Bonitas Member Magazine B-Living Issue 2_2019 | Page 29

How to stretch
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Do 10-15 minutes of dynamic stretching as a warm-up before your run. Dynamic stretching increases
heart rate, body temperature and blood flow. It improves range of motion and is therefore an ideal way to
warm up before a run. Dynamic stretching includes any active movements such as bum kicks, leg swings,
knee to chest jumps, jump lunges, jump squats etc. Aerobics, yoga, walking and light jogging are also
forms of dynamic stretching.
Do 10-15 minutes of static stretching to warm down after a run.
Deep stretches after a run, when blood is in the muscles, are good to realign muscle fibres. Static
stretches massage and lengthen muscles. Remember, when it comes to deep stretching, feeling a slight
discomfort in a muscle is okay, but it should never be painful. Do not do a stretch if you feel an intense,
sharp pain.
4 Do dynamic stretching throughout the day.
5 Dynamic flexibility stretches improve elasticity and are great for improving motor skills and speed. It is
therefore ideal to focus on doing more of it throughout the day. Do a few of these morning, noon and
night, and not just before a run.
6 Do include other forms of flexibility training.
7 Foam rolling and other self-myofascial release techniques are great to reduce and relieve the body of
connective tissue adhesions and enhance flexibility in the process.
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