Stretching!
Try these ... Ken
Stretches for Triathletes
Hamstring: Sit on the floor with both legs out straight along the floor in front of you. Slowly reach down, grab your ankles, and gently pull your chest down toward your knees. Hold for a moderate stretch for 45 seconds.
Gluteus Maximus: Lie on the floor on your back with your left leg stretched out along the floor and your right leg pulled to up toward your head with the knee bent. Pull the right knee into your chest, feeling the stretch in the right glute muscle. Hold for a moderate stretch for 45 seconds, switch sides, and repeat.
Quadricep: Lie on the floor on your left side. Grab your right ankle and pull the foot upward, bending the knee and stretching the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh. Keep the upper leg in line with the torso - do not allow the knee to move forward as the lower leg moves backward. Hold for a moderate 45-second stretch, switch sides, and repeat.
Hamstring (Repeat): Sit on the floor with both legs out straight along the floor in front of you. Slowly reach down, grab your ankles, and gently pull your chest down toward your knees. Hold for a moderate stretch for 45 seconds.
Low Back: Lie on the floor on your back and pull both knees into your chest. Roll your hips and shoulders upward, curving your torso as much as possible. Feel the stretch in your lower back muscles. Hold for a moderate stretch for 45 seconds.
Calf: Stand facing a wall, 3-5 feet away from it. Step toward the wall with your left foot, balancing yourself with your hands. Keep the right heel against the floor and push the right hip toward the wall, stretching the right calf muscle. Hold a moderate stretch for 45 seconds, feeling the stretch in the upper calf muscle. Then bend the right knee and continue to stretch for an additional 45 seconds, pressing the knee forward and down. Feel this stretch in the lower calf. Switch legs and repeat.
ITB: Sit on the floor with both legs straight along the floor in front of you. Bend the right knee and move the right foot across to the outside of the left leg. Slide the right foot up toward the hip along the floor toward the hip until it rests against the left leg, just above the left knee. Rotate your torso to the right and place your left elbow on the outside of the right knee.
Pectorals: Stand arm’s length from a wall. Brace your right hand against the wall and rotate your torso to the left, stretching the chest and front-shoulder muscle. Hold for a moderate 45-second stretch, switch arms, and repeat.
Rear Deltoids: Lift your right arm directly in front of yourself until the hand is shoulder height. Grab the right arm just above he elbow with the left hand and pull the right arm to your left, stretching the arm across your body. Pull the left elbow toward the right shoulder, stretching the back of the right shoulder. Hold for a moderate 45 second stretch, switch arms, and repeat.
Ken Mierke Ken@Fitness-Concepts.com
Fitness Concepts Fitness-Concepts.com
Author, The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training
www.EvolutionRunning.com
i find that stretching has a totally personal attitude. everyone stretches differently. always the rule: hams, calves, hips and shoulders. no doubt. the stretches that you use will vary from person to person but the key areas are always the same.
Thanks Ken...I'll give all of those a try.
Agreed Marzian....thats why I was asking, just wanted to throw a little technique change in there for variety! :D
I absolutely agree. Certain tissues are hard to "get", and different stretches work best for different people.
There are many fancy styles of stretching. Research shows that some of the more aggressive ones, such as active isolated or propsioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) increase short-term flexibility better than others, but there are no significant differences in long term fleixibility. So you don't need anything fancy, just steady, moderate stretches of 45 sec or more. Be consistent. Frequency is much more important than doing long or super hard stretching. Ken
Ken Mierke Ken@Fitness-Concepts.com
Fitness Concepts Fitness-Concepts.com
Author, The Triathlete's Guide to Run Training
www.EvolutionRunning.com


So... I am fully aware that everyone uses a different stretching regimen while training.
Anybody know of a program (online) that works really well?
I'm looking for some wisdom from my IM elders who have been doing this stuff for a while and REALLY know what works well!