Tight quads

[Brookjogger]

I’ve just started week 2 and think that my tight quads make it harder for me to put my heel down first. Any advice on stretches to warm up with and to do during the day to stretch my thigh muscles?

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Hi, I too had quad problems on my very first run week 1

I ended up with ice packs on them for most of the next day .

The reason (as far as I believe) is because I did not do any dynamic warm up excercises before I ran .

(The one's linked to from the program guide)

I have done these religiously from then onwards and had no further issues .

So it's 'DYNAMIC' excercises BEFORE you run and 'STATIC' stretches AFTER you run .

Hope that helps 👍

[Brookjogger Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

So do you mean the 5 mins brisk walk? I’ve just found a post referring to exercises in Runners World for post run. These also say best to stretch after run (ie warmed up), not before

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Brookjogger]

No, not the brisk walk .

The Dynamic excercises.

They are referred to in the program guide .

I do them in my house just before going out of the door then straight into the 5 min brisk walk .

If I can get the link to you I will, but they are in the guide to the program

And you are right the static stretches are for AFTER you run ,

Not not before , it can cause injury if you do static stretches with cold muscle

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Brookjogger]

Here you are 👍

runnersworld.com/health-inj...

[Brookjogger Graduate in reply to Instructor57]

Thank you so much! Really helpful, will do these

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Brookjogger]

Hope they help !

They helped me 😁👍

[nowster Graduate]

Why do you want to put your heel down first?

Heel striking is bad. It puts a shock wave straight up the leg into the knee and hip joints.

To quote IannodaTruffe 's FAQ:

One piece of advice, which somehow has slipped through into the C25k podcasts and even more inexplicably into the more recent app, is the advice you will receive on heelstrike. Across most acknowledged sources, heelstriking is considered to be the least favourable way for your foot to fall; midfoot or forefoot are the preferred techniques. Heelstrike causes more jarring impacts up the leg, which can lead to knee problems and shin splints and even stress fractures. It is often caused by overstriding, so make sure that your footfall lies under your torso, not out in front. It may be that heelstriking is your natural way to run, but be aware that it causes more stresses to your legs. The most crucial aspect of footstrike is to keep it as light as possible, no slapping and as little jarring as possible. Most aches and pains suffered by new runners are primarily caused by the impact which can be reduced by slowing down, avoiding heelstriking and overstriding, running on grass or treadmill and by wearing proper running shoes fitted after a gait analysis done at a specialist running shop.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

[Brookjogger Graduate in reply to nowster]

This is so interesting, I naturally put the ball of my foot down but thought this wasn’t the proper way! Thank you

[nowster Graduate in reply to Brookjogger]

Try also to land with your foot directly under you with the knee slightly bent. This puts the landing strain on your tendons and muscles which can absorb it like a spring, and then return that energy as you move forward. (It may make your muscles ache a little to start with.)

Don't "bounce". (Your audio instructor will tell you about that during Week 3.)

[Whydothis Graduate]

As Nowster says, don't even try to put your heel down first! I run on the balls of my feet, and once I got into week 2 I have not had any aches and pains.

[Tasha99 Graduate]

You shouldn’t be trying to put your heel down first

[Brookjogger Graduate in reply to Tasha99]

Thank you, I’m relieved to hear this from lots of people 😀

[Instructor57 Graduate in reply to Brookjogger]

Absolutely agree with these comments on heel strikes being bad ,

Hadn't actually picked up on that !

So, With the warm ups and correct foot placement on landing you should be flying 😁👍

[Sussex13 Graduate]

My quads were also killing me and felt like lead after first 2 or 3 runs but with lots of stretching (after they were warmed up and more flexible) AND crucially for me, standing in the shower straight after the run with the COLD hose on my thigh muscles, followed by sitting in a cold bath - just immerse thighs, it worked a treat! Now I don’t need to do that as on W3/R2 and they seem to be doing ok.

I don’t run heel first though, think my mid-foot hits the ground first.. trying to remember as I just do it but defo not heel first.

Good luck with the running.. 🏃‍♀️

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Welcome to the forum and well done on getting started.

This guide to the plan is essential reading healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

and includes advice on minimising impact, stretching after every run, hydration and strengthening exercises, all of which will help.

Enjoy your journey.

[Brookjogger Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

thank you! this is most useful, I managed to miss this as a friend just mentioned how she'd done Couch25K so I leapt in and started at week 1 without any prior reading. She then forwarded the link to this social network, and yes your advice is very useful - maybe more so now that I'm already on the way and what you say is making sense and is encouraging.