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Side lunge (gluteus medius): Staying low with feet shoulder-width apart, slowly step far to the right. Keep your toes pointed forward, driving your weight to the right, flexing the knee and hip. Maintain good posture through the entire spine, keeping your head and chest up. Return to the center, and repeat on the left side. This move also stretches the groin and helps prevent injuries there. Lunge and twist (hip and spine): Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms raised to the sides, parallel to the ground. Take a big step forward with the right leg, bringing your weight forward until the knee is over the toes. From this position, twist the torso to the right until the left hand is over the knee. Step back and repeat with the left leg. This stretch helps increase hip mobility for better sprinting power and spine mobility, which reduces stress on the lower back, decreasing the chance of injury. Inverted hamstring stretches (gluteus maximus and hamstrings): Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms raised to the side, parallel to the floor. Lean forward, balancing on the right leg while raising the left leg behind you until it is parallel to the floor. Allow the right knee to flex as the left leg comes up. Hold the position for three to five seconds before slowly lowering the left leg and returning to a standing position. Repeat on the left leg. This is a particularly effective stretch for football players, who suffer a relatively high rate of hamstring injuries.

“I can’t stress enough of the importance on lower body strength. It keeps you up for the long haul.”

– 2013 NFL sack leader, DE Robert Mathis

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