“Beep - Beep - Beep” Alarm clocks going off and as you begin to wake up, you roll over and may think “gosh, why do I feel so stiff and sore today?”.

Do you have a case of Runner Recovery Amnesia? This blog is all about the recovery routine every runner needs for a lifetime of running.

We’ve all been there one time or another - logging more miles, more cross training workouts or a new training program. We are quickly reminded we’re not in our 20’s anymore and not feeling limber and spry after our workouts all the time.  Many people will say “it’s because I’m old”, “My joints are creaky” or “that’s what happens when you get to be my age” but we believe at Inside Out our bodies are meant to move and if you can have a customized plan created for you that you can consistently follow and live out in your day to day life, you can actually thrive as you age rather than feel creaky and stiff in your joints.

The beauty of running is it’s a sport that can be beneficial at all ages of life but with the caveat that we have to recover appropriately to be able to enjoy the activity for a lifetime.

Many runners have warm up amnesia. I’ve totally been there-lacing up my shoes and getting out the door on a run and doing little to nothing for a warm up.  As many runners have said “the first mile is my warm up”, yet this seemingly small thing to forget can compound over time with how your body responds and recovers after training.  When we exercise our bodies have micro damage that occurs at a cellular level, this is why nutrition, hydration, stress management and daily movement is so important for our wellbeing.

We’ve designed these warm ups and cool downs for runners like you. As we mentioned before, we’re made to move. These exercises have been selected for promoting range of motion and mobility in the areas where runners need it the most. Remember the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz?  We need our own version of his oil can to lubricate our joints. This is where daily movement and mobility can benefit us in our daily lives and workouts. 

When we move our joints we lubricate the joints which releases synovial fluid into the joints which helps our joints move through their range of motion smoothly and promotes our joint health.  If you’re able to complete daily movements like the ones below they can help promote circulation and nutrition to the joints which with consistency and targeted mobility your bodies can move away from the creaky and stiff into optimal aging with grace and resiliency.

Below we’ve included some of our favorite and most effective exercises for runners to implement into their routine for warm ups and cool downs. 

Runner’s Warm Up

Post Run Cool Down

I challenge you to try these out daily, especially on the days you are running. See how you feel?  Ask yourself these 4 questions:

• How did I feel before the run and exercises?
• How did I feel during my run?
• How did I feel post-run?
• How am I recovering with my training?

We have worked with hundreds of runners and have found when they were consistent with their custom mobility and strength training program their results soared, they recovered better and they were able to crush their training goals regardless of age. So what are you waiting for? Give these warm ups, cool downs and recovery videos a try, what have you got to lose? Don’t like runners' recovery amnesia get you away from your fitness goals.

If you’re still not getting the progress you want as you work towards your goals, or if you have pain or injury that you’re trying to work around, we can help! We help busy and active individuals live strong and confident lives.  We do this through comprehensive packages that include 1-on-1 in-person or virtual sessions sessions, remote exercise programming and mobility programming, and nutrition coaching that is customized to you.

Don’t wait to live your best life, we’d love to help you reach your goals and be a part of your transformation!

Are you overwhelmed with the options available when it comes to your health? Are you tired of settling for short-term fixes without long-term results? Are you in need of a clear solution to better your health and fitness? Are you ready to become the person you know you can be?

Most people don’t know how to stay healthy and fit without getting hurt. At Inside Out Strength and Performance we provide a clear plan to get you in the best shape of your life, without getting injured, so that you can be active and confident that you’ll feel your best for years to come.

We help North County San Diego’s active adults and runners dealing with pain or injury get back to living a pain-free, strong, and confident life.

We are the Strength Docs who help active adults and runners live a strong, confident, and pain-free life. Fill out our contact form here to get a clear plan and get started.