Why Stretch?
Muscles and joints that are too tight and restricted frequently cause muscle strains and tendonitis. By stretching
the muscles you can help reduce the risk of these and other injuries as well as increase your over-all performance. In addition to maximizing your performance, a consistent stretch program provides the following: • Injury prevention
• Improve range of motion
• Improve circulation to the muscles
• Improve performance
Technique:
A thorough warm-up and stretching routine can be completed in less than 10 minutes. Because a warm muscle will stretch further than a cold muscle, it is always best to do a quick warm-up. Jogging a few laps around the parking lot or even doing some jumping jacks will work great.
Because muscles will be warmest after a practice, greater gains in flexibility will be achieved by stretching at that time.
The following stretches should be performed by holding the stretch for each target muscle for 3
seconds, relaxing that muscle, then repeating the stretch for a total of 10 repetitions on each side. LOWER BODY STRETCHES While on all fours, place your toes flat on the ground underneath .
Push back with your arms until you feel the stretch in your feet.
Foot: Plantar Fascia
Ankle
Sit with your left leg straight. Bend your right leg and cross your
right foot over and rest it to the outside of your left knee. Grab your right foot with your left hand tomove the ankle. In addition, to circular motions of the ankle, be sure to point and flex the foot. Repeat the stretch on the other ankle.
Lower Leg & Calves
From a pushup position, place your right foot over your left heel.
Your weight shouldbe on the ball of your left foot. Push your left foot down flat to the ground, keeping your left leg straight. You should feel a stretch in your calf and ankle. Repeat the stretch on the other leg. To isolate different muscles with this stretch add a bend into your knee. Bending your knee will shift the focus of the stretch onto the soleus muscle and the achilles tendon
Upper Leg: Quads & Patellar Tendon
Gently pull the heel of your foot backwards until it touches your
buttocks. Keep your head up and maintain an upright body
position. Your knee should point towards the ground.
To stretch other quad muscles with this stretch add some
inward and outward rotation to the leg.
Repeat the stretch on the other leg.
Lunge slowly to the right, keeping your toes pointed straight
ahead and feet flat. Squat by sitting back and down onto
your right leg, keeping your left leg straight.
Maintain your weight on the right foot’s mid-foot to heel.
Keep your head up and maintain an upright body position.
Feel this stretch inside of your left thigh.
Repeat the stretch on the other leg.
With your feet together, step forward and squat into a
lunge position. Keep your head up and maintain an upright body position. You should feel this stretch in the open hip and even up into the abdomen as well. Repeat the stretch on the other leg. Posterior Upper Thigh: Hamstrings
*Lean the upper torso away from the open hip.
While standing up straight, cross one leg over the other.
Keep your low back flat and bend over hinging at the hips
until you feel the pulling in your rear leg.
It’s important to keep your back flat in this stretch.
The best way to ensure this is to really emphasize sticking
your buttocks out.
Repeat the stretch on the other leg.
Upper & Lower Back: Erector Spinae, Latissimus Dorsi & Trapezius
Sit with your right leg straight. Bend your left leg, cross
your left foot over and rest it to the outside of your
right knee. Bend your right elbow and rest it on the
outside of your upper left thigh. With your left arm
behind you, rotate your upper body toward your left
arm and hand. Use your right elbow to add a push to
the left knee to further the stretch. You should feel a
stretch in your lower back and possibly the outside of
your left leg. Repeat the stretch on the other leg.
Stand upright and cross your right leg behind your left.
Put your weight on your right leg and slightly lean
forward and to the left while pushing your right hip
to outwards. Your left foot should be parallel to your right.
You should feel the stretch in your right hip and down
the outside of your thigh.
Repeat the stretch on the other leg
Glutes: Gluteus Maximus & Piriformis
While lying on your back, bring your knees to your chest and cross your left leg over
your right, placing your left ankle and foot on your right knee. Reach under your right thigh and pull towards the chest. You should feel this stretch in your gluteal region. Repeat the stretch on the other leg. Glutes: Gluteus Maximus & Piriformis
While on your hands and knees, bend the left knee forward and then cross the left leg
in front of the right leg. Put your weight on your left leg as you straighten the right leg behind you. Square your hips toward the floor. Repeat the stretch on the other leg. While lying on your back, grasp your left thigh with your left hand and bring your left
knee towards the opposite armpit. Grasp your lower leg with your right hand and pivot your lower leg across your body and towards the ground. Feel this stretch deep into the buttocks. Repeat the stretch on the other leg
Glutes: Gluteus Maximus & Piriformis