With busy schedules, it’s often tempting to jump right into training and skip stretching or not dedicate enough time to it. But, a solid stretching routine is indispensable for anyone looking to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Besides helping you increase your range of motion and flexibility, stretching prepares your muscles for physical activity and relieves built-up muscle tension and stress. It releases endorphins that calm your nervous system and alleviate pain.
Here’s what USA figure skater Ilia Malinin says about stretching:
“The main thing I do when I wake up in the morning is do a little bit of dynamic stretching. It really warms up my body a little bit to go through the day so that I’m not walking with a really sleepy body. It’s very good to get warmed up before you go into your day because you don’t want to have small, minor injuries that could then affect your sport or your activity.”
Has Ilia motivated you to make stretching a part of your lifestyle?
Here’s a range of upper and lower-body stretching exercises from TOCA Football to bolster your athletic self. Let’s delve in and explore when and how long you must stretch.
Depending on the sport you play and your level of professionalism, stretching routines can vary. For instance, USA heptathlete Anna Hall sets a timer for 10 minutes to stretch the parts of her body that feel sore after a 10-minute core exercise routine every night.
Perhaps to start out, you can try:
As for how long you can stretch, that totally depends on your fitness level. You can start with 10 to 15 minutes of full-body stretch a few times a week. But ensure to warm up before you start stretching.
Let’s take a quick look at various types of stretches for your neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and back that help improve your upper-body flexibility, reduce muscle soreness, and ensure posture correction.
The Standing Forward Bend Stretch, also known as Uttanasana, is excellent for your hamstrings and calves. To do this:
Make sure you experience the stretching sensation in your hamstrings and lower back. Take deep breaths and maintain the position for approximately 30 seconds to one minute. To exit, bend your knees slightly, engage your core, and roll up gently.
The Cat-Cow Stretch promotes spine flexibility and releases the tension around that area. To do this:
Move smoothly between these poses, syncing breath with movement.
The Spinal Twist Stretch will help improve joint mobility and reduce back pain. To do this:
As you hold this stretch, you should feel a gentle twist along your spine. Breathe deeply and relax into the pose, then switch sides.
The Lower Back and Hip Stretch work on major muscle groups like flexors and psoas. To do this:
Maintain the stretch for approximately 20-30 seconds, then release and replicate the movement on the opposite leg.
The Chest Opener Stretch improves your body posture by working on your chest and shoulders. To do this:
The stretch should be felt across your chest and shoulders. Hold this pose for 15-30 seconds while breathing deeply, then release.
Let’s explore how the following lower-body stretching exercises improve muscle flexibility and overall muscle balance in the legs, hips, and lower back.
The Lying Hip Flexor Stretch helps loosen your hip flexors, which can get tight from running and kicking. To do this:
The Standing Lunge dynamic stretch helps increase flexibility and range of motion in your hips and glutes. To do this:
You should experience a mild stretching sensation in the muscles at the back of your thighs. Breathe deeply and hold for 15-30 seconds, then release.
The Inner Thigh Stretch assists your adductors in being flexible for kicking and changing direction quickly. To do this:
The Pigeon Stretch provides deep flexibility and relief from tightness in your glutes, hips, and lower back. To do this:
Irrespective of the sport you play, a stretching program will limber up your muscles, increase your flexibility and full range of motion, and help with injury prevention. The best part is you can do them almost anywhere, and they only take a few minutes.
To motivate your commitment to regular stretching routines, consider TOCA Football’s soccer programs for all ages and keep your body active and engaged. We offer these comprehensive soccer programs:
Are you or your child keen to embrace the TOCA experience? Book your free baseline session now and get rolling!
With busy schedules, it’s often tempting to jump right into training and skip stretching or not dedicate enough time to it. But, a solid stretching routine is indispensable for anyone looking to improve athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Besides helping you increase your range of motion and flexibility, stretching prepares your muscles for physical activity and relieves built-up muscle tension and stress. It releases endorphins that calm your nervous system and alleviate pain.
Here’s what USA figure skater Ilia Malinin says about stretching:
“The main thing I do when I wake up in the morning is do a little bit of dynamic stretching. It really warms up my body a little bit to go through the day so that I’m not walking with a really sleepy body. It’s very good to get warmed up before you go into your day because you don’t want to have small, minor injuries that could then affect your sport or your activity.”
Has Ilia motivated you to make stretching a part of your lifestyle?
Here’s a range of upper and lower-body stretching exercises from TOCA Football to bolster your athletic self. Let’s delve in and explore when and how long you must stretch.
Depending on the sport you play and your level of professionalism, stretching routines can vary. For instance, USA heptathlete Anna Hall sets a timer for 10 minutes to stretch the parts of her body that feel sore after a 10-minute core exercise routine every night.
Perhaps to start out, you can try:
As for how long you can stretch, that totally depends on your fitness level. You can start with 10 to 15 minutes of full-body stretch a few times a week. But ensure to warm up before you start stretching.
Let’s take a quick look at various types of stretches for your neck, shoulders, arms, chest, and back that help improve your upper-body flexibility, reduce muscle soreness, and ensure posture correction.
The Standing Forward Bend Stretch, also known as Uttanasana, is excellent for your hamstrings and calves. To do this:
Make sure you experience the stretching sensation in your hamstrings and lower back. Take deep breaths and maintain the position for approximately 30 seconds to one minute. To exit, bend your knees slightly, engage your core, and roll up gently.
The Cat-Cow Stretch promotes spine flexibility and releases the tension around that area. To do this:
Move smoothly between these poses, syncing breath with movement.
The Spinal Twist Stretch will help improve joint mobility and reduce back pain. To do this:
As you hold this stretch, you should feel a gentle twist along your spine. Breathe deeply and relax into the pose, then switch sides.
The Lower Back and Hip Stretch work on major muscle groups like flexors and psoas. To do this:
Maintain the stretch for approximately 20-30 seconds, then release and replicate the movement on the opposite leg.
The Chest Opener Stretch improves your body posture by working on your chest and shoulders. To do this:
The stretch should be felt across your chest and shoulders. Hold this pose for 15-30 seconds while breathing deeply, then release.
Let’s explore how the following lower-body stretching exercises improve muscle flexibility and overall muscle balance in the legs, hips, and lower back.
The Lying Hip Flexor Stretch helps loosen your hip flexors, which can get tight from running and kicking. To do this:
The Standing Lunge dynamic stretch helps increase flexibility and range of motion in your hips and glutes. To do this:
You should experience a mild stretching sensation in the muscles at the back of your thighs. Breathe deeply and hold for 15-30 seconds, then release.
The Inner Thigh Stretch assists your adductors in being flexible for kicking and changing direction quickly. To do this:
The Pigeon Stretch provides deep flexibility and relief from tightness in your glutes, hips, and lower back. To do this:
Irrespective of the sport you play, a stretching program will limber up your muscles, increase your flexibility and full range of motion, and help with injury prevention. The best part is you can do them almost anywhere, and they only take a few minutes.
To motivate your commitment to regular stretching routines, consider TOCA Football’s soccer programs for all ages and keep your body active and engaged. We offer these comprehensive soccer programs:
Are you or your child keen to embrace the TOCA experience? Book your free baseline session now and get rolling!
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