How do I stretch properly [before Ultimate Frisbee]?

November 22, 2012 7:11 AM

How do I stretch properly [before Ultimate Frisbee]? How do I not pull my groin again?

I signed up for an Ultimate league in the spring AND IT WAS AWESOME but on the fourth or fifth game I promptly pulled my groin. I wasn't even aware there was a problem until I tried a light jog upon which I was crippled with pain.

SO, that went away after about three weeks.

Several months later, I've signed up for another league and I'd love to avoid that injury again.

I've done some light googling, but vague descriptions don't cut it for me. This is 2012! Has anyone got VIDEOS?

posted by pmv to Health & Fitness (10 answers total)

I don't have video's, but make sure you warm up before stretching. Spend 5 minutes doing a little cardio, jumping jacks, that kind of thing. Your muscles will stretch better and you'll have less chance of injury during stretching if your body is warmed up first.
posted by markblasco at 7:24 AM on November 22, 2012

Stretching video. Youtube has bazillions of them?
posted by DarlingBri at 7:27 AM on November 22, 2012

Response by poster: Youtube does have a hojillion of them!

But I still have all the awkwardness and pent up humiliation from a decade of gym classes that leads to a man being REALLY EXCITED for signing up for an Ultimate League and treating my body like something other than a vehicle for alcohol, misery and grease is still a bit of a foreign concept.
posted by pmv at 7:30 AM on November 22, 2012

Get yourself a foam roller. You can thank me later.
posted by karlos at 7:32 AM on November 22, 2012

Dynamic stretching - this is pretty similar to what a professional physio who plays on my ultimate team runs us through before practice.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 7:39 AM on November 22, 2012

Don't do static stretching before a workout. Jog for a few minutes to warm up your muscles and then do dynamic stretching. Static is for after.
posted by zug at 8:05 AM on November 22, 2012

Best answer: Stretching, whether static or some advanced form, doesn't do anything to reduce the overall incidence of injury. If it feels good to you then you should by all means continue to do it, but don't do it because you think it increases your performance or reduces your chances of injury; it doesn't.
posted by 1adam12 at 9:11 AM on November 22, 2012 [2 favorites]

Nthing the "no static stretching before exercise". It can be useful to prevent cramping after a game, but beforehand you just want to warm up with some jogging and maybe dynamic stretching.
posted by asterix at 9:30 AM on November 22, 2012

Static stretching before exercise can actually do some harm because you're screwing around with cold muscles.
posted by xyzzy at 10:14 PM on November 22, 2012

Stretching before exercise does nothing to reduce injuries or improve performance. Warming up before exercise does reduce injuries. Warming up is not the same as stretching.

Habitual stretching, if done properly, can reduce injuries and improve performance. That doesn't mean stretching immediately before an athletic event. It means stretching regularly as a separate form of exercise on its own.
posted by tdismukes at 8:09 AM on November 23, 2012