The Other Side of Running--My Personal Mobility "Must Do" List

Happy weekend folks!  It was almost 70 degrees here in Atlanta yesterday, so it is definitely feeling like Spring!  Though in true Georgia fashion, it could very well dip back down to freezing in no time.  I took advantage of the nice morning to do a little interval running session around Suntrust Park.  Though I scaled back my wardrobe choice to reflect the warm temperatures, I don't know if my body is quite ready for this yet!  I was dripping with sweat after my quick 30-minute run.

I'm not complaining, though, as it was the first day in about a week that the sun peeked out for a bit!  Dreary weather makes it tough to get motivated sometimes, but if you want to hit goals you have to put in the work.  Since I have started to share some of my runs for @jumowa's #runforsteem challenge and just joined @runningproject, I thought it would also be beneficial to share what I do for recovery.  I talked about how I refuel earlier this week in my #veganwednesday entry, so today's post will be how I (try) to keep my body healthy for all of the physical activity I throw at it.  This is definitely not an exhaustive list of everything you can do as far as mobility work, but more just a glimpse of what I have found important to incorporate into my own routine and an encouragement to all of the other runners out there to not neglect your own recovery!

One of the most basic things that anyone can do without fancy equipment is stretching.  There are a lot of different thoughts on when to stretch, how to stretch and how long to hold stretches.  After being in the fitness world for almost a decade, the general consensus for myself and my colleagues is to do dynamic stretching before activity and do static stretching after or in a separate session.

Dynamic stretching is more of a warmup move.  It includes things like leg swings, knee hugs, walking lunges and similar moves.  You can follow a basic routine, but also be sure to think about what activity you are engaging in that day to make sure you prepare those muscle groups for the load you are going to put on them.  Also think about where you are tight and do a few moves specific to your body's demands.  For running I do body weight lunges, plank step outs, squats, leg swings and some easy bounding or skipping to get my legs loose and ready for the demands of running.  It doesn't have to take long, but 5-10 minutes of a warmup can help prevent injury and improve performance.

Static stretching is what most people think of when you say "stretch".  You put your body in a position in which you lengthen the muscle to try to improve range of motion around a joint.  Doing this after your activity will mean your muscles are warm and pliable so that you can actually get a deeper stretch.  You are also less likely to injure yourself by stretching cold, tight muscles.  I get really tight through my hips, so the stretch in the photo above is one I do often to improve the flexibility in my hip flexor muscles.

Incorporating yoga is also a great way to improve your flexibility and can enhance your running or other sport performance.  I don't think I've even hardly scratched the surface on all the different types of stretching, but the big lesson here is do it!  I have learned the hard way that a lot of injury can be avoided by taking the time to loosen up the muscles you use most often.

Another great complement to stretching is foam rolling--or self myofascial release.  I have to force myself to stretch, but rolling is something that I always make time for.  It can be a little bit uncomfortable at first, but you can feel results pretty quickly once you find your tight spots.  When I trained for my first half marathon 7 years ago I ended up over-training and having issues with my IT band.  Rolling really helped me find relief and enjoy running again.  You can do before or after activity, but I tend to prefer to use it before as a precursor to my dynamic warmup or I will also try to sneak in some work between clients to make the most of my down time.  There are a ton of other tools to use in addition to the foam roller, but the roller is one of the easiest to find and start using on your own.  I may do a later post on some of the other  tools I use regularly. :)

One of the final pieces to the mobility puzzle for me was adding in sports massage.  I have become a huge advocate of a good massage, regardless of whether you are a runner, lifter, or even if you just sit at a desk all day.  Finding someone who is well-trained is pure magic for your tight muscles.  I try to go at least once a quarter, though I could probably stand to go even more regularly.  My awesome therapist has recently added cupping to her sessions, as well, which has improved my results even more.  My Steemit buddy @nicoleslife just shared a post about cupping here if you want to read a little more about it.  This was right after my last session, but the sucker marks go away pretty quickly.

I think that covers the main points on my personal running recovery list. :)  The longer I have been running and training the more I realize I have to spend just as much time off of my feet as on if I want to stay healthy.  I definitely enjoy running, so I want to keep my body balanced enough to continue to enjoy it for the rest of my life!

What are your favorite ways to recover from running or other sport training?