Runners and flexibility

spedrunner · April 2012

I run 6-7 days a week and function and feel well throughout my day. I don't really stretch much I use my first mile as a warm up and stretch and never really needed to stretch....

I recently added a Few fitness classes to my schedule and love them they are sculpting and some cardio.....I feel so awkward and inflexible its driving me nuts. I know I have the strength and endurance but my inflexibility hinders me and I don't feel I am getting the best workout I can.....

How do you deal with this? I've taken yoga a few nights too seems to help a bit but is there anything else I can do or am I doomed to be an inflexible freak for the rest of my life? Tia

OSULori · April 2012

I have the same issue...and yeah, yoga seems to help a bit but every time I take a class it mostly just serves as a reminder of how damn inflexible I am. It sucks!

gumiberg · April 2012

i think the key is hot yoga, instead of normal yoga. Hot yoga lengthens the muscles.

I am super flexible...but i also have super long limbs (almost freakish) so i think some of it is body type. I also think it helps me stay uninjured because when i start getting an overuse injury, my flexibility starts to go so I assume it works both ways.

MayFlowers22 · April 2012

Try stretching every day. I've been doing that for a couple weeks now and it seems to be working!

JW28 · April 2012

Just because you don't have to stretch in order to get a good run in doesn't mean you shouldn't stretch or that it won't help you. Don't try stretching when your muscles are cold, so either do a warmup, stretch, and continue, or stretch after your runs. I do CrossFit and most of the lifts require a good amount of flexibility, so we tend to do warmups that involve some kind of stretching, plus working the lifts themselves helps maintain and push flexibility. Flexibility seems to be a use it or lose it kind of thing, it takes constant maintenance.

clseale13 · April 2012

gumiberg:
i think the key is hot yoga, instead of normal yoga. Hot yoga lengthens the muscles.
I am super flexible...but i also have super long limbs (almost freakish) so i think some of it is body type. I also think it helps me stay uninjured because when i start getting an overuse injury, my flexibility starts to go so I assume it works both ways.

All of this....except I'm not flexible enough & have freakishly short limbs. Lol But hot yoga is amazing & whenever I have an injury (rarely now that I do yoga,) it's always on the side that I'm least flexible.

GRKaters · April 2012

After your first mile, when your muscles are warm, stop and do some stretching. I agree with the others--try hot yoga! I feel like a wimp in there, but I know it's helping my flexibility. I'm trying for one hot and one regular class per week.

daisysle · April 2012

I am not flexible at all. I was taking yoga and that seemed to help a lot. I fully intend on taking yoga again once my baby is born and I get back to where my running ability was pre-pregnancy.

JenniferJaneC · April 2012

This is good to know. I am so freakishly UNflexible - I'm glad to hear there's some hope for me if I work at it. I guess it is time to get back to the yoga DVDs a few nights a week.

ChiTownBelle · April 2012

I notice in strength classes that my hip flexors are super INflexible! It sucks. The instructor says "oh, you're a runner...." I stretch after every run and do some quick aerobic stretches before my runs. I've seen special yoga classes for runners. "Runner's Yoga". Maybe look into that.

Elizateach · April 2012

But you know that some people are just born being inflexible- my Pilates teachers mentions it during class when we're doing specific exercises. She has me do modifications so that I could still do the exercises. That makes me feel better because since I was little I knew that I was not that flexible.

Runners and flexibility

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