Whatever kind of athlete you are, whether you spend your time cycling, running, swimming, or taking part in sports, keeping your body healthy and happy is a must to succeed. While exercise itself has plenty of value, stretching out your body before and after a great workout can make all the difference, as it keeps your body flexible, comfortable, and ready to go.
So, as an athlete, what stretches should be doing to keep your muscles in the best working order? Here Coffs Coast Sports Physiotherapy recommends these top stretches every athlete needs to know to get you started:
Lunges are an excellent way to use your body weight to your advantage, stretching out the lower legs and thighs to warm up or cool down. Both forward lunges and side lunges are simple and practical ways to incorporate basic stretching into your routine.
• Kneel on one knee
• Place your other leg forward in a right-angle position, with your knee over your ankle
• Lean forward until you feel stretch in your thigh
• Hold for 20-30 seconds
• Repeat several times for each side
Forward lunges are an excellent addition to any stretch routine, warming the muscles and providing plenty of benefits. If you want to add even more stretch to your forward lunge, grab your back foot and ankle and stretch forward for an additional quad stretch.
• Stand with your feet apart
• Bend a leg and lean your body towards that knee
• Hold for 20-30 seconds
• Repeat several times on each side
Side lunges are another easy stretch that’s well-worth trying. Offering greater flexibility, side lunges are easy to master and can have a real impact when done correctly.
When it comes to really stretching out those muscles, seated stretches are more effective than you might think. When it comes to the top stretches every athlete needs to know; you don’t want to leave seated stretches off of the list.
• Sit on the floor
• Place the bottom of your feet together, so your legs are a diamond shape
• Hold on to your feet and lean forward, stretching out your thighs and legs
For an additional stretch, you can try to push your knees as close to the floor as possible. Butterfly stretch targets the groin, which is one of the most easily pulled areas of athletes. With this stretch, you’ll be in a far better place to avoid these kinds of injuries.
• Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you
• Attempt to touch your toes with your legs out straight
• Lean forward as far as you possibly can to feel the stretch
A classic addition to any stretch routine, you don’t get more traditional than the seated hamstring. But that doesn’t mean this stretch isn’t valuable – tight hamstrings can be a real problem for any athlete, so the stretchier you are, the better.
If you want to avoid injury and keep your body happy, healthy and flexible, then having a complete stretching routine is necessary. Cover all areas of your body, but particularly focus on ones that impact your particular sport the most. If you want to prevent injury in the long-term, stretches aren’t a nice to have – they’re a must.
Get in touch with us online or call us on 02 6651 9622 for more information to prevent further injuries
Whatever kind of athlete you are, whether you spend your time cycling, running, swimming, or taking part in sports, keeping your body healthy and happy is a must to succeed. While exercise itself has plenty of value, stretching out your body before and after a great workout can make all the difference, as it keeps your body flexible, comfortable, and ready to go.
So, as an athlete, what stretches should be doing to keep your muscles in the best working order? Here Coffs Coast Sports Physiotherapy recommends these top stretches every athlete needs to know to get you started:
Lunges are an excellent way to use your body weight to your advantage, stretching out the lower legs and thighs to warm up or cool down. Both forward lunges and side lunges are simple and practical ways to incorporate basic stretching into your routine.
• Kneel on one knee
• Place your other leg forward in a right-angle position, with your knee over your ankle
• Lean forward until you feel stretch in your thigh
• Hold for 20-30 seconds
• Repeat several times for each side
Forward lunges are an excellent addition to any stretch routine, warming the muscles and providing plenty of benefits. If you want to add even more stretch to your forward lunge, grab your back foot and ankle and stretch forward for an additional quad stretch.
• Stand with your feet apart
• Bend a leg and lean your body towards that knee
• Hold for 20-30 seconds
• Repeat several times on each side
Side lunges are another easy stretch that’s well-worth trying. Offering greater flexibility, side lunges are easy to master and can have a real impact when done correctly.
When it comes to really stretching out those muscles, seated stretches are more effective than you might think. When it comes to the top stretches every athlete needs to know; you don’t want to leave seated stretches off of the list.
• Sit on the floor
• Place the bottom of your feet together, so your legs are a diamond shape
• Hold on to your feet and lean forward, stretching out your thighs and legs
For an additional stretch, you can try to push your knees as close to the floor as possible. Butterfly stretch targets the groin, which is one of the most easily pulled areas of athletes. With this stretch, you’ll be in a far better place to avoid these kinds of injuries.
• Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you
• Attempt to touch your toes with your legs out straight
• Lean forward as far as you possibly can to feel the stretch
A classic addition to any stretch routine, you don’t get more traditional than the seated hamstring. But that doesn’t mean this stretch isn’t valuable – tight hamstrings can be a real problem for any athlete, so the stretchier you are, the better.
If you want to avoid injury and keep your body happy, healthy and flexible, then having a complete stretching routine is necessary. Cover all areas of your body, but particularly focus on ones that impact your particular sport the most. If you want to prevent injury in the long-term, stretches aren’t a nice to have – they’re a must.
Get in touch with us online or call us on 02 6651 9622 for more information to prevent further injuries