Soccer Drills – Flexibility
According the National Academy of
Sports Medicine, flexibility can be defined as the normal
extensibility of all soft tissues that allow full range of motion of a joint.
Here are two types of flexibility. One is static flexibility which is defined as
“the range of motion about a joint.” And dynamic flexibility as “the resistance
of a joint to motion.”
It is observed that athletes with
poor muscle flexibility experience more soreness, tenderness and pain after
exercise. The less flexible the muscles the more easily it sustains damage.
The importance of stretching cannot
be overemphasized to achieve maximum flexibility of soccer players. Stretching
increases the length of your muscles and tendons which leads to an increase in
the range of your motion or movement.
Stretching exercises for soccer
should focus on the muscles that surround the hip and lower back, knee and ankle
and should include 2 to 3 exercises for each joint. The following stretching
exercises can help improve flexibility for soccer players.
Calf stretch
is done starting with an assumed push up position. One foot should be on top of
the other and you continue the exercise by walking your hands toward your feet.
Always keep your heel flat on the ground as you walk back your hands. The
stretch is felt at the back of your lower leg.
Sit upright when doing the
pretzel stretch. The right leg must be straight out in front and the left
leg crossed over it near your body. The right arm is then placed outside of your
bent leg. Push back on your knee with your opposite arm and twist. The stretch
will be felt on the outside of the hip and in your lower back.
The quadriceps stretch is
done by taking a giant step forward and assuming a kneeling position. The back
should be straight as you exhale and slowly leaning forward. You should see your
toes when looking over your knee of your forward leg. The stretch is felt in the
front of the thigh of the back leg and back of the thigh in the front leg.
Take a large step forward and
slightly to the side for balance when doing the triangle stretch. Both
legs and the back must be kept fairly straight. Bend at your waist over your
front foot. The stretch is felt at the back of the thigh and behind the knee of
the forward leg.
The butterfly stretch is
achieved by sitting upright and bringing the soles of your feet together. While
keeping your back straight you push your legs towards the floor. The stretch is
felt on the inside of the thigh.
