Dare To Tri Life: Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretching before excercize is recommended by British Triathlon. It’s used by coach Bobby MacGee within a workout after the low intensity stuff and before intense intervals. Jack Daniels suggests stretching after first elevating the temperature of the muscles involved in the workout. Tim Noakes (Lore of Running) puts it like this ..

The particular physiological effects of warming up are to increase respiration and circulation, especially to the active muscles ; to increase the temperature of the muscles; and to reduce their viscosity, thereby increasing their flexibility…. muscles that have warmed up are more resistant to tearing.”

Pre race Noakes writes ..
“Stretching is essential to overcome the overnight tightness and inflexibility that will have developed in your most-trained muscles – the calves, hamstrings and back muscles. Set aside 15 minutes for this.”

According to the April 2010 edition of Running Times …

A DYNAMIC APPROACH

"The dynamic warm-up piece is truly like turning a light switch on before walking into a dark room," contends Reiff. Dynamic stretches that include quick-paced movements like bounding, jumping, and single-leg swings help to fire up the muscles that you want to perform. To implement a dynamic warm-up routine, Reiff suggests choosing a set of exercises you will remain committed to and practice before every run and race. The routine described at the right can be done in 10 minutes.

While static stretching remains a good post-run ritual, the research and applied evidence touts the many advantages of engaging in a dynamic routine in its place. Says Reiff, "Dynamic stretching recruits more of the body than static stretching. We certainly don't throw away static stretching, but it has its place. For pre-race and pre-training, dynamic flexibility and movement has a much better return on the investment." Reiff recommends performing the exercises before every regular run. Prior to hard workouts and races it tends to work best to do a warm-up jog and then perform the dynamic stretches, followed by strides. This helps to adequately warm up the muscles and then get the right ones firing in the right ways.

Reiff adds, "If you can train athletes on a daily basis to fire those muscles appropriately and go through a dynamic warm-up that ensures that all muscle groups are worked, then you have a better runner."

It seems maybe I'm the last person (male ?) left who hasn't been doing this. But since London I certainly am now. My recommendation for an enjoyable run-specific 10 min warm up is below ... By all means download the MP3 file here. Add it to the start of your run playlist and enjoy.