5 Post-Workout Stretches to Do Everyday

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Don’t learn the hard way how important stretching is! Do these 5 post-workout stretches each day and your body will thank you.

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If you guys have been following along on my Instagram stories, you know that a little over 2 weeks ago, I suffered a hip injury from running. It’s something that happens to me, I would say once per season, and really all I can do is rest it until it heels. So for the past two weeks, I have been doing a lot of yoga, HIIT workouts, and weight lifting instead as part of my workout routine.

And of course, stretching has become an even bigger part of my routine, not just before my workout, but after, too. I think that we all have a tendency to get excited when our workout is over and overlook the post-workout stretching part, but it’s super important, too.

Why stretch after a workout?

According to Harvard Health, “Stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.”

So there you have it! And just a little side note from me: the purpose of a post-workout stretch is also to relax the muscles. You just worked them hard and now you want to cool them down. It will also help you avoid injuries.

5 Post-Workout Stretches to Do Everyday

These are wonderful stretches to do after you workout or even just by themselves on a rest day!

1. Hamstring stretch.

You can do this one easily by basically standing or sitting and touching your toes. Hold and release.

2. Groin Stretch

Remember doing the butterfly post in gym class as a kid? Yup…that’s the one!

3. Hip Stretch

Super important especially if you’re a runner because this is where a lot of injuries can occur. You can do a simple hip flexor by hunkering down into a semi-lunge position and stretching like that. If you are very flexible you can go into a downward dog and one leg at a time, swing your foot up by your chest and bring your upper body towards the ground, called pigeon pose in yoga.

4. Arm, shoulder, and tricep

To me, these all kinda go together. Simply release one arm to the opposite shoulder and pull to hold it there for a few seconds and then do on the other side. For the triceps you want to lift each arm one by one behind your head, leaving your elbow in the air.

5. Calf stretch.

My calves are always super tight after a run! I stretch my calves out using the wall. I place my hands against the wall and one leg at a time I stretch my foot backward and make sure my heel is almost touching the ground. Then I bend my knee towards the wall to get the calves!