Stretching

A key part of fast recovery from every run and injury prevention is post-run stretching. Running, or indeed any form of repetitive exercise, causes the muscles to contract to generate power and to shorten. The muscles remain shortened after exercise putting tightness into tendon and ligament attachments and increasing the risk of injury the next time the muscle is exercised. To minimise the risk of injury and to make the next run easier, holding long stretches (at least 45 seconds) after a session extends the muscles back to their full, relaxed state. This should be done whilst the muscles are still warm otherwise trying to stretch a cold muscle will most likely also result in strains and injuries.

Prior to the pandemic, we had a rigorous regime of stretching in the sports club hall after every club training session. The stretch master, Eddie Reid, will reintroduce this stretching session after every club session starting from this Thursday. Please gather in the large hall as soon as you get back from the session and be ready to follow Eddie's instructions.

As a reminder, the stretches are all described and demonstrated in this previous blog post recorded in a more exotic location than the Sports Club.

https://calderglen.blogspot.com/2020/04/stretching-harriers-stretch-set.html

Alan