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ACTIVE STRETCH
As is all other
phases of the program, the Active Stretch is an integral component. The
active stretch is meant to be a £functional warm up to be performed before any
other activity. The athlete should be conscious of each movement and each body
part that is being stretched. Again, there is a purpose to this other than that
of being simply a place to start. Special attention should be paid to the
loosening of the hips and core, and to the raising of the athlete's body
temperature. It is the philosophy of this program that the core is
best-activated and loosened by ground based movement that parallels game
movement.
The pace of the active stretch should be that of an easy jog.
Shoulders should be relaxed, the jaw should be slackened, and the movement
should be rhythmic.
Distance:
The dimensions of the area of exercise are of little consequence so long as
each exercise can be performed for a minimum of 10 seconds. For the purposes of
this program a rectangle with the lengths being 20 yards and the widths being 7
yards will be used.
Method:
Keep moving through the entire following, jogging the sides and following
the prescribed exercises for the lengths:
1. Jog
& weave entire rectangle twice.
2. Skip-hop the lengths once.
3.
Skip-hop backwards the lengths once.
4. Side-shuffle the lengths once,
switching directions for the second length.
S. Loose karaoke the lengths
once, switching directions for the second length.
6. Crossover side run the lengths once, switching directions for the second
length.
7. Crossover back and forth the lengths once, switching directions
for the second length.
8. Back pedal & weave the lengths once.
9. Back pedal & pop-step the
lengths once.
10. Jog & weave & touch ground the entire rectangle
once.
Don't just go through the motions...concentrate on relaxing and
loosening!
FULL ACTIVE MOVEMENT WARM-UP:
This is
non-stop continuous movement do all of the following
continuously:
1: Complete
Active Stretch: nice and slow, concentrating on good
form
2:
Balance & Stability: hold each of the
following for 5 seconds.
*
Squat Straight: Squat down on
your left leg and dangle your hands just above your left foot. Repeat for the other leg.
*
Squat outside: Squat down on
your left leg, rotate your body outside & dangle your hands just above &
beside your left foot. Repeat for the other
leg.
*
Squat inside: Squat down on
your left leg, rotate your body inside & dangle your hands just above &
j beside your left heel. Repeat for the other leg.
-
*
Shift laterally
right-to-Left: Stand on your left foot and step quickly laterally to your
right foot and hold. Repeat for the other
leg.
*
Shift forward right-to-Left:
Stand on your left foot and step quickly forward to your right foot and hold.
Repeat for the other leg.
*
Shift backward right-to-Left:
Stand on your left foot and step quickly backward to your right foot and hold.
Repeat for the other leg.
3)
Basic Core:
* Wide Rotation X 20: Stand feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together in front of you, arms locked, exaggerate-rotate your torso from side-to-side. Your chin should stay aligned with your hands for the entire movement.
* Tight Rotation X 20: Stand feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together in front of you, hands close to your body, elbows bent, narrow-rotate your torso from side-to-side. Your chin should stay aligned with your hands for the entire movement.
* Big Circle X 5 each way: Stand feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together in front of you, rotate your torso in an exaggerated circle. Your chin should stay aligned with your hands for the entire movement.
* Figure eight X 20: Stand feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together in front of you, rotate your torso in an exaggerated figure-8. Your chin should stay aligned with your hands for the entire movement.
*
Chop-to-knee X 20: Stand feet
shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together in front of you high above and
to the side of one ear, chop down and across your body
towards and past the opposite knee. Immediately do the same for the other side.
Your chin should stay aligned with your hands for the entire movement.
4) Multi-dimensional Stretch: lunge and reach for each of the following
* Reach up (twice each leg): Lunge forwards with your left foot and simultaneously reach both hands above your head. Repeat for the other leg.
* Reach out and down (twice each leg): Lunge forwards with your left foot and simultaneously reach both hands down beside your lunging foot. Repeat for the other leg.
* Reach across (twice each leg): Lunge forwards with your left foot and simultaneously reach both hands down and to the inside of your lunging foot. Repeat for the other leg.