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My co-editor and I use different practices about stretching: I stretch a little before a game and she doesn't stretch at all ( I also notice she pops Advil a lot). I used to be more like my co-editor and not stretch at all. So, as time marched on, my aches, injuries, and recovery time increased while my flexibility decreased. So to prevent injury and improve performance, as well as to be less sore the day after, I recommend stretching before your game or workout. I firmly believe that there are a few big core muscles in our bodies that should be stretched before playing sports (as I recall from my stint as a personal trainer). The best rule of thumb is to stretch the muscles that you will be using. For example, for sports that involve running, stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings, calves, and lower back. For sports that involve your arms, especially throwing, add the stretching of your back, biceps, and shoulders. About three years ago, I discovered yoga. You can't really do yoga because it is an identification with eternal happiness, but you can do yoga practices. Hatha Yoga is the physical practice or postures (the Sanskrit word asana means 'seat' or 'posture') that have become popular in American culture. It is there I learned the benefits of stretching through yoga practices. Practicing yoga postures has helped my tired muscles and my spiritual mind by reducing physical pain, stress, and increasing flexibility. So while I recommend stretching, what I don't recommend is getting to the gym or field, throwing down your stuff, and immediately start bending and bouncing. The biggest rookie mistake athletes make is stretching when their muscles are "cold". You should have positive blood flow to your muscles before stretching. That can be achieved simply by a light jog around the field or practicing your sport (shooting baskets, throwing a softball) at low intensity. After about 5-7 minutes of this, your muscles are warm enough to stretch. You  |
want to target your core muscles and you want to stretch before you begin the intense cardio part of your game or exercise routine.
After warming up and playing your sport, it is equally important to "cool down" afterwards. This activity can go along way to keep you from being sore after a game. Cooling down involves light stretching, very similar to your warm up stretch. You want to work the muscles you just used for about 5-7 minutes, at low intensity. Follow this stretching with a light jog. This can help to "shake out" the lactic acid that may have formed in your muscles. And, as I always tell my co-editor, if all else fails get a massage!  R as a Tree |
