Morning stretches are more than just a way to get out of bed. They help you run better later in the day and, of course, in the early morning. So, if the first thing you do when you wake up is check your phone, make a plan to get better at running by stretching in the morning.
“When we sleep, our bodies often get tighter, and depending on how we sleep, our muscles can get shorter and stay that way for a long time,” says Runner’s World+ Coach Jess Movold. “Getting enough sleep and rest can help you recover, but they can also make your muscles very tight. You should gradually loosen and lengthen them before starting a busy day.”
If you don’t take the time to stretch in the morning after your body has been tight and still for seven or eight hours (hopefully), you could end up with sore muscles and workouts that don’t go as planned. Movold says, “Putting weight on your muscles right away, when your body isn’t warmed up, can hurt your muscles if you move too quickly.”
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Not only will morning stretches wake up your muscles and get your blood flowing, but they will also fix your posture, make you more flexible, and help you move around more easily. Movold says, “Just a few easy stretches can help your body get ready to move in the right ways with good posture.” This will help you run better and feel better all day, especially if you plan to run first thing.
To do it, think of this list of moves as a yin yoga flow. There is movement, but it is done slowly and smoothly. Movold says, “Hold the deepest part of the stretch (or the place where you really feel the stretch) for five seconds.” Otherwise, you should be moving slowly and steadily all the time. “Set aside 20 minutes and do all of these stretches at least twice, with 8 to 10 reps each time and changing directions.”
Movold shows you how to do each morning stretch correctly so you can learn how to do it.
1. Circle your neck
How to do it: Put your hands on your hips and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Gently roll your neck to the right and back until you can see the sky, then to the left and down until you can see the floor. Do the same thing on the other side.
Movold says, “The stretch reduces tension and improves the range of motion in the neck, which helps promote better posture while running.” “You want to ‘run tall,’ but neck pain will stop you from doing that because it can make your shoulders round forward.”
2. Circles of the Shoulders
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms hanging down at your sides. Slowly raise your shoulders up toward your ears, then slowly lower them back down.
“This small move makes you aware of your posture and reminds you to pull your shoulders down and back, which will relax the tension in your trapezius muscles that makes your arms and neck stiff,” Movold says.
3. Fold Forward
How to do it: Put your feet shoulder-width apart and let your arms hang down at your sides. Bend your knees and lean forward, letting your head fall to the ground and your arms bend to hold the other elbow. Stop at the bottom, then stand back up.
Movold says, “This one move will lengthen your arms, loosen your hamstrings, and stretch your upper back while also working on your spinal mobility.”
4. Circle your hips
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Slowly move your hips to the right, then to the left, and then to the front in a circle. Do the same thing on the other side.
Why it works: Running and sitting all day puts a lot of stress on your hip flexors. “This move increases range of motion in the hips and loosens the hip flexors and hamstrings while waking up the core,” says Movold.
5. Reach Overhead While Standing
How to do it: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms hanging down at your sides. Lift your arms over your head and eventually clasp your hands. Squeeze your glutes while arching your back and looking up and behind you (without scrunching your neck). Go back to the beginning.
Movold says, “It’s great to work on your posture first thing in the morning.” “This helps get rid of tight shoulders, sore necks, and stiff arms while running.”
6. Do a squat
How to do it: Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, your toes pointing slightly out, and your hands clasped in front of your chest for balance. Send your hips back, then bend your knees to lower yourself as far as you can while keeping your chest up. Lower your body until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor. To get back to the beginning, press through your heels.
Movold says, “Ankle mobility is very important for runners, and going into a full squat makes that happen.” “And squats wake up your glutes, which makes you more aware of your whole body.”
