5 Easy Post Work Out Stretches.

Stretching, such a controversial issue! Are you supposed to stretch at all anymore and if so when?

So many opinions, who’s right? With Performance Yoga I aim to get rid of the stigma out there that ‘Yoga’ is all about flexibility and stretching. Because it is not. The physical aspect of Yoga is about returning your bodies movement patterns to its optimum levels for your performance and sport. Mobility work needs to be Sports Specific. A golfer might need and benefit from more Spinal Rotation work than a long distance runner or cyclist would. A Rugby Player needs to be fully mobile in all directions, but position played dictates what movements need to be prioritised and optimised. In short ‘stretching’ should be not only Sports specific but Player Position Specific.

Central truck and pelvic strength and stability is paramount. Strengthening your core is like laying down solid foundations for a house. Once pelvic strength and stability develops and improves, overly tight muscles will begin to lengthen appropriately and safely with movements. Long muscles such as hamstrings, calves, quadriceps will become more elastic and stronger, creating more force production / power with less effort.

Mobility work should be prescribed by a Chartered Physiotherapist. Although science lacks consensus on how long and how often you should stretch for. I advise, once you feel the sensation of stretch in the belly of the muscle, hold it for 6 deep breaths and repeat 3 or 4 times per area.

Let’s take an amateur runner or cyclist (by amateur I mean no-one is paying you to do this, unless it’s bribery of course). Once you’ve completed your activity, glutes, hip flexors/quads, hamstrings and calves have worked hard, so will benefit from a gentle stretch while your muscles are still warm. Give these simple moves a try for your post run/cycle cool down. 5-10 minutes well spent.