Stretching….
that thing that we know we should be doing
but just don’t always seem to have (or make) the time for. It’s not
very exciting is it? Doesn’t exactly get your adrenaline going does
it? But read on to see why stretching should be a part of your
triathlon training plan.
Stretching can help to:
Improve your performance. Increasing flexibility in your muscles and range of movement in your joints will help to improve your performance.
During a triathlon your muscles repeat the same action time and time again. These actions do not usually take the limb through its full range of motion e.g. during cycling the leg never fully extends or flexes. Without stretching the muscles become short, tight and inflexible.
During running good flexibility in the hip flexors and quads allows the leg to swing through a wider arc. Tightness in these areas reduces the range of movement in your leg and increases the energy required.
During cycling tight hamstrings may prevent your leg from straightening, reducing the force you are able to produce on the downward pedal stroke.
Prevent Injury. Tight, shortened muscles can be more susceptible to injury due to their comparative lack of elasticity.
Improve posture. Your body wants to stay in the position it’s most used to. For a lot of us this means sitting with shoulders hunched at a desk or over tablets and smart phones. Combine this with triathlon training and as a minimum that’s a lot of shortened hip flexors, shoulder and chest muscles and quite a few aches and pains. Regular stretching allows us to realign and improve our posture, breathing more easily and feeling more relaxed and de-stressed ready for the next training challenge.
Before your begin stretching here are a few important points you
must
read.
o As for any type of exercise if you have any pre-existing injuries or conditions you should seek medical advice as to the suitability of the training for you.
o Start each stretch slowly and gently and ensure you stay in a pain free range of motion (which will increase over time). Stop immediately if you do feel pain and seek medical advice.
o Form, ie. the way you perform the stretch, is very important so please take advice from a qualified coach, personal trainer or sports therapist/physio if you are at all unsure of the movement required.
o Keep breathing relaxed and controlled throughout and use the exhalation to try and relax further into the stretch.
o Start each stretch with good posture. For standing stretches this means stand tall, chest slightly lifted, shoulders relaxed down and back, feet hip width apart, and activate your core (think about sucking your belly button back towards your spine and gently contracting your pelvic floor muscles – the ones you use to hold things back when you need the bathroom).
o Different people will reach different levels, you may not be able to perform every stretch as depicted, just focus on posture, breathing and correct form. Try not to leave out the ‘difficult’ stretch, it’s probably the one you need most.
o Disclaimer: the informa@on and exercises shown in this document are for educa@onal use only and are not to be interpreted as an individual recommenda@on for a specific treatment plan. Exercise is not without its risks and can lead to injury.
Stretching
….
There are many different trains of thought
on stretching, how and whether or not it should be done; many
books and internet blogs are available on the subject. The
stretches on the following pages may be used as a basic guide to
get you started.
Warm Up
3. Trunk rotations. Rotate your body and arms from side to side.
A warm up is a crucial part of your training session or race, increasing blood flow and warming the muscles so that you are firing on all cylinders before you begin and reducing your chances of picking up an injury. Wear extra layers of clothing and peel off once you start to feel warm.
Dynamic (moving) stretches, particularly those that mimic the actions you will be using (e.g. forward arm circles = front crawl) are the most beneficial during your warm up. Static stretches (ie. holding in one position for several seconds) when the muscles are cold are now thought to be ineffective and may cause injury.
Spend approx 45-60 seconds on each of the following dynamic stretches (read notes on previous page before starting).
Begin with a few minutes of brisk walking, jogging, skipping, star jumps or anything that gets you moving and raises your heart rate. You’re aiming to just break into a sweat, not be out of breath.
5. Leg swings. This can be done with your hand on something for balance (e.g. wall, fence). Swing your leg forwards and backwards making the movement more exaggerated as the muscles begin to warm up. Repeat on opposite side.
1. Shoulder shrugs. Feet hip width apart, arms relaxed by your sides and shrug shoulders up to your ears. Then lower down towards the ground keeping your neck long and repeat
4. Bent over hugs. Slightly bend your knees and activate your core, then lean forward. Swing your arms out to the sides then back in to hug your shoulders.
2. Arm rotations. With arms straight (not locked) rotate your arms. Start with small circles forward, leading to big full circles. Repeat going backwards.
6. Cross body leg swings. As above but swing the leg laterally across your body to the left and right.
Warm Up (cont)
12. Butt kick. Run forward, kicking your heels up to your buttocks. Keep your torso upright.
This warm up can also be done poolside – ensure you use a dry area to avoid slipping!
7. Hip rotations. Lift one leg with your knee bent to hip level, rotate out to the side, then lower back to the floor. Repeat on both legs and then the opposite way around i.e. lift the leg with the knee bent out to the side and then rotate in and lower.
8. Upper calf dynamic stretch. Lean against a wall or similar with your legs straight behind you. Keeping your feet facing towards the wall alternately lift and lower your heels repeatedly (roll right through your foot onto your toes). Repeat with your toes facing in and then again with toes facing out. This will target the upper bulky part of your calf.
9. Lower calf dynamic stretch. As above except start the exercise with your knees slightly bent. This will target the lower part of your calf and achilles tendon.
11. High knee walk. Take a step forward and bring one knee up, pulling it with the hands toward the chest and raising up onto your toes. Lower the leg down in front, stepping forward and bringing the other knee up. Keep the back straight as you pull the knee and do not lean forward. Repeat.
10. One leg toe touch. Take a step forward and place the weight on the heel as you bend forward from the hip. Look straight ahead as you lower the fingers to the ground, lifting the opposite leg towards the ceiling. Keep the back straight, chest out and a slight bend in the knee. Lower the leg stepping it forward and repeat.
Static Stretches
after an event or training session
1. Behind back shoulder reach. Lace your fingers and push your hands down behind your back towards the floor and slightly away from the trunk, knuckles facing up and hold.
As the muscles are warm, this is the time for static stretches i.e. holding a stretch in one position. Build that extra time into your plan for stretching and you will reap the benefits.
Before you start, rehydrate and add extra layers of clothing as necessary.
Ensure you’ve read the notes on the introduction page. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times. 3. Overhead Triceps Stretch. Reach your arm above your head, then bend your elbow so your hand goes towards the centre of your back. Then reach up to your elbow with the opposite hand, gently pull across and down. Repeat on opposite side.
4. Global Stretch. Lie flat on your back with your left arm stretched above your head and your right arm at shoulder level. Then slowly twist/rotate your hips to the left and bring your right knee level with your hips, then attempt to straighten your leg. Aim to keep your right shoulder and arm on the ground. Gradually reverse the action to release and repeat on other side
2. Wall Chest stretch. Stand with feet hip width apart and place left forearm against a wall or doorway at shoulder level. Shift your body forward by stepping ahead with your right leg. Keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. Repeat on opposite side.
To increase the stretch rotate your body outwards (away from the wall).
Static stretches (cont)
These stretches can also be used as a stand alone stretching session but you must warm up (jog, brisk walk or similar) for at least 5-10 mins beforehand
10. Upper Calf Stretch. Stand with both hands on a wall, place one leg behind the other and lean your body forward without bending the back leg until you feel a stretch in your back calf. You should feel a stretch in the bulky part of your calf muscle towards the back of your knee
11. Lower Calf Stretch. As above, but step the back foot in slightly, bending the back knee until you feel a stretch in the lower part of your calf
8. Quadriceps Stretch. Grasp one ankle and gently bend the knee pulling the heel towards your buttocks. Stand tall and keep your hips pushed forward. Hold onto a wall or similar for balance.
6. Hip Flexor Stretch. Kneel down, place the right foot in front of you (knee bent). Activate your core (see notes) to feel a stretch in the thigh/groin area. Lift the left arm high above your head then bend it over to right side. Don’t lean backwards or forwards. Increase stretch by lunging forward slightly onto the right leg.
9. Adductor Stretch. Stand with a wide split stance and lunge towards one side creating a straight leg on the opposite side. You should feel a stretch along the inside of the straight leg (adductors). Changing the angle of the foot on the side you are stretching will target different areas of the adductor muscles.
5. Glutes Stretch. Lie on your back with your knees bent, place the left foot on the right knee. Keep shoulders on floor, bring your right knee (and the left foot) towards your body. To increase stretch grasp the ankle/ lower leg of your left foot and pull gently toward your body, using left elbow to push the knee out to the side. You should feel the stretch in left buttock.
7. Hamstring Stretch. Lie on your back, lift one leg with knee bent, holding behind your thigh. Slowly extend the leg until a stretch is felt in the back of your thigh.
Foam roller
.
They come in various sizes and densities and are
basically used to iron out the wrinkles in your scrunched up
muscles! Although not scientifically proven, regular use is thought
to smooth and lengthen the muscle reducing adhesions (knots)
and scar tissue and decrease the likelihood of DOMS (Delayed
Onset Muscle Soreness). Blood flow is also increased speeding up
your recovery and boosting performance. They can be used in
many ingenious ways to get at most of your muscles. Be warned,
it is not the most comfortable of activities …. but does get more
comfortable with regular use.
Pilates and Yoga.
Sign up with a qualified teacher for Pilates or
Yoga classes. Great for all over flexibility and core strength. Guys -
this means you too! There is at least one men only pilates class in
Kendal if that’s what’s holding you back!
Other ways to increase flexibility and
prevent injury…
Pre-event Massage
o enhances warm up
o increases circulation
o decreases muscle tension
o psychological boost
o warms up and increases
blood supply to the muscles
Post-event Massage
o enhances cool down
o helps return you to
pre-event state
o relieves muscle cramps
o soothes and eases
fatigued muscles
o reduces the risk of next
day muscle soreness
Sports Massage
What is it?
Sports massage uses advanced ‘hands on’ techniques to massage, manipulate and rehabilitate soft tissue (e.g. muscles, tendons, ligaments).
When should I have it?
You may know that sports massage is useful when you have an injury and yes, it certainly does help to treat them and promotes your body’s own healing process. But don’t wait to be injured, a regular sports massage (every 4 weeks or so) from a qualified practitioner can do much more; including improving your flexibility and posture, preventing injury and improving athletic performance.
As the muscles can be worked deeply during sports massage, they may sometimes be fatigued the next day. Therefore, it’s not recommended that you have deep sports massage less than approx 24-36 hrs before an event.
Pre and Post event massage are shorter massages that are delivered immediately before and after an event/race. Once you’ve had one I’m sure you’ll agree it’s the best use of 10-15 mins of your time.
