How to stretch leg muscles after flexibility training

The most reliable leg stretching plan after flexibility training is to do low-intensity static stretching. It is enough to maintain a slight pulling sensation on each target muscle group for 30-60 seconds. Do not engage in explosive rebounding, and there is no need to pursue the "stretching until it hurts" effect.

After all, whether it is static flexibility training such as leg presses and hip exercises, or dynamic flexibility training such as kicking and swinging legs, the muscle fibers in the legs have already experienced a round of repeated lengthening and contraction, and are in a state of hyperemia and high excitability. At this time, if you use dynamic movements such as elastic vibration to stretch, it will easily exceed the elasticity threshold of the muscles and cause micro-strains. I was leading an adult flexibility class at the gym last week. After doing the cross split, a girl felt that her hip opening was not enough. She stood up and kicked her legs high in an attempt to push forward again. She got cramps on the spot. She sat next to her and kneaded for twenty minutes before she recovered. This is a typical example of not following the right stretching rhythm.

By the way, there is still debate in the circle recently about whether to use a foam roller to relax the legs before stretching after training. Both groups have solid evidence. Most of those who support rolling first are coaches with a background in strength training. They think that muscles will also have tight knots after flexibility training. It can be much more efficient to roll the adhering muscle bundles away first and then stretch them. ； Those who oppose it are mostly dance and gymnastics practitioners, saying that the muscle fibers that have just been exercised are in a stretched and relaxed state, and improper roller pressure can easily cause deep soft tissue damage. The rule I figured out after going through the pits several times is that if the training that day is mainly about static flexibility, such as leg wear, hip pressing, and splitting, the muscles themselves have been continuously stretched, and you can just do static stretching. There is no need for additional rollers. ； If you practice a lot of dynamic flexibility that day, such as kicking, turning back and touching your feet, jumping and jumping, and the muscles are still tight after contraction, use the lightest intensity to roll for about 1 minute. Don't press too hard, and you will feel more comfortable after stretching.

Many people have misunderstandings about the intensity of stretching. They must grimace in pain to feel effective. In fact, it is completely unnecessary. The feeling of appropriate stretching is more like biting into a ripe peach, with a soft and pliable resistance but not a toothache. If the pain is so painful that you can't help but hold your breath and your muscles subconsciously contract to resist, then the intensity must be too much, and it will not have a relaxing effect. For example, to stretch the quadriceps on the front of the thigh, just stand on one foot and hold the other ankle to the buttocks. Don't deliberately push the waist forward to make the ankle closer. I had a student do this twice before, and the iliopsoas muscle was sore for almost a week. It was completely worth the loss. When stretching the hamstring muscles on the back of your thighs, you don’t have to force yourself to touch your toes. Sit down with one leg straight, keep your upper body straight and slowly lean forward. Stop when you feel a pulling sensation on the back of your thighs. Even if you are twenty centimeters away from your toes, the effect is better than hunching your back and trying to touch it.

Oh, by the way, don’t sit on the ground immediately after stretching. Walk slowly for two or three minutes to let the blood flow back to the legs. There was a young man in my previous team who squatted down to tie his shoes after practicing flexibility. When he stood up, his legs immediately cramped. He stood holding the wall for a long time before he recovered. It was so painful.