Stretching Workouts for Female Athletes

As a woman, you typically have wider hips and less musculature -- particularly in the upper body -- than a man. These differences affect the alignment, strength and movement of your arms and legs, sometimes leading to muscle imbalance and injury risk. You are more susceptible to knee, hip and shoulder injuries than men. Developing a flexibility routine for these areas is beneficial for female athletes; it can enhance your performance and help prevent injuries.
Before Beginning
Talk to your doctor about your physical fitness and what stretches are safe for you to perform. When stretching, recognize your flexibility limit. Move into the stretch until you feel mild tension; as you become more comfortable, you can deepen the stretch. Hold stretches for 20 to 30 seconds without bouncing, and stretch both sides of the body. Warming up can increase your flexibility, but according to Sportsinjuryclinic.net, you can also stretch cold muscles as long as you begin gently, to avoid injury.
Leg Stretches
Maintaining balance in your quadriceps and hamstrings -- the front and back of your thigh, respectively -- is important. You can stretch your quadriceps by standing or lying down. Pull one heel toward your buttocks, reach back with your hand and gently pull the heel closer to your body. Stretch the muscles that pull your thigh toward your torso by kneeling and placing one foot in front of you. Lean forward into your bent leg until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. To stretch your hamstrings, sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Flex your feet and slowly reach toward your ankles or feet.
Hip Stretches
Flexible hips can help maintain proper leg alignment and prevent lower leg injuries. To stretch the outside of your hip, sit on the floor with both legs in front of you. Bend one knee and place that foot on the other side of your straight leg. Hug your knee into your chest until you feel a stretch. Stretch your inner thigh muscles by bringing the soles of your feet together and pulling your heels close to your hips. Place your hands around your feet or ankles and push down on your knees with your elbows gently.
Arm and Shoulder Stretches
Keeping the muscles in your shoulders and arms flexible and strong can prevent rotator cuff stiffness and injury. To stretch the side of your shoulder and part of your upper arm, cross one arm in front of you, placing the hand of your opposite arm just above the crossed arm's elbow. Gently pull the arm closer to your body. Clasp your hands together behind your back and straighten your elbows to stretch the front of your shoulders. Stretch your triceps by raising an arm straight above your head and bending the elbow. Reach your other hand up and pull the elbow toward your head.

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Posted in: Exercise and Fitness,Flexibility Exercises,Get Fit,Sports and Recreations

Most Physically Demanding Sports

There are several variations of the most physical sports; each variation depends on the criteria used to compile the list. Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, also known as ESPN, put together a panel of experts that included sports scientists, academicians, a two-sport athlete and sports journalists to rate a comprehensive list of 60 sports using 10 required skills as their basis for comparison. Six of the skills relate to the physical aspects shared by the listed sports: endurance, strength, power, speed, agility and durability.
Boxing
Boxing takes first place as the most demanding sport on ESPN’s list. When two boxers enter a ring, they must be in excellent physical condition and have the stamina to withstand physical battering for four to 15 rounds. Boxers require agility and speed to avoid blows to the body and head that accumulates points in favor of opponents, and enough strength and power to make their own blows count.
Ice Hockey
Ice hockey involves high-speed skating and aggressive, often brutal, body contact. The physical intensity of the game limits each player’s time on the ice to 30- to 80-second intervals followed by 4- to 5-minute rest periods in between. Ice hockey’s fast-moving pace is not only physically demanding, it contributes to the game being considered one of the most dangerous sports, according to International Medical Insurance.
Football
Football players hit and tackle one another with tremendous force as they advance across a 100-yard-long field to get a ball across the opposing team’s goal line. This physically challenging sport requires endurance, strength, speed and agility.
Basketball
Two teams with five players each, score points by throwing or shooting a ball through the opponent’s basket. Speed is essential for players to move quickly across a basketball court while bouncing or dribbling a ball. Multiple split-second changes in direction require agility and stamina.
Wrestling
In a 2006 interview appearing in Kent State University’s “The Burr,” WWE wrestler Nick Nemeth defined the outcome of a wrestling match as predetermined, but stated the action leading up to the scripted conclusion is real, physically demanding and often painful. Wrestlers are well-coordinated athletes, in top physical condition and able to withstand moves, such as body slams, limb twisting, punches and being hit with tables and chairs.
Martial Arts
The entire body is a tool in martial arts. Breaking bricks and boards with body parts, executing fast-paced moves involving kicks, punches and blocks while maintaining proper stance and balance, requires agility, flexibility, speed, endurance, strength and concentration. Martial arts are physically demanding, but determination outweighs athletic prowess.
Tennis
An exhausting, fast-paced, hard-hitting tennis match with players racing back and forth to hit the ball before it strikes the ground or after one bounce, can last from 35 to 40 minutes or five to six hours. Players must have strong arm and thigh muscles, tremendous stamina, endurance, strength, power, speed and agility to keep up with the grueling pace.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics involves tumbling and acrobatics, routines performed on bars, wooden beams, with balls and hoops or on trampolines. Participants in gymnastics require strength, rhythm, balance, flexibility and agility to perform and compete in this sport.
Baseball
Porter W. Johnson, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, estimates a pitcher throws a baseball 30 to 45 meters per second -- 67 to 100 miles per hour. A baseball hit by a batter travels up to 134 miles per hour, and a batter runs bases about 22 miles per hour. These three physical characteristics of baseball, pitching, hitting and running, require endurance, speed, strength and stamina.
Soccer
A soccer game is played for 90 minutes by two teams of 11 players. Using only heads and feet to maneuver the ball, team members aim to get the soccer ball into their opponent’s goal. This sport requires participants to possess the physical attributes of endurance, speed and agility.

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Posted in: Sports and Recreations

How to Throw Ball Far?

Some are born with a rocket throwing arm, but most have to work at it. There are several steps that help increase the distance on a throw. Proper arm extension, body placement and footwork are all keys to throwing a ball farther. The release point of the throw is also important.
Arm Action
The arm is always brought back --- or cocked --- when throwing a ball. To achieve maximum distance, the elbow is bent and the arm comes back behind the head as far as possible before whipping forward. Releasing the ball when the hand is just past the front of the head is the most effective method for throwing far. A smooth follow-through after the ball is released prevents the throw from going off line and falling short.
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Shoulder Set
Whether you are throwing a baseball, football or other type of ball, it is important to properly use the shoulders. The front shoulder determines direction and should be kept high with the arm held straight out on the throw. The back shoulder is initially dipped and then brought up to generate power. Playing long toss, starting at 60 feet and gradually increasing the distance to 180 feet, is a good way to build shoulder strength.
Leg Power
Before the throwing arm is brought back and the throwing shoulder lowers and lifts up, the legs are busy generating power. Getting a running start helps the ball carry farther, as does pushing off the back leg as hard as possible. The weight shifts from the back leg to the front leg on the throw and allows the hips to open and follow through.
Ready to Launch
Getting full arm extension and proper shoulder position, and driving off the back leg are key components to throwing a ball farther. Without the proper release point, the throw is likely to fall short of maximum length. Letting go of the ball too early results in a high trajectory that cuts into distance. Letting go too late results in a low throw that has a downward trajectory. According to a study conducted at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, the ideal release point comes at a 45-degree angle and sets up the longest throw possible.

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Posted in: Sports and Recreations

How to Reduce Hip and Tailbone Injury in Sports

You never know when that hip or tailbone injury will hit. That's why athletes, people who participate in high-impact recreational activities such as basketball, hockey, ice skating, snowboarding or even bicycling, and people with osteoporosis, often take proactive steps to protect their hips and tailbone, knowing they may not avoid the crunch but they may avoid the injury from it.
Uses
Visit any sports clinic and it becomes immediately evident that athletic activity comes at a physical price for many. Contact injuries and falls often cause a hip injury known as a hip pointer, bruising on the iliac crest on the side of the hip. Harder falls or hits can cause hip fracture. Falling backward into a seated position, a fall common in skaters, can fracture the coccyx, the group of four small bones at the end of your spine. Protective padding in these areas absorbs some of the impact, which reduces the risk of injury. If you have age-related osteoporosis, hip and tailbone padding might help protect against dangerous fractures.
Types of Protection
Professional athletes wear hip and tailbone protectors under their clothing. The exact configuration of the padding depends on the sport, since different sports are more likely to result in different areas of injury. Garments have padding made from foam, in slightly different areas, depending on the sport and the type of contact you're most likely to have with other players or the ground. Look for garments tailored to your favorite activity. Manufacturers also make hip and tailbone protection specifically for active people with osteoporosis.
Effectiveness
Hip protectors can help reduce bruising in areas of high-impact in contact sports such as football and soccer. But available studies on the effectiveness of hip and tailbone protectors on preventing broken bones have been done on people in nursing homes, not athletes. Study results have been mixed on their effectiveness, according to Rivet. Nursing home residents are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures, than younger athletes, so the studies don't really assess the effectiveness of protector use in athletics.
Caveats
Don't rely on your clothing to protect your hip and tailbone from injury. While hip and tailbone pads may protect against bruising and fractures in contact sports, they may not save your bones in a fall from a higher height, such as a snowboarding or skiing accident or any other sport that involves jumping. Exercise caution when participating in any sport and see your doctor for medical clearance.

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Posted in: Sports and Recreations

4 Stretches Required for Cycling

Cycling requires a lot of cardiovascular and muscle fitness, especially if you are an avid fitness or competitive rider. The muscles in your legs -- the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves do most of the work -- but your core, arms, shoulders, and back muscles also work to a lesser extent. Cyclists often complain of the pain and stiffness in their neck, shoulders and back muscles, especially after long rides and hours in the saddle. Stretching before a ride might alleviate some of those symptoms of cycling.
Achilles Stretch
To perform the Achilles stretch, you will need an elevated platform such as a block or step. Place your left foot firmly on the step or bench. Place the ball of your right foot on the step or bench, and drop your heel toward the floor so it is below the surface of the object you are standing on. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds, and then return your foot to the starting position. Switch feet, and repeat.
Lying Roll Stretch
To perform the lying roll stretch, lie on your back. Bend your knees so your upper and lower legs are at 45 degrees. Keep your legs together with your feet flat on the floor. Extend your arms straight out to your sides with your hands palms down. Keep your shoulders and upper back pinned to the floor. Let your knees and hips rotate to your left until they are on the floor. Hold for 10 to 20 seconds before returning your knees to the neutral position. Repeat to the right side.
Downward Facing Dog
The downward facing dog is a standard pose in yoga. Begin by placing your hands on the floor in front of you with your palms down. Your knees should be slightly bent and raise your butt so your body forms an upside down V shape. Keep your back flat and look down at the floor. Hold this position for 45 to 60 seconds.
Thunderbolt Pose
Begin the thunderbolt by standing with a flat back and contracting your abdominal muscles. Keep your feet and knees as close together as possible without sacrificing stability. Extend your arms over your head with your palms together. Squat until your quadriceps are horizontal to the floor, as if sitting in a chair. Hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds before returning to the start position.

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Posted in: Cycling,Exercise and Fitness,Get Fit,Sports and Recreations,Stretching Exercises

New Trends in Rugby Fitness

Rugby is often described as American football without pads and helmets. While the two sports differ in a number of aspects, including the types of physical protection used, formations and rules, they both combine size, strength and power along with speed and agility. Each sport requires a high level of fitness for a quick recovery time after sprinting as well as endurance to perform consistently over a long period of time.
Rugby Fitness
There are four basic rugby positions: tight five players, loose forwards, inside backs and outside backs. The backs are typically smaller and faster players who run with the ball, while the forwards are bigger and stronger and play the more physical roles. While forwards do not run as much as backs, they often have less time to recover from physical moments on the field. While specific training for each position may vary, a strong aerobic base is vital for any position.
Fartleks
Fartlek training was originally designed as workouts for track and cross-country runners. Gosta Holmer, a coach of the Swedish cross-country team, introduced fartlek training to his runners in the 1930s. Fartlek literally means, 'speed play.' Runners change their pace while running a specific distance -- running hard or sprinting for a short distance, slowing down to allow for a quick recovery, then repeating the process again. Fartleks train the body to recover quickly from the sprints and physical moments that occur in many sports, including rugby.
Warm Ups
With any sport, it is important to warm up properly. This raises the core body temperature and loosens the muscles in order to prepare athletes for the physical stresses of a practice or game. Rugby players should go through a normal warm up specific to their sport before running a fartlek session. This can include warm ups with and without the ball.
Jogging and Stretching
Athletes should go through a period of light jogging before running a fartlek session. It is important that you warm up gradually to avoid undue stress on your muscles. Jog slowly for five to 10 minutes, and then follow with some light stretching. Once your body is loose and energized, you can begin a fartlek session. The first few sprints in your fartlek run should be slower; gradually build up the intensity as your body adjusts to the stress.
Timing
Fartleks are ideal for building up an athlete's base level of fitness. Therefore, it is best to execute a fartlek run either during pre-season or off-season training. Once an athletes reaches a higher level of fitness during a season, fartleks should be done less frequently and used as tune ups every few weeks.

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Posted in: Rugby,Sports and Recreations