3 Flexibility Movements Every Runner Should Be Doing

Last week I wrote about beginning a running program. As with any program when you progress from the first workout to the second and from the first week to the second you will begin to deal with some soreness and even tightness within specific areas. This is normal, but not something that should be ignored. In this article I will discuss three movements that every runner should be incorporating into their warm up and cool down routines to avoid injuries.

Before I go any further, this is not a comprehensive list. There are a number of additional movements that will aid in your training, however these are the three most overlooked and important exercise that I feel each runner should be using.

As runners we do a lot of our work in the sagittal plane, meaning we move forward and backward. There is very little side to side movement required in our sport. Because of this the muscles on the front and the back of our legs tend to become tight while the muscles on the inside and the outside of our legs tend to become weak. Both of these situations can create an opportunity for injury. In this article I aim to address the sensation of tightness within the muscles, not the weakness that is experienced.

Anytime I evaluate an athlete I divide my evaluated areas into two different categories: Structural areas and Functional areas. The structural areas refer to the skeletal system as this is the frame that the rest of the body anchors to. The functional areas refer to the muscular system as this is the system that puts the skeletal system into movement. The structural areas that I pay specific attention to on runners are the ankles and hips. The functional areas that I pay specific attention to on runners are the hamstrings, quads, and calves.

As I look at the ankle joint I evaluate the range of motion as well as the effect that each step has on it. By this I mean, when the foot makes contact with the ground does the ankle stay over the heel or drift in or out. Also, how much plantar and dorsiflexion is created during each stride.

The first mobility movement that I will introduce is called the “Knee to Wall” mobility drill. This drill will focus on the ability to stretch the Gastrocnemius and Soleus. This drill is also a great measuring device of your passive dorsiflexion.

You will set up by facing the wall in a staggered stance, with one foot in front of the other foot. Both feet should be pointing forward. The front foot should begin with the toes against the wall. From this position you will keep the heel of the front foot down and move your knee to the wall. You should feel a stretch in the lower calf. If you do not feel a stretch you should move your front foot back 1-2 inches then go through the movement again. 

Keeping the heel of the front foot down move your front knee to the wall. If you do not feel a stretch through your calf continue this process until you reach a point where you feel the stretch. Once you have found the foot position where you feel a stretch then you will leave your foot here and slowly move your knee to the wall then back to the start position ten times. You will then repeat this process on the opposite side.

The second structural and functional area that I look at is the hip. I will observe the athlete’s movement pattern during walking, jogging, and sprinting. I will then evaluate the athlete’s passive movement to assess all factors. From there I will administer a corrective program. More often than not all my beginners will start with the following exercises that revolve around the hip and its musculature.

The second mobility movement will focus on the hip, specifically the musculature on the anterior, front, side of the hip. Much of the American population deals with tight hips due to a lack of movement, high volume of sitting, and a lack of deep hip movement within our culture. The accumulation of these three events creates tight hip flexors among other things. Tight hip flexors can attribute to poor movement mechanics and high injury risks.

To address tight hip flexors I will have my athletes incorporate a “Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch”. This is a great stretch, however it is one that can be easily butchered. When I deal with an athlete who is having trouble getting the desired outcome I will coach a “Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch with Core Activation”. Since you will be receiving this information via the internet and I am not there to coach and cue I will be instructing the second variation.

To get set up you will be in a half-kneeling position with one knee on the ground and the other knee up in front with the foot flat on the ground. You will place both hands on top of the front knee. It is important to maintain tall posture during this exercise and not allow your shoulders to slouch or your hips to shift backward. From this position you will press both hand down into the front knee while maintaining tall posture. By driving your hands into your knee you should feel your core musculature engage. Maintaining that same position you will slowly rock forward until you feel a stretch through the front of the thigh and hip of the leg that is on the ground. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds before switching.

The sensation of the stretch may be felt in different areas by different people. You will tend to feel a stretch in an area where you are tighter. For example, someone with flexible hip flexors and a tight quad may feel the stretch in the front of the leg as opposed to directly in front of the hip, where as someone with flexible quads and tight hip flexors will feel this sensation more in the front of the hip and less in the thigh.

The third mobility movement that I believe all running athletes should be participating in is the “Supine Leg Lower”. This movement assess’ hamstring flexibility among other things. This is a movement that is easy to perform while recovering from a run is you are in a position lying on your back during the movement.

To get set up for the Supine Leg Lower you will use a doorway, fence post, or any object that will allow you to prop yourself against it. For this example I will refer to a doorway. Begin by lying on your back with the doorway bisecting your body in half so that your legs are on one side of the door frame and your upper body is on the other side. The door frame itself should be right at hip level. 

Next you will raise both legs in the air and place the heel of the leg closest to the door frame on the frame itself. This leg will stay in this position throughout the movement. Throughout the movement it is important to keep both legs straight with your toes pulled back toward you. 

Now you will begin to slowly lower the leg that is away from the frame. You will lower this leg until you begin to feel a stretch in the hamstring on the leg on the frame. Once you feel that stretch you will hold for 1-2 seconds before bringing the leg back up to the starting position. You will go through this movement 10 times on this side before moving to the other side of the door frame to perform the same movement on the other leg.

These three movement, when used in conjunction with each other, will help address many issues that most runners encounter throughout the course of a season. As I said before this is by no means a comprehensive list or something that you can substitute for a warm up. However, when these movements are incorporated with a proper warm up, running program, and even strength based exercises your will be setting yourself up for the healthiest, most productive running season of your life.