Dymanic Stretching

With tendinitis, my physical therapist gave me a list of exercises designed to warm up my knees, and to relax my hamstrings. These suggestions have worked "okay" until my workout volume increased with the base cross training involved in triathlon. Our discussion centered around static and dynamic stretching.

My new routine is to wrap warm towels on my knees for a minute or two. Start with a light walk, steadily increase pace to light jog, then squats, leg rotations, leg lifts; movements that mimic the activity am about to engage in a controlled movements using full joint muscle range. Lunges & ballistic stretching are forbidden (for me at least). Then finish workout, and  go static for the cool down.

I tried it with my run last Monday. While my methods fail to draw deep empirical findings, it was my furthest & fastest run to date. I'm also a noob so I suspect most early gains are from increases in my neuromuscular coordination. Anyhow, I'm sticking with it!!


Suggested Links:

Dave Campbell - Form Set Warm up
http://www.ehow.com/video_4958563_offroad-triathlon-run-training.html

Al Lyman, CSCS - Hip Mobility
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=1839