Pre-Game Warm Ups and Stretching for Athletes
Coaches and athletes alike, please take note! If you are, or, your team is
doing static stretching before a game, you're making a big mistake. This
is still a common mistake I see players doing before games and I'd like
to give you a little free training to help take your game to another level.
Static stretching is slow stretch. Usually, you hold the end position from
10 to 30 sec. or so. Some stretches we all know like partner holds,
where you bring a leg up in front, the partner holds the foot while
standing in front of you, you hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Or sitting on the
ground with your legs spread apart and bend at the waist to try to touch
your head to your knee. These are examples of static stretching. This
type of stretching is not the best way to stretch a muscle and it limits the
amount of force output athletes can produce once they are finished!
That's right, after that, your actually weaker and not more prepared for an
athletic event.
You want to perform Dynamic stretching routines, which enable you to
get a good stretch of the muscles while performing a certain athletic
movement.
Here's what you want to do before an event.
1) Light warm-up. This could be a light 400 meter or 800 meter jog or
skips. Jumping rope is a good warm up. It's simple and effective at
warming the muscles up. To get the same effect for your upper body,
while jogging, swing your arms in circles, cross them in front and other
directions. Try to bend at the elbows to stretch the back of your arms.
(Triceps) 5 to 10 min. to complete.
2) Dynamic Warm-Up. Now it's time to perform stretching exercises
which sort of mimic the movements you or your team will be doing on the
field or court. More aggressive Skips, High Knee Runs, Butt kicks,
Carrioca, and other movements whereby you stretch muscles, but at the
same time, you are preparing them for what is to come. Should take
approximately 8 to 12 min. to complete.
3) Team Drills. Now it's time to do the drills your team does to mentally
prepare for the game. Lay up drills, run offensive and defensive plays,
practice spiking drills, etc.
Now, your muscles are ready to start the game at their full potential.
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