Flexibility Training - Tip 5
Stretch all major muscles and their opposing groups
Tip 1 /
Tip 2 /
Tip 3 /
Tip 4 /
Tip 6 When stretching,
it's vitally important that you pay attention to all
the major muscle groups in the body. Just because
your particular sport may place a lot of emphasis on
the legs, for example, does not mean that you can
neglect the muscles of your upper body in your
stretching routine.All the muscles play an
important part in any physical activity, not just a
select few. Muscles in the upper body, for example,
are extremely important in any running sport, as
they play a vital role in the stability and balance
of the body during the running motion. Therefore it
is important to keep them both flexible and supple.
Every muscle in the body has an opposing muscle
that acts against it. For example, the muscles in
the front of the leg, (the quadriceps) are opposed
by the muscles in the back of the leg, (the
hamstrings). These two groups of muscles provide a
resistance to each other to balance the body. If one
of these groups of muscles becomes stronger or more
flexible than the opposing group, it is likely to
lead to imbalances that can result in injury or
postural problems. For example, hamstring tears are
a common injury in most running sports. They are
often caused by strong quadriceps and weak,
inflexible hamstrings. This imbalance puts a great
deal of pressure on the hamstrings and usually
results in a muscle tear. Stretching Tips are
brought to you by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading
stretching and sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience in
the health and fitness industry. Each tip is pulled directly from Brad's
best seller, The Stretching Handbook. For more information, visit
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com
© 2004, Walkerbout Health Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.
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