Rugby
fitness training - Flexibility
Flexibility
training focuses on the resting muscle lengthens to restore ideal
posture and the active movement ranges to enhance performance. There
are two types of stretching to cover this:
Active
flexibility.
This refers to the amount of movement you can actively produce
around a joint. For optimal force production the body needs to be
able to stretch to certain lengths so the muscles are in an ideal
position to produce the most force.
A players
active flexibility depends upon static
flexibility and how warmed up the player is, e.g. you would
have better active flexibility in the evening than the morning,
or after a active stretching routine than before.
Static
flexibility.
This
can be defined as the range of movement around a joint. It is the
length the muscle can reach when slowly stretched. This determines
your active flexibility and is essential for optimal performance
and injury prevention. Injuries occur when there is an imbalance
between opposing muscles groups or muscles from side to side of
the body.
Optimal
strength is produced when the body is in perfect alignment. Through
static stretching yourself into this position all the time and without
thinking about it you will greatly enhance strength and performance
levels.
How
to stretch
An
active stretching routine uses a series of movements that serve
to warm up and lengthen the muscles and connective tissues. A short
routine should be used before every training session and upon rising.
An example exercise would be arm circles, torso twists etc,
static
stretching should be focused upon the tight muscles and there are
three main techniques which can be used when stretching. These include
tricking your nervous system o relax the tight muscle to give you
dramatic increases in flexibility.
What
to stretch?
For
static stretching It is important to test for which muscles are
tight before starting a stretching routine as it guides you to which
stretches you should concentrate upon. Active stretching should
be used for the whole body with emphasis on movements required in
the following activity.
Optimizing
flexibility
The
success of flexibility depends upon your breathing technique, the
state of your nervous system which relies on nutrition
and it's place amongst the overall
training year.
Combining
the techniques
Flexibility
is
just one of the different training areas any serious rugby player
should focus upon.
The
mains areas to focus upon are agility,
sprint training,
plyometrics,
resistance training,
aerobic fitness,
core and flexibility.
The combination of these based upon your specific needs will produce
dramatic results.
To
optimize the benefits from training any conditioning routine must
be backed up by nutrition.
The most effective sports nutrition system in the world is metabolic
typing. It is used by many professional teams. It is based on
discovering your unique nutritional needs.
The
final aspect of performance is ensuring the mind is tuned for success.
This can be done by using Emotional
freedom technique (EFT). A powerful psychological
method.
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