The Stretch Routine to Help You Stay Injury-Free in CrossFit
Some active people learn the hard way just how important it is to listen to your body and take the time to address the small aches and pains that can lead to bigger problems. Some champions recall how ignoring a minor back issue ended up causing major pain and a lengthy recovery time. So now, being proactive about stretching is a means of helping stay injury-free.
Within our really busy lives, we tend to forget and we don’t actually understand the importance of stretching. It doesn’t matter whether you’re young and you’re active, or you’re a little older – spending at least 10 to 15 minutes a day stretching your muscles and taking that little bit of time for yourself, focusing on your breathing is so crucial to having a really nice balanced mental state in order to get on with your day.
Lower Body Stretches
Some suggestions for stretches that work the lower body are a good start. Begin with a seated straddle. Sit with your legs placed as wide as is comfortable. Slowly breathe into the stretch, gradually get a little deeper, try to push your legs wider. This really hits the adductors, which can be attributed to lower back pain. This is a really great stretch to do and takes a lot of that pressure away.
The second stretch is a single-leg forward fold. From a seated position, stretch one leg out in front of you, tuck the other inward towards your body and then lean forward onto the extended leg, holding for 3 to 4 minutes. This stretch really hits the hamstrings. It’s one to do if your back, glutes or even hamstrings are blowing up throughout a workout. Having tight hamstrings can put a lot of pressure on the glutes, which will then tighten up and put a lot of pressure on the lower back.
Next up is a lunge, which targets the hip flexors and quads. Make sure your knee and your shin are in a nice line – you don’t want your knee going over your toes or behind your foot. As you progress in this position, you will be able to twist back and grab your other foot with the opposite hand.
Upper Body Stretches
For upper body, sit with your hands facing backwards behind you and slide forward to place a stretch on the chest, biceps and forearms, holding for 3 to 4 minutes.
A fifth and final stretch is recommended for anyone who has been spending even more time than usual with their shoulders hunched inwards over a computer or phone over the last several months. Perform a horizontal stretch, which opens up the shoulders and traps by reaching straight above with both arms, bring the palms together and slowly let your head fall backwards for 10-15 seconds.
Just giving that little bit of time to stretch out the body is so important because you’re going to feel a lot better, your muscles aren’t going to be overworking and you’ll really feel a huge difference with how your posture is throughout the day as well.
REACH’s 2 STEP APPROACH TO RECOVERY THERAPY
RELAX – RESTORE – RECHARGE
Step 1: Identify Your Problem Areas
- It all starts with your Mobility Risk Factor Assessment called
. - This helps us identify the root cause of your current problem areas due to:
– Life’s Daily Wear & Tear
– Your Aches/Pain
– Muscle Imbalances & Weakness
– Flexibility/Mobility Limitations
– Posture Issues - A Mobility Risk Factor Assessment is a MUST before starting any Stretch & Recovery Therapy Program.
Step 2: Targeted Recovery Therapy
- Your Mobility Risk Factor Assessment helps us create a Personalized Recovery Therapy Plan that targets your problem areas which will Shorten your Recovery Time.
- Each of our Stretch & Recovery sessions are a balanced blend of Corrective Stretch, Percussion, Compression, CBD and Heat
Vibration Therapy. - Risk Factor Re-Assessments:
– Suggested every 30-60 days
– See your improvements
– Realize the benefits of Stretch & Recovery
Therapy
