The Healthy Mom

Healthy Body, Mind & Spirit

Stretches for running

November20

These are various exercises and stretches I should be doing. Maybe if I put them here, I’ll do them more often?

Building a Strong Psoas by Jim and Phil Wharton
Psoas Stretch by Mark Weiss
Psoas Stretch:
Grasp your left foot with your left hand. Lift your leg up so your thigh is parallel to the ground. Hold for two seconds and release. Repeat 10 times on each side.

Mayo Clinic Plantar fasciitis Self Care
Plantar Stretches from MayoClinic.com
Plantar Fascia Stretches from MayoClinic.com

From Flexibility: Loosen Up

Work each muscle by contracting the muscle that
is its opposite. This relaxes the isolated muscle so it can lengthen. Do the
exercise gently and quickly, holding the position for no more than two seconds.
Repeat 10 times.

Our program only takes 15 minutes and should be done before and after a run.
Start by evaluating your current ranges of motion. Do the routine and record
your "before" score for each move. After 21 days, retest yourself and note the
improvement.

[1] Double-Leg pelvic tilt
Works: lower back and buttocks Contract: abdominals and
muscles in the front of the hips and thighs How: Lie down on your
back with both knees bent. Place your hands behind your knees. Lift your
legs toward your chest. Gently assist with your hands; don’t pull.
[2] Straight-Leg hamstring

Works: back of thighs Contract: front of thighs How:
Lie with your nonexercising knee bent and your other leg straight. Place
your foot into the loop of a stretching rope. Lift your leg as far as you
can. Grasp the ends of the rope with both hands and climb up it, hand over
hand, as your leg lifts.
[3] Hip Adductors
Works: inner thighs Contract: outer thighs, buttocks How:
Place one foot inside the loop of a rope. Wrap it around the inside of the
ankle. Lock your knee, rotate your leg inward. Extend your leg out to the
side of your body, leading with your heel. Complete one set. Repeat leading
with your toe.
[4] Hip Abductors
Works: outer thighs, hips Contract: inner thighs How:
Place your foot into the loop of a rope. Wrap it around the outside of your
ankle. Rotate the exercising leg outward and the other leg inward slightly.
Lock your knee. Extend your leg across the midline of your body, leading
with your heel.
[5] Quadriceps
Works: front of the thighs Contract: buttocks, back of thighs
How: Lie on your side with your knees against your chest and your
head on the ground. Slide your bottom arm under the thigh of your bottom leg
and place your hand around the outside of your foot. Grasp the shin of your
upper leg with your upper hand. Move your upper leg back as far as you can.
[6] Gluteals
Works: lower back, hips, piriformis, buttocks Contract: abs,
front of thighs How: Lie with one leg straight and the other bent.
Point the toes of your nonexercising leg inward. Lift your bent knee toward
the opposite shoulder. Keep your pelvis on the ground, and use your hands
for a gentle assist.
[7] Hip External Rotators
Works: gluteus maximus, external rotators Contract: gluteus
minimus, internal rotators How: Place your foot in a rope. Wrap the
ends of the rope around the inside of your ankle. Pull the rope under your
leg and grasp it with the hand thats on the same side. Rotate your thigh
inward, pivoting your lower leg outward and leading with your heel.
[8] Hip Internal Rotators
Works: internal rotators Contract: external rotators How:
Place your foot in a rope. Wrap the ends of the rope around the outside of
your ankle. Pull it under your leg and grasp it with the hand on the
opposite side. Pivot the lower part of your leg inward, leading with your
heel.
[9] Trunk Extensors
Works: muscles that run from the pelvis to the base of the skull,
lower back Contract: abs How: Sit with your back straight,
knees bent, and toes pointed slightly up. Tuck your chin and contract your
abs to pull your body forward. Grasp the sides of the lower legs to gently
assist.
[10] Thoracic-lumbar rotators

Works: muscles throughout back and sides Contract: abs,
obliques, rotators on opposite side How: Sit in a chair with your
back straight. Lock your hands behind your head. Rotate in one direction as
far as you can go. When you’re loosened up:rotate, hold, and flex your trunk
forward, leading toward the ground with your elbow.
[11] Soleus
Works: muscles in the back of lower legs Contract: front of
lower legs How: Sit on the floor with one leg straight and one leg
bent. Grasp the bottom of your foot with both hands. Keeping your heel on
the floor, raise the foot and bring it toward your body. If you cant reach
your foot, use a rope.
[12] Achilles Tendon
Works: the cord that attaches your heel to your lower leg
Contract:
front of the lower legs How: Sit on the floor with one
leg straight and one leg bent and your heel close to your buttocks. Grasp
the bottom of your foot with both hands. Raise the foot up, keeping your
heel on the floor.
[13] Gastrocnemius
Works: calf muscles Contract: muscles in the front of the
lower legs How: Sit on the floor with both legs straight. Loop the
rope around one foot and grasp the ends of the rope with both hands. Flex
your foot, aiming your toes toward your knee while keeping your knee locked.
[14] Pectoralis Major
Works: chest, shoulders Contract: backs of shoulders How:
There are three stages. First: Arms below the belt. Second: Arms shoulder
level. Third: Arms above shoulders. Straighten your arms, palms forward. Put
your palms together in front of you and then swing both arms behind you.
Start with the first position and progress up with each swing.
[15] Rhomboid/Rotator Cuff
Works: external shoulder rotators and rhomboid major and minor
Contract:
muscles in the shoulder How: Stand with feet slightly
apart and arms at your sides. Lift one arm, with the elbow locked, and raise
it across your chest toward the opposite side. Use the other hand to give a
gentle assist. Keep your torso still and don’t hike up your shoulder.

 

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