Posted: October 25, 2006

Multisport: Warm-up and Post-Workout Stretching

By Coach Haven

For many endurance athletes, warm-up and stretching are foreign ideas. Most of these same athletes consider warm-up to be going at an easier pace for the first 10-15 minutes of a ride or run. This can be a suitable warm-up for most sessions, but more intense sessions require a bit more in the warm-up. Because of this distinct difference in intensities, I will focus on warm-up and post-session stretching specific to hard runs and rides. Because a squad swim usually entails an extensive warm-up, I will concentrate on running and cycling. First, specifics for a track session. Pre-workout stretching is often times over-rated and should be limited to after a hard session. In place of intense pre-session stretching should be a more complex warm-up. After the short 10 minute jog that I'm sure every coach prescribes prior to a hard track session, there should be a period of running form drills. Drills should start with less intensity and work up toward more intensity as the warm-up continues (see examples below). The warm-up should conclude with 1-2 laps of accelerating the straights and jogging the turns. As soon as the track session is complete, it is important to begin cool-down as soon as possible. Catch a drink of water, catch your breath, let some of the burning in the legs subside and then head out for another 10 minute jog. Although it is very difficult motivationally, now is the time to focus on stretching (see below for examples). Focus on each major muscle group beginning with the ones closest to the heart. For example, begin with your core and work toward the quad muscles. Then move from the quads to the hamstrings and on to the calves. After the calves you can focus on the shin muscles and then onto the toes and arches of your feet. The idea behind this is that the blood will supply the major muscles and then feed the minor ones after that. The blood flow will concentrate on the muscle you are currently stretching and then follow the pattern. Working away from the heart gives the blood a good reminder on which way to flow! Secondly, we look at an intense bike session. Whether it be repeat hill climbs or hard tempo work, it is important not to shock the muscles at the beginning of the first interval. Once your heart rate is spiked to a level above your LT (Lactate Threshold), it may be difficult to salvage a good workout. If you have some high heart rate work done in warm-up, that will lead to a better overall session. While riding to the hill or straight that you will be doing your intervals (after approximately 15 minutes), shift into one of your hardest gears and lower your cadence. Pushing hard on the pedals with a low turn-over will wake the muscles up to a harder effort. Do this for 10-15 seconds and then shift back into the current most comfortable gear. Repeat this 4-5 times. Then shift into one of your easiest gears and spin at 20-30 rpm faster than normal for 10-15 seconds. Repeat this 4-5 times as well. This will put your heart rate a bit higher than a normal warm-up and fully prepare you to ride at the proper effort and heart rate. After returning home from a difficult bike ride, it is time to stretch. With the same idea as above, work from major muscles to minor, and from closest to the heart to furthest away (see below for examples). Run Warm-Up Examples Walking High Knees - walk with each step bringing your knee as high as possible. Dorsoflex foot position. Swing your arms in correlation with your leg drive (right knee w/ left arm, etc.) Walking Lunges - walk with each step bringing your knee as high as possible and then lunging it as far forward as possible (without pain). Dorsoflex foot position. Swing your arms in correlation with your leg drive (right knee w/ left arm, etc.) Light Skip - Moving forward with intensity. Basic skipping with a moderate knee drive and good arm swing. Backward Run - Standard backward running with one twist. On the kick back make sure that your hell comes up to your backside and then kicks out behind you. Many athletes kick the leg back before the leg up to the backside. If you look at forward running mechanics the heel recovery often comes close to the backside. You want to do the same with backward running. High Skip - Same as the Light Skip but more intensity, higher leg and arm drive. Launch yourself off the ground. Aim for as much height as length of skip. Etc., etc., etc. - There are many drills that can be plugged in before, between and after the previous drills. Find what you like and what feels most beneficial for you as an individual. Run Stretching Abdominals - Lying on your stomach push your upper body off the ground with your arms until you feel a stretch in the abdominal section. Quads - Sit on the ground and pull the lower half of your leg directly under your upper leg. If pulling back on the leg does not give a good enough stretch, simply push your hips forward until you feel a stretch. Hamstrings - Multiple ways to obtain a good hamstring stretch. An example is standing up and crossing one leg over the other with feet together. Gently lean forward toward the toes until you feel a stretch. Remember to put a very slight bend in your knees as to avoid injury. Calves - To isolate only the calf muscle, sit down and bend the knee enough that it is easy to grab your toes on one foot. Pull the toes toward the body until you feel a good stretch. Shins - Facing a fence or wall and standing, try to lay the top of your foot flat on the ground beneath you. Etc., etc., etc. - Again, many more stretches exist. Find the ones that work for you and remember that the whole body needs stretching, not just your tired and abused legs! Bike Stretching (taken from bicycling.about.com) Stand up out of the saddle, with your hands on the hoods of the brake levers. With the crank parallel to the ground, stretch the leg in the rear by slightly lowering your heel, bending at the waist, and holding for 10-15 seconds. Then, spin the crank 180 degrees and stretch the other rear leg. While still standing up, drop your right leg down, so the crank is at the 6 o'clock position. Now stretch your right calf by slowly dropping your right heel and hold. Then switch to the left leg and repeat. Stand next to your bike, holding it by the handlebars with your left hand, placing your right foot on top of the saddle, toes pointing upwards. Now, lean slowly towards your foot, grabbing the saddle with you right hand for balance. Hold this stretch for at least 15 seconds. Now switch sides, hold the bike with the right hand and placing the left foot on the saddle and stretch. Stand next to your bike and grab the top tube with both hands, arms outstretched. Bend at the waist, keeping your back straight and bending down as far as you can. Hold for at least 15 seconds. All content copyright Endurance Coach Pty Ltd 2006 ©

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