Arm Circles Help Your Shoulders Relax

The muscles in the upper back often become tense while running, especially when running long distances. You can reduce this tension by adding arm circles to your stretching routine.

• Stand with your arms pointing straight out to either side.
  
• Use both arms simultaneously and make 10 circles in one direction, then 10 circles in the other direction.
  

This simple exercise does help to relieve tension in the upper back, which can be especially tight for people who, when they are not training for a marathon, spend much of their time working at a computer.