6.
Dec 16, 2005 2:18 PM
in response to:
runxc09
Re: Team Stretching
stretching cold muscles is never a good idea ... butt-kickers, high knees, long legs kicks, or A-Skips and the like are speed training exercises using exaggerated movement patterns used in running ... done at a slow pace they could be a good warm-up with active stretching aspects ... (I do them with my volleyball teams regularly for warm-ups before our group stretching session ) ... but they are not what is known in exercise as plyometrics ... I do realize that track coaches refer to them as such, my daughters coaches in track and XC call them plyos ... they are actually SAQ training (speed, agility, quickness) ... and I absolutely LOVE SAQ training and functional exercises that mimic each sport's movements rather than traditional exercises that aren't geared toward individual sports ...
... but lower body plyometrics are high-energy jumps, box jumps, bounds, and other rapid acceleration movement patterns first load the muscles and then propel them in the opposite direction like a spring and are meant to train fast twitch muscles to react more quickly and powerfully ... they are not to loosen up or warm up muscles and should never be done without fully warming up with easier movement patterns ... medicine balls are used in many upper body plyo workouts, btw ... jumpers, shot putters, and discus throwers may use those ...
... sorry for the long-winded explanations but I think it's important for young athletes to understand what they are doing and what it's meant to accomplish ... and this is the topic I am most interested in and studying to be certified in ... so please forgive me if you're thinking TMI lol
Please, always warm up before stretching and/or plyos ... pushing cold muscles and ligaments to their limits while cold is just asking for injury ...
