John’s training blog 2
Flexibility and stretching exercises.
Good flexibility helps us paddle well and avoid injury – but if you do the exercises incorrectly you will injury yourself .
To improve flexibility you do stretching exercises.
When?
The exercises stretch your soft tissue (muscles tendons etc ) and must only be done when you have had a really good warm up.
After strenuous exercise you are warmed up and ready to do the stretches. Also after hard work your muscles tend to shorten so some stretching is needed to prevent this becoming permanent.
Hold a stretch so it is not painful for 15 – 20 sec. Do not ‘bounce’ the stretch. Deep breathing during the stretch will help extend the movement.
Should you stretch before exercise / paddling ?
Good stretches may temporally reduce the protection the soft tissue gives you against injury, (like an over stretched rubber bungee). Before exercise – warm up – loosen joints and soft tissue with bends, rotating limbs etc. but not stretching.
There are many books and websites on exercises and stretching and Canoe England produced a set of 10 stretches for paddlers - which I find really good. I sent these out with the last blog – I hope you have had a go at these!
Flexibility and teenagers
As children grow the different soft tissues and bones often grow at different rates. This increases the chance of injury during exercise. A good program of stretches carried out regularly will reduce this danger.
Like any exercise using your muscles a good warm down is needed after stretching. The enables the body to disperse any waste produced in the muscles during exercise so preventing aches and pains the next day.
If in doubt ask for help.
Flexibility and stretching exercises.
Good flexibility helps us paddle well and avoid injury – but if you do the exercises incorrectly you will injury yourself .
To improve flexibility you do stretching exercises.
When?
The exercises stretch your soft tissue (muscles tendons etc ) and must only be done when you have had a really good warm up.
After strenuous exercise you are warmed up and ready to do the stretches. Also after hard work your muscles tend to shorten so some stretching is needed to prevent this becoming permanent.
Hold a stretch so it is not painful for 15 – 20 sec. Do not ‘bounce’ the stretch. Deep breathing during the stretch will help extend the movement.
Should you stretch before exercise / paddling ?
Good stretches may temporally reduce the protection the soft tissue gives you against injury, (like an over stretched rubber bungee). Before exercise – warm up – loosen joints and soft tissue with bends, rotating limbs etc. but not stretching.
There are many books and websites on exercises and stretching and Canoe England produced a set of 10 stretches for paddlers - which I find really good. I sent these out with the last blog – I hope you have had a go at these!
Flexibility and teenagers
As children grow the different soft tissues and bones often grow at different rates. This increases the chance of injury during exercise. A good program of stretches carried out regularly will reduce this danger.
Like any exercise using your muscles a good warm down is needed after stretching. The enables the body to disperse any waste produced in the muscles during exercise so preventing aches and pains the next day.
If in doubt ask for help.
