13 Post Football Stretches

Reflecting on the excitement of the UEFA European Football Championship, you may be want to pick up a football or join your local five-aside. Football is a great sport, combing sprit running and endurance over time. It’ also helps your body control and general acrobatics – taking a dive or two!

Gareth Southgate will have plenty of time to enjoy a kick about now that he has resigned his post as England manager (BBC reported on the 16th July). His performance as manager saw England get into the the top four in the last four major torments, but was not enough to take England to victory against Spain.

He would have been keenly aware that his players would need to warm up and stench before playing, but also a post play recovery.
The NHS has a great article which includes a number of recommended generic stretches for post work out:

• Buttock Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Inner Thigh
• Calf
• Thigh

Very Well Fit.com also goes on to include in it’s list of top 10 soccer stretches:

• Hip Flexors
• Standing Quad
• Lying piriformis
• Seated Groin
• Lower Back
• Iliotibial band
• Achilles tendon
• Simple Shoulder

Many athletes are also using ice baths to help with their post exercise recovery. Ice baths help particularly with muscle recovery where as a hot shower helps with joints. The general wisdom is that you should stretch before icing, as the muscle will contract and could pull or tear if stretched from cold.

So now you know what to do after your game of footy!

Looking to do a little lunch time work out?