Warm up and cool down exercises

[Cornet-Carolyn]

Hi, I have read a few posts talking about exercises before and after runs. If you do the warm up and cool down walk do you need to do exercises? I'm only in week 4 but want to do it right. Thanks for any advice.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

I only ever do a brisk walk warm up but always add these stretches after every cool down nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

Works for me.

[Cornet-Carolyn Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Thank you I'll give them a go 👍

[GoogleMe Graduate]

I think it is fair to say that most of us stretch *after* a run. But as I understand it the evidence seems to be that stretching before is at best neutral in terms of preventing injury and some would argue harmful.

It was the lack of stretching that appealed to me - I wanted no part of what I saw runners doing. I do find it helpful now to include stretching as part of my overall 'programme' but I *don't* stretch straight after my run and walk. Except, interestingly, I do feel the need if for some reason I have seriously skimped on that last walk (eg if I have arrived back at the car much sooner than expected... you can bet I try to avoid that now, although it is moot which looks more dubious, stretching or walking around in circles...)

Stretching is a good thing for people to do generally and perhaps it is just that doing it straight after a run ensures people remember to do it before their aches remind them to!

[Cornet-Carolyn Graduate in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you. My cool down run is up hill to home so tends to be more like 8 mins, 5 mins downhill at start so far I have always done them. It is a bit odd running or walking in circles when I get to a road crossing and hit traffic 🤣