Monday, March 29, 2010

Off the Pitch

Steve Schafer, DRA

A pet peeve of mine is stretching. Most referees never stretch. Even I don’t stretch enough. Always make sure you warm up your muscles before stretching. A few minutes warm up followed by some basic stretching before a match will help you avoid muscle injuries. A session of post match stretching will help with recovery and prepare you for your next match. If your legs feel tight and you can’t seem to fully extend your legs in a sprint, you might need to do some extra stretching to work out tight muscles. Right after or during a hot shower is a good time to do extra stretching.

I recommend you develop a basic stretching routine that you memorize. Muscle groups to cover in your stretching include hamstrings, quadriceps, hip, calf, groin and back. Google ‘stretching’ and you will see many options for stretching routine images and books. Click here for an example of one stretching routine.

I can show you the stretching routine I use. If you have bad knees, ankles or hips, I recommend you talk to a physical therapist or doctor about what stretches you can do and what to avoid.
See you out at the complex.

-Steve