Warm up properly and avoid injury

What is the most common reason why sports injuries are suffered

? Most will state that it is cataclysmic sports related accidents that cause such injuries. While this may be the most commonly cited reason, the fact remains this is really not the case at all. In actuality, it is common muscle and tendon tears that yield such injuries. In some cases, these injuries are minor while in other cases they can be severe. However, in mostly all cases, such injuries can be avoided. How can they be avoided? The proper performance of effective stretches and warm ups can lead to a significant reduction in sports related injuries.

Rushing through warm ups and stretching or, worse, skipping out on such activities is a huge mistake. Often, putting a decent 20 minutes in pre-exercise session warm up/stretching sessions can deliver a significant improvement in your physical performance. Through stretching and warming up, you will be able to heat the muscles and extend their range of motion. This makes them less susceptible to the common tears, strains, and errant problems commonplace when they are not effectively "prepped" for workout performance. Through a simple four step approach, you can improve your performance and limit potential problems. Here s a look at that four step approach:

General warm up exercises: Namely, you would perform light physical aerobic activities to get the heart rate going and the temperature in the muscles increasing. This helps the body slowly become ready for the more impactful physical activities it will soon be tasked with performing.

Basic static stretching: This is the simplest process to engage in. It entails gently stretching the muscles and tendons. Holding the stretch for a few seconds will allow the muscles to gain a little extra flexibility, which can go a long way towards reducing injuries.

Sports specific exercises: These would be warm up exercises that are closely related to the exercises you are performing. Baseball players could perform a simple game of catch and this would prove to be an excellent sports specific exercise since it incorporates the same activities that would be employed in an actual game.

Dynamic stretching: This type of stretching involves motions designed to stretch the body to its normal range of motion. While the extension of the range of motion will only be slightly beyond the range of static stretching, the impact can be rather significant, which is why it is so recommended.

Just be sure that you keep all four points in the fourfold process. Among the biggest mistakes people make is that they abandon stretching altogether and invest the bulk of their time solely in the warm up exercises. This would be a huge mistake since a lack of flexibility is a common contributor to injuries and other such physical maladies. So, always be sure to stretch as it is among the most important components of the warm up process.

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Information supplied by Brad Walker and The Stretching Institute. Brad is a leading stretching and sports injury consultant with more than 20 years experience in the health and fitness industry. For more free articles and information on stretching, flexibility and sports injury management, visit The Stretching Institute.

The Stretching Institute

47-47 36th Street, Suite # 3208

Long Island City, NY 11101

1-877-580-7771

Warm up properly and avoid injury

By: Stephen Colbert

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