How to do Dynamic Stretching
Runners don’t need much flexibility and we don’t need to spend lots of time doing traditional stretches.
What do runners really need? Good mobility. We need sufficient range of motion to run smoothly. And today I’m going to explain how to improve your mobility with Dynamic Stretching.
Static and Dynamic stretching: What’s the difference?
Static Stretching
no movement
passively holding a position
relaxed muscles
assisted movement (partner stretch, use of gravity, and/or tools like a table or stretch rope)
purposes: reduce tension, lengthen muscles, improve flexibility
Dynamic Stretching/Mobility
continuous fluid movement
no holding or pausing
active muscles
not assisted, you move with the strength of your own body
purposes: improve range of motion, reduce muscle stiffness, warmup
What is Good Mobility?
Good mobility for runners essentially means that your joints (hips, knees, ankles, etc) can move through your stride without restriction or resistance.
Check out my FREE resource: 25 Days of Mobility
Think about the human body- all the bones, joints, muscles, tendons that work together every time we take a step. If one part of the body is overly stiff or tight, the other parts will compensate so you can keep your balance and move forward in a straight line.
Unfortunately, that compensation can quickly lead to overuse and possible injury (of whatever is accommodating the original issue) and more imbalances in the body.
Stop Static Stretching!
In my article mobility ≠ flexibility, I explained that in general, runners don’t need to focus on lengthening their muscles or improving flexibility. Hyper flexibility and lengthening of muscles reduces power and efficiency. Consider swapping out any static stretches or hold-stretches with a dynamic mobility routine to improve your mobility.
Get Started
Scroll down to see an instructional video of each individual exercise in the dynamic mobility routine video above - start with the eagles & scorpions. When you’ve mastered that, try the next one.
Learning this routine takes intentionality, so set aside some time to re-watch the videos and focus on form. You will find some of the movements more helpful for your specific and individual needs so feel free to spend more time and reps on those movements.
Eventually this entire routine will only take a few minutes but will help you avoid many preventable niggles and injuries and it will improve the quality of your runs from the first step out the door.
Prevent Injury
The ideal time for Dynamic Mobility is before a run because it acts as a warmup and injury prevention. Pay attention to how your body is feeling as you go through each movement. If one side is more restricted than the other, do some extra reps on that side until you feel more balanced. Use a foam roller or other self-therapy technique as needed. Then head out for your run with your body moving well.
If you don’t have time, or if you forget to do dynamic mobility before your run, it’s not too late! These exercises will improve your mobility no matter when you do them. With consistency, you’ll quickly notice improvement.
Nicole Sifuentes is a former professional runner and 2-time Olympian, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and full-time Running Coach for adults of all ages and abilities. Read more about her services, and schedule your free coaching consultation.