Written by Sam Voss

Most days, I run. Most days, I write. Everyday, however, I stretch.

While there have been many studies that test the correlation between stretching and running, that’s not even how I mean this. I stretch everyday because I want to stretch everyday, simple as that. It makes me feel good, or loose, I guess you could say. It takes me from a sore back and stiff legs, to a lucid body of motion, and at the end of the day, feeling mobile keeps me feeling alive. Not to say that stretching is the root of my livelihood – that would be an overstatement – but it does, if nothing else, make me feel healthy and active.

When I was a younger I would heckle my mom whenever I saw her stretching.

“Why are you stretching?” I would inquire.

“It’s just something I’ve always done,” she would respond, “and I like to stretch before going to bed.”

That was the most bizarre thing, I thought. Stretch before bed? I used to think people only stretched before they worked out, and even then I still didn’t know what for.

“Why do you stretch before you go to bed?” I continued.

“It’s something I started doing a long time ago,” she said, “and it’s become a habit. I knew someone who would stretch every night before bed” she reasoned, “and he lived a very long, healthy, life.”

But this was when I was a kid, and it didn’t really resonate with me. She was telling me all these things about the benefits of stretching, but I had no reason to care, and so I dismissed most of it. The funny thing now, though, is that it has become a habit of mine to stretch everyday as well. Whether I spend all day on my feet or on the couch, I always end with a round of stretching. And although I don’t have a specific goal behind it, it’s something I love to do, and it makes me think of my mom, so I do it.

My 4 Favorite Stretches:

Reach for Your Toes! Photo credit; http://photos2.demandstudios.com/DM-Resize/photos.demandstudios.com/getty/article/117/163/86537741_XS.jpg?w=400&h=10000&crop_min=1&keep_ratio=1

Toe Reach Stretch: I always start with this stretch. Reaching for my toes, relaxing my shoulders, the pull on my hamstrings and lower back loosens me up.

Key: Hold the stretch for at least one minute, try to lower your head to your knees, and point your toes in towards your hands.

Seated Straddle Stretch; Photo Credit http://rugbycentric.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/seated-straddle-groin-stretch.png

Straddle Stretch: A follow-up to the first stretch, the seated straddle stretch also extends your lower back muscles and hamstrings, but more specifically targets the left and right side of the lower back.

Key: Hold the stretch for 30 seconds on either side. As with the first stretch, relax your shoulders, point your toes inward, and settle into the stretch by leaning your upper body (lead with your head) towards your toes.

Seated Quad Stretch! Photo Credit http://media.onsugar.com/files/2010/08/32/2/192/1922729/919ac0fbf1600d8f_sleeping-hero-pose.jpg

Quad Stretch: This is my favorite stretch right now. As I continue to increase distance on my runs, I have found I am returning more and more sore from each run, mainly in my quads, and this is my answer to the pain.

Key: Start by sitting upright on your knees with the soles of your feet to your side, pointed upwards. Slowly lower yourself to the floor until your back reaches the ground (note: if you cannot extend this far don’t worry, just lean as far back as you can and brace yourself with your hands, being sure to still extend far enough to fell the pull of the stretch in your quads)!

The Butterfly; Photo credit; http://fitness.isport.com/userfiles/Guide/image/Fitness/hip%20flexibility/Fitness_Increase-Hip-Flex_03_300x350.jpg

The Butterfly: This is my “cool-down” stretch. Not to say I don’t get the most out of it that I can, but its a relaxing stretch done from a comfortable position, and it’s a nice one to end on.

Key: Hold your feet together (soles facing each other) and press your knees down with your elbows to maximize the stretch. As with the toe-reach and straddle stretch, relax your body and pull your upper body (leading with your head) towards your feet. This will stretch your back one more time in the process.

In an article on Livestrong.com, “Static Stretching Advantages“, Christine St. Laurent delves into the benefits of stretching. Along with improving flexibility and general balance, she claims, stretching “alleviates [stress].” Although the point of her work is to highlight the importance of incorporating a stretching routine into a workout program, she too, notes how stretching can be a healthy, daily, practice for any individual. Performing static, minimal exertion stretches, she vets, “can give your body and brain a chance to relax.” From her research she concluded that mental stress leads to tension in the muscles, and stretching is the answer. If you truly try and relax in your stretching and focus on taking deep, slow breaths, she believes, you will not just improve flexibility and balance, but you will also better your mental health.

I may not have understood why my mom used to stretch everyday when I was a kid, but I get it now, and it’s a practice, I too, embrace. Maybe it won’t make me a stronger runner, but it helps me feel healthy and energized, and subconsciously it releases my stress, so for now it is something I will continue.

Do you ever stretch for the fun of it? Or am I the only one? Let me know what you think about my favorite stretches, and share some of your favorites with me!

~Be sure to tune into the RunSafe Blog this Saturday (1/24) and check out my first post on their page! Thanks for all the support, and remember, don’t read and run!

Along with founding and writing for Runnerstongue.com, Sam Voss writes for RunSafe.me. While looking for a new fitness app to track his runs and share his workouts with friends, he stumbled upon theRunSafe App, and later got in touch with the co-founders, Violet and Sharif, in late 2014. Since then, he has been writing for both blogs, contributing to content marketing on other forums, and composing articles on running, tips, and reviews for everything runner-related. Along with being an avid runner and writer, Sam also enjoys hiking and biking in his free time. Check out more from Sam on Twittter and on the RunSafe Blog!