Welcome to the 3rd edition of stretching

We’ve all be guilty of forgetting to stretch after a run, that warm shower or yummy post workout meal is far more tempting however…

Did you know?
Deciding to ditch the stretching after a run can hinder your recovery and increase your risk of injury. Stretching after a run helps to reduce soreness and gets rid of waste products, such as lactic acid which could impact your next run

Welcome to the 2nd edition of stretching!

Did you know?

Stretching helps to lengthen any tight muscles and this helps to reduce injuries. Stretching before a run increases your range of motion and helps to improve your overall performance.

Welcome to February! A new month means a new theme and this month we’re focusing on the benefits of stretching!

When we sleep there are two main phases that we alternate between throughout the night. REM (Rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement). REM occurs 90 minutes after falling asleep and takes up 25% of your volume of sleep. During this time the brain is active and it helps provide energy to the body. The other 75% is taken up by NREM. This is the deepest and most restorative sleep - the blood supply to your muscles increase and tissue repair/growth occurs.

For every runner, it is important to maintain cardiovascular health. Sleeping at night allows blood to circulate around every part of the body, when you’re in deep sleep, your heart rate and breathing change continuously which promotes cardiovascular health. Adequate sleep can also reduce the risk of heart disease, asthma and metabolic diseases.

A good nights sleep can help fight fatigue, making you more alert and charged for a run. Getting a good nights sleep can help increase speed - as your body will have enough energy to keep going on hard efforts, the sooner you fatigue the slower your run may be. Sleep can also improve endurance - the better your sleep means the better your glycogen stores will be, allowing you to produce energy on long distance runs.

Sleep can have an impact on the immune system. Insufficient sleep impacts our immune function and increases the risk of infection. During sleep, the body produces cytokines–hormones that help build immunity and combat infections. These cytokines build a shield around the body to reduce the risk of getting sick. A study has shown that runners who sleep seven or more hours per night are less susceptible to illness and therefore can train consistently.

When your head hits the pillow after a strenuous workout, during that sleep time, your body releases growth hormones that help repair cellular and tissue damage, invigorate muscle growth, and stimulate bone building. This allows your body to be prepared for working out the next day. Over time, you will see your training improve as your body has had an opportunity to recover.