helpful in restoring the parasympathetic state, wherein the body can build and repair itself. 

Release Muscle Tightness

After a run, the muscles quickly become sore and the whole body feels stiff.

To avoid that, a series of stretches can release the muscle tension and the uncomfortable sense of tightness that comes with it.

Improve Flexibility and Overall Performance

Stressed out muscles tend to stay in a contracted form with shrunk muscle fibers. This translates to a feeling of stiffness, decreased flexibility, and weaker muscles.

Stretching pulls the muscle fibers longitudinally and keeps them agile. This flexibility contributes significantly to the athlete’s overall fitness.

Protect the Joints From Injury

Stretching keeps the small muscle groups surrounding the joints strong and responsive. This way, they offer the highest level of protection for the joints and tendons.

Which in turn, reduces various types of injuries.

cooldown stretches for runners:Sporty woman doing twine and stretching exercise, isolated on gray background. Beautiful girl doing yoga or pilates exercise

How Long Do Cooldown Stretches For Runners Take?

The cooldown exercises could be beneficial even if you spend as little as five minutes on them.

This short duration is sufficient to return your breathing and heart rate to their normal levels.

Additionally, the few stretches you would perform during this time would relax the muscles and keep them agile.

However, it’s best to spend a bit more time on this important post-training or post-run phase. In general, 15 to 30 minutes are considered fair cooldown durations.

It’s worth mentioning here that the cooldown period should be proportional to the exercise period.

The intensity of the exercise should also be taken into consideration. Strenuous activities affect the muscles far more than low-intensity sports.

Thus, a longer cooldown period would be required for the former, with a more nuanced mix of stretches.

What Not To Do in a Post-Workout Cooldown?

To get the most out of your stretching routine, here are a few things you’d better avoid:

  1. Don’t wait too long after the workout to start your stretches. Muscles respond far better to stretches while they’re still warm.
  2. Stretching shouldn’t hurt. You wouldn’t get better by squeezing your body into a knot or pushing it too far beyond its limits.
  3. Don’t aim for a gazillion repetitions from day one. Go easy and increase the repetitions gradually. 
  4. Don’t jump, bounce, or fidget during the stretching exercises, as this could harm your muscles and joints. 
  5. Don’t disregard your breathing while stretching. Time your inhalation and exhalation with various stages of the exercise. It’s also recommended to breathe deeply and slowly.

Which Muscles Should You Target in a Cooldown Stretch?

Runners are often focused on their leg muscles. After all, they seem to be what carries them all these distances.

However, running is a complex activity that requires the coordinated movement of every muscle in the body.

Thus, as you plan your cooldown stretching routine, try to include exercises for your whole body.

You can divide the stretches into groups starting from the neck and going down to the toes.

You should also stretch your muscles in different ways. Think in terms of a 360-degree perspective.

The muscles should be tackled from several directions to activate the smallest groups as well as the largest muscles.

men doing stretching

The 5 Best Cooldown Stretches for Runners

There are several stretching exercises to choose from, including a yoga routine, which is especially beneficial.

It’s best to do each one for 30 seconds only. Less than that might not give you the full benefit, and more could cause unnecessary discomfort to the muscles.

Here are five easy and effective cooldown stretches you can do after running.

1. Arms and Obliques Stretches

  • Stand with your feet slightly apart
  • Raise your arms above your head and keep them adjacent to your ears. Stretch as you raise them skyward.
  • Join your hands and start leaning slowly to the left, and then, slowly to the right.
  • Get back to the neutral position with your arms still up. Lean slowly backward then forward.

2. Side and IT-Band Stretch

  • Put your hands on your waist, for balance.
  • Cross your right thigh behind your left. Slide your right foot back.
  • Bend to the left side till you feel the muscles on the outer side of your right leg stretching.
  • Reverse and repeat.

3. Hip Flexor Stretch

  • Rest both knees on the floor.
  • Raise your right knee to an upright position.
  • Lean forward using the glutes and hips.
  • Reverse and repeat.

4. Lower back Stretch

  • Lie with your back on the floor and your knees bent as a pyramid.
  • Slowly lift both knees upwards and backward towards your chest.
  • Hold your knees down with your hands.

5. Hamstring Stretch

  • Light with your back on the floor and both your feet extended forward.
  • Gradually lift your leg up till it becomes perpendicular to your body.
  • You can use a resistance band for a more effective stretch.
  • Reverse and repeat.

Final Words

Cooldown stretches for runners are an important part of the training program. They keep the muscles in good shape, reduce stiffness, and protect the joints from injury.

It’s best to move onto the cooldown phase right after the run or workout, that is when your muscles would be most responsive to these stretches.

Finally, remember to take it easy. These stretches are intended to lower your heart rate and bring your body to a resting state. That’s when you can get the full benefit of your run.