Over the years of writing about running and being a runner, I’ve learned one of the few things we cannot slack on is time spent on tight hip stretches. After sitting whether that’s at work, post Netflix marathon, on a plane or even yes cyclists who sit for hours and hours, we need to counter act the hip flexor tightness.
Your tight hips are a quick road to a running injury like knee pain, plus let’s be honest doesn’t it just feel good to stretch everything after you’ve been sitting on a plane all day?
Remember that the moves shown here are called static stretches, which means these are hip stretches after running! Before running we want to stay focused on our dynamic warm up stretches to help create mobility, not reduce the stability we have in joints.
Before we get in to the stretches, I also want to remind you that TIGHT HIPS ARE OFTEN A SIGN OF WEAKNESS. That’s right, they get tight because they are feeling overworked from your run. So you need both the strength and some stretching
How Tight Hips Cause Weak Glutes
Author John Gibbons of The Vital Glutes notes that many of our weak or “non firing” glute issues can be resolved by stretching the reciprocal muscles, in regular words, your hips!
Stretching isn’t just so you can be more flexible for yoga class. When a tight muscle pulls at an incorrect biomechanical angle, the result is inflammation and pain. Basically, when the body is out of alignment then the muscles can’t function as designed.
So work on your glute strength, hip strength AND your stretching.
5 Hip Stretches for Runners
Stretching whether through a consistent yoga practice for runners or simply these few stretches will loosen your hip flexors to help resolve misaligned pelvis or rotational pelvis issues (i.e. when you find one leg is longer than the other).
- Sitting causes the hip flexors to remain flexed and active all day long, which results in overuse and then stiffness.
- Do these stretches every single day
- Especially doe these stretches if you’ve started to have IT Band pain or knee pain while running
- Hold each movement for a minimum of 60 seconds
Here are a few daily stomach stretches that will help to keep those muscles lengthened and strong.
This is not something to rush, but rather to slow down and make part of your evening routine. Super easy to do while seeing who will get the rose this week.
#1 Kneeling hip flexor stretch
Tuck your hips under and with one leg forward lean in to the stretch. You should feel it along the front of the leg on the ground, meet your hip flexors!
This stretch alone will go a long way towards releasing the tightness caused my sitting.
This is also a good time to check your shoulders, are they back or rounded forward from being on the computer.
Head up, shoulders back, the lean should cause you to feel a stretch and your knee shouldn’t cross over your toes.
BONUS TFL STRETCH
With a slight change in the placement of your feet, you can get a stretch of your TFL, which is an overlooked contributor to IT Band pain, tight hips and piriformis issues.
- From that kneeling position, place your knees in alignment with each other
- This changes the focus of the stretch to that TFL
- Instead of just leaning forward, push out the hip of the knee that is on the floor.
#2 Deep Squat
Unlike doing a squat for a body weight workout here you want to sink down and settle in to the pose. Work your way up to staying here for at least 1 minute and keeping your heels on the ground throughout the pose.
- This movement alone helps to release the back and improve hip range of motion
- It will also help to improve ankle flexion which is important for good foot strike
This one is by far the hardest for me, but hey hands in prayer position make it a good time for gratitude.
TIPS for the deep squat:
- If you have trouble getting in to or staying in the squat, it’s best to start out by holding on to a bar for stability.
- Roll up a yoga mat and place it under your heels if you cannot initially get in to the squat with your feet flat.
- Keep your head and chest up!
- The goal is to allow your lower back to relax and let go, holding it for up to a couple minutes as you continually get better.
This is also a fantastic move for life. It’s going to release your lower back, help you get up and down off the floor and as I realized camping this weekend, easily go pee in the middle of the night.
#3 Child’s Pose for Runners
Much like the squat, child’s pose is another release for your lower back and your brain, something about it forces you to relax! And tight muscles benefit from you slowing down to breathe.
There are two options for child’s pose, the first is to place your feet together, knees out wide and then lay your upper body to the floor.
If this causes ANY knee pain, it’s likely due to tight hips and you can switch to a modified version where both your feet and knees are together.
Remember that the goal isn’t for the stretch to be painful.
So don’t be afraid to use the modified position until you start to see some movement over time and can transition.
#4 Couch Assisted Quad Stretch
This one is great for alleviating a lot of knee pain experienced by runners, as well as hip and back pain.
- Scoot back and place both knees next to the couch or wall, with one leg propped up against it.
- Then place the other leg in to a 90 degree position and move in to an upright position.
- Keep your body tall and straight, don’t lean back or forward.
- You may need to start with your knee farther from the couch if you are extremely tight and just work back over time.
I’m not as far back as I could go. If you can stay tall and get your bum and foot connected that’s ideal!
This is more effective than the standing quad stretch due to the added resistance and mobility it creates throughout the entire hip joint.
Turn this in to a resistance stretch by adding some strength to the movement and it will work even faster!!
- Press the leg on the couch forward while using the planted foot for resistance, you’ll move slightly forward and then release. Repeat 10 times.
- Now press back with the planted foot and use the leg against the couch to resist moving backwards and then release. Repeat 10 times.
#5 Lying Knee Hug
Who couldn’t use a hug every day?! Simply bring in one leg at a time while keeping the other flat on the floor for another static stretch to release the low back.
Fun tip: If you want to work your insides a bit and help with digestion instead of bringing the knee straight up to your chest, you can bring it out to the side under your armpit.
There are many more tight hip stretches you can do to open your hips like pigeon pose, but these 5 are effective and a great start.
Looking to work the hips or stretch more as a runner?
- Hip mobility workout (includes video demo)
- Calf Stretches for Runners
- Tight Hip Flexor Stretches
- Releasing a Tight TFL
- Best post run stretches
- Lower back pain while running
I hope these hip stretches after running give you some relief. I know they just feel good after I sit at the computer all day working on training plans or writing articles! And listen there’s something to be said for movements that simply feel good to us.
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