Stretching
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Sure, every soccer player knows to stretch before playing, and every coach tells their team to stretch before games or practice - but when is the last time players (or coaches for that matter!) were told how to stretch correctly. We will try to explain why you must stretch, as well as some do's and don'ts to keep in mind.
Just in case no one has ever told you, here are some of the reasons why stretching is so important for soccer players.
Increased Flexibility - A good athlete is not just fast or strong. Flexibility works with strength, speed, endurance, agility, and skills to create your total athletic ability - if any of these are left out, you will not achieve your full potential on the soccer field.
Preventing Injury - Lack of flexibility increases the risk of sports injury. Studies show that female soccer players are at more risk to certain types of injuries, especially knee injury. This risk can be limited by properly stretching before and after ALL soccer play - practice and games.
Hydration - Keeping your body properly hydrated is important in any exercise, and also in stretching. Drink plenty of fluids before you exercise, as this will give your muscles the fluids necessary to perform to their best, and will also increase the benefits of stretching.
Warm-Up - Always warm up before stretching. Jogging or jumping jacks for 5-10 minutes will warm-up the muscles, and improve the results of your stretching. NEVER stretch or exercise without warming up for a few minutes first.
Breathing - While stretching, remember to breathe slowly and evenly. This increases oxygen to your body.
Stretch for the right length of time - hold each stretch for at least 10-30 seconds (but not more than 60 seconds).
Stretch evenly - stretch both sides (both legs, both arms, etc.) equally. Also, remember to stretch all of you muscle groups. Don't stretch the front of your thighs (quadriceps) without stretching the back of the thighs (hamstrings). Also, stretch your whole body, not just your legs - stretch your arms, back, neck, stomach, chest, etc.
Don't Bounce - Use slow even movements when stretching, bouncing places too much stress on your muscles and joints and does not help you stretch better.
Do Not Over Stretch - Be patient, and never force your joints to go further than they want to, you will begin to see results if you keep at it.
Keep Good Posture - Keep your back straight while stretching, or you risk injuring your back muscles.
Do Not Overextend Your Joints - Hyperextending your joints (bending them farther than they were meant to go can cause injury, and does not help you in any way. Female soccer players should pay special attention to their knees, to avoid injury.
If It Hurts...DON'T DO IT - Always listen to your body. Stretching correctly, you should feel tension on the muscles, and possibly some discomfort - If you have any sharp or serious pain during a stretch or exercise - STOP!, you may doing harm to your body. Remember, pain is your body's way of telling you that something isn't right, listen to it, and tell your coach, parent, or doctor about any pain that does not go away.
If you do have an injury, ask your doctor about any exercise or stretching and follow their advice.
Some Common Stretches to Avoid
Many coaches like the following stretches, but avoid them as they can do more harm than good. There are alternatives to all of these which are much more effective, without the risk.
Any stretch which places all of your weight on your back, such as lying on your back and lifting your legs over your body. If done incorrectly, you can injure your back easily.
The "Hurdler's Stretch" - this favorite of coaches everywhere is where you sit on the ground with one leg in front of you, and the other leg bent behind you, as you lean back and stretch your Quadricep (Front Thigh Muscle). This stretch places the tension on the tissues which connect the muscles and bones (ligaments and tendons) and not the muscles. This is BAD! We want to stretch muscles - not tendons and ligaments. This stretch also places too much pressure on the knees and back, and can over extend your joints.
Straight Leg Toe Touches - Legs straight, standing up, and you try to touch your toes. Once again, you can easily hyperextend your knees, and strain your lower back.
Lunges - Lunges are a good stretch, but most people do them incorrectly. When doing lunges, keep the leg behind you at a comfortable distance. Do not lock your back knee - keep your knee slightly bent to avoid over extending it. Keep your upper body straight, back straight, head up. Do not Lunge too far! You should never bend your front knee past your front foot - if you lean too far forward, with your knee going past your foot, you place too much pressure on your knee.
Some good stretches for soccer players are:
Quadricep Stretch - As an alternative to the Hurdler's stretch described above: sit on the ground, with one leg in front of you, tuck the other leg into the your thigh with your knee bent and on the ground. Lean forward, with your back straight until you feel tension - Hold for 10-30 seconds, repeat with other leg.
Inner Thigh Stretch - Sit on the ground (with your back straight of course) and bend your knees, and bring the bottoms of your feet together. With your hands gently push your knees towards the ground until you feel tension - Hold for 10-30 seconds.
Calf Stretch - Stand up straight, and place one toe some object (a curb, wall, or even a soccer ball!) and your heel on the ground. As you place pressure against your toe, you should feel tension on the back of your calf muscle. To Stretch the front of your calf (lower legs), as you are sitting on the ground, you can point your toe straight out, and you should feel tension on the front of your calf muscle. An Alternative to this is: while standing, point your toe straight out with one leg slightly behind you, and apply pressure on your toe - once again if done correctly you should feel tension on the front of your calf.
One thing most players forget to do is stretch AFTER you exercise. After you exercise, your muscles will want to tighten up (or even cramp). If you stretch after you play, your flexibility will increase faster, and not stretching after you work out will slow your progress, and increase the chances of injury. So ALWAYS cool down (jog for a few minutes at an easy pace) and then stretch once again before you leave the field.
It may take time for you to notice increased flexibility, but if you start by stretching 3-4 days a week for 4-6 weeks, you will be surprised at the difference it makes in your flexibility. After that you can cut back to stretching just a few days a week (like at during practice and games only). Remember, everyone is different, don't be discouraged if you are not as flexible as your teammates right away - just work to increase your own ability, and soon you will see results if you stick with it.
Links to other information on stretching
The information presented is intended as a starting point. If you would like to find out more information about stretching, try these websites:
Stretching & Flexibility - A comprehensive article on the science of stretching
Stretching For Success - Article from www.sweetspotsoccer.com
(we do not endorse or recommend any advice on any other websites - these links are presented for informational purposes only and you should evaluate any information presented on your own)
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SoccerDivas.Com staff article
The information presented is not meant as medical advice, and as with any exercise information: check with your doctor before exercising, as everyone is different and no information is correct for everyone. If you have any injury or experience any pain while exercising, consult your doctor before continuing. SoccerDivas.Com is not liable for any misuse of any information presented.