Warning: This post is long. Deal.
There are many different forms of stretching, each with their own benefits. Although I don't have all the answers and know everything, I know a good base knowledge of what I believe each person should do before and after practices and events.
Now, when I go work out, I typically only stretch the muscle groups I'm targeting that day. However, Belegarth, like any other sport, requires the use of every muscle and every bone joint. It is just as important to stretch out your muscle as it is to stretch out your joints. Here is a list of what I do, why I do it, and how to do it.
Please keep in mind a few things.
You want a good warm up first. I should walk back and forth on the field a couple of times. This should take about two minutes. This will warm up your body, your mind, and also make sure there is no debris and other crap on the field. You never want to stretch "cold".
It does not matter how flexible you are, as long as you are pushing yourself, you are going to benefit.
My list is not perfect nor is it exclusive. This is what I do. I am always looking for ways to improve.
Tests show a stretch being held for more than 30 seconds does not add benefits. So, it is not necessary to hold a stretch for long periods of time.
When you stretch, maintain a normal and relaxed breathing rate.
Everytime you do a stench, you want start off nice and slowly into the stretch. Don't just jump into the stretch. You can hurt yourself doing this. Your body tells you a lot about it self, so listen to it. Feel it. You want to stretch to just about as far as you can go, and then hold it for about 15 seconds. Then you want to go about one inch or extra push further into it, and then hold that for about 10 seconds. Then relax. Nice and slowly relax from the stretch. My description sounds like a new age hippie meditative bullshit trend, but everytime you do this you are reading your muscles' responses to this stretch and so you can judge if that was a beneficial stretch or not.
Alright, I have a order to my stretch and I like to go from toes to the top of my head and then back down to toes again. First thing I do, is sit my ass on the ground. Floop (sound effect of my ass hitting the ground). I tuck in my left foot and stick my right foot out, and then slowly lead and touch the toes with my finger tips. Then switch sides. This stretches out your cavles and hamstrings.
Then I do a butterfly stretch. Tuck in both feet towards your groin, your knees should be suspended a bit off the ground, and grab your feet with your hands and pull your body in. Keep your back straight. You will feel the stretch on your groin area.
Then I like to do something I call the hockey stretch. This is a higher level of stretching and I would highly encourage you to do this under my supervision first, as you can hurt yourself if you don't do this right. Basically, you get on all hands and knees, then you stick your one leg out 90 degrees. Then lower your core and butt down to stretch out the groin. This is using your weight to stretch out the groin. This is pretty close to what I do
I can't believe I am posting a picture of Sidney Cocksucken CrosbyThen I stretch out my abs by doing what I believe is called the upward dog stretch. Hands firmly on the ground like you are about to do a pushup. Push off the floor with your arms and keep your legs firmly planted on the ground, like so.
Make sure you can feel a good stretch on your abs and your lower back does not hurt.
Then I roll over onto my back and do a lower back and hip stretch called
. This is good to do if you have chronic lower back pain. It is what I am doing in my pic from my first post. Here's a better one:
What you want to do legs together, arms straight out flat on the ground. Then left one foot as high as it can go, then cross over and slowly lower it until it hits the floor. Pretend your legs are two sides of a triangle, and you want as high of a angle as possible for the point that meets were your junk is at. If you can do what that guy did on my pic, then congrads you are made from liquid metal and stared in a early 90s movie. Please don't kill me, I will embrace the new robot overlords. However, realistically this angle is going to be about the same as me.
Then I get up and grab the nearest fixed object (or friend) to use for balance. I don't know what this is called but you left up one of your legs and hold it with your hand. This will stretch out your quadriceps.
Then I usually do these but not in order:
Pecs are sexy!
I usually stand with feet shoulder weight apart, hold my arms out at a 90 degree angle like if I was being nailed to a cross. Then I slowly swing my hands backwards as far as it can go. You should also feel your upper back benefit as well. Sorry best pic I can find. You want to be like the guy on the right.
Order now and you get yourself not one, but TWO gay stretching partners with no additional charge! (except shipping and handling)Then I do another pec stretch, also don't know the name, but you put your feet togetherish, bend down 90 degree like you're Obama and you're meeting the Emperor of Japan, and while you are down you want to grab your hands behind your back, lock your fingers together like you just fell in love with yourself, then left up as far as you can go, similar to this:
Bend down bitch no one is staring at your saggy old assThen I stretch out my shoulders and arms. Very important for this sport.
Do what this guy is doing. Sorry my brain is getting fried from typing. This pic is self explanatory.
Then... BAM
Left your arm straight up, and with other arm grab the elbow and pull behind your head. This will stretch out your triceps. You can also lean your body a bit and stretch out your obliques a little bit too.
Then I do this which stretches out your upper back:
Lift your hands above your head. Lock your fingers together above your head palms down to your head, then as you are lifting your arms upwards, rotate your hands so your palms are up. Stretch as high as you can. Throw your shoulders into it a bit.
Then I finally do this.
Grab your hand with your other hand behind your back. Then pull. As you are pulling, tilt your head towards the direction you are pulling, so your neck muscles can get a little stretch as well.
And then I stretch my forearm and wrists by doing this:
Also good for you if you have carpal tunnel or your wrist hurts from chronic masturbation.
Congrads! You have achieved stretch. But you are not quite done yet. Joints are just as important to work on.
I usually start off with the shoulder joints. Legs shoulder width apart. Then rotate your arms very slowly and have a small rotation at first. Then make progressively bigger circles, like you are in Jr High school gym class again. Then keep getting bigger until they are as big as they can go and make between 3 to 6 big ones. Remember to keep this nice easy and slow. This is not the Indy 500. Then repeat doing this but in reverse. Slowly and small circles at first, etc.
Then I do hip joint stretches. Hands on your sides. Then thrust out like you just got out of the shower and showing off your cock to your girlfriend or friend with benefits (what man hasn't done that?) and then rotate, like you have a hula hoop, but only nice easy and slow. Then switch rotation. Make sure you are really paying attention to what your body is telling you here because some peoples bodys are not designed to do this well.
Then I do knee joints. Hands planted on the leg, right above the knees. Same principle as above but only rotate the knees. Nice and easy 3-5 times one way, then switch.
Now ankles. I attack the ankles on two fronts. I rotate them, and then also stretch them. Then I also lift up my one foot, hold it in place, and then lift the foot/ankle towards me then away from me then to the right and then to the left, like so.
But make sure your foot is huvvering in the air and not on the ground like this pic. That's silly.
And then I do this, but only standing up by pressing my back against a wall or tree:
That is everything from the top of my head.