INJURY PREVENTION MATCHFIT CONDITIONING Copyright [Matchfit Conditioning - Injury Prevention] by Matchfit Conditioning Limited Copyright © 2017. Matchfit Conditioning. All rights reserved. Without limiting rights under the copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, introduced into a retrieval system, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including without limitation photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. The scanning, uploading, and/or distribution of this document via the internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and is punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrightable materials. 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Every day from now you will be transforming yourself into a more athletic, less injury prone player. This will also have profound effects on your level of confidence, as you can train and play to your full potential and continue to progress without injury setbacks. on taking the next step to becoming a better footballer! You are among a very rare % of players who actually take action in order to take their game to the next level, that decision alone has already given you an advantage. Some people wish for it to happen, This programme focuses on preventing many common football injuries which occur in the lower body including: • • • • • • • • • Shin pain Ankle joint problems Achilles tendinosis Plantar Fasciitis ACL injury Medial collateral ligament injury Patellofemoral pain syndrome Meniscal tears Hamstring strains For maximum benefits the importance of good nutrition cannot be underestimated, nutrition is the fuel for your body. A high-performance car runs at its best with top-level fuel, the same is true with your body. If you build a high-performance body, filling it with the best nutrition will enable it to perform, recover, adapt and grow at its optimal level. 1 WHAT’S THE CURRENT ISSUE? • Injury is too often a factor which forces players to quit the game • When you feel 'a niggle' or a slight 'twinge' it's your body telling you that it's beginning to break down because of the training load and a lack of conditioning. Too many players ignore these signs only for the niggle to turn into an injury which stops them playing instead of addressing the problem straight away • Not only does injury lead to significant dips in performance level, it can also become very psychologically draining and ruin a player’s level of self-confidence and motivation to play as a result of the game no longer being fun and players losing their identity • Many players train around their existing injury problems, and avoid working on weak areas of their body all together in a fear of aggravating the problem. When you can't train to the best of your ability your progress will always be limited • Following injury, you must re-consider the loads and training volume you are placing on your body in order to avoid re-injury, however players who are important to their team are often put back into full intensity training too early • Players who believe they are doing work to help the injury problem often target the wrong area because of a lack of support/ understanding about the injury. For example, problems in the hips often actually show up as pain and unwanted movement in the knees • Players who are given rehab programmes by their physios rarely stick to them for more than a couple of weeks, the programme is also likely to be focused solely on the injured area, is a 'quick fix' and is likely to not fully solve the problem • When a player gets an injury, and doesn't perform any rehab at all (simply waits for it to feel better), they are setting themselves up for re-injury in the future • Many highly skilled footballers lack the physical qualities to be able to withstand the demands of the game long term. The key to bullet-proofing your body is to start conditioning as early as possible and consistently adhering to an injury reduction programme 2 What Are the Main Causes of Injury? • Players ignoring twinging and niggles only for it to develop into a bigger problem • Over-training and a lack of proper recovery/ nutrition to a degree where the body begins to break down • Repeated poor movement mechanics and a lack of coordination placing extra stress on certain muscles and joints • Constantly training around injuries which results in layering year upon year of poor movement patterns and leads to chronic overuse injuries. The clear majority of injuries in football are overuse injuries and come about as a consequence of poor tissue quality • (muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons) and dysfunctional movement mechanics • Deficiencies in joint stability, mobility and strength surrounding the ankles, knees, hips and core which becomes a particularly big problem when: Landing, twisting, turning and decelerating (most injuries occur in the early phase of contacting the ground) • Having a previous injury increases your chances of re-injury • Tight hips, calves, hamstrings and IT bands (iliotibial) as a result of neglecting flexibility work • Imbalances in muscle strength particular between the 4 muscles which make up the quadriceps (thigh muscles) and the hamstrings • Prolonged training on hard or unstable surfaces in incorrect footwear 3 The Benefits of an Injury Reduction Programme • A great opportunity to redevelop your strength, focus on other areas of your body, comeback even stronger and become functionally fit • Improve tissue quality and joint mobility with our foam roller routine • A strong emphasis on core and single leg strength (single leg strength is one of the most important qualities in injury reduction, we spend 55% of the time on one leg when running and 85% when walking) • Gain and maintain optimal levels of flexibility with our flexibility routines (we are not aiming to be able to do the splits, that would be maximal and could hinder performance) • Don't wait for injury to find you, with each session you perform you will be reducing your potential for picking up an injury in the first place • Become highly resilient to many common acute football injuries, this programme addresses key areas which are prone to injury • This programme is not a replacement for a physio or a rehab programme, it's an injury reduction programme meaning it will greatly reduce your likelihood of having to visit a physio in the first place • Includes strength based exercises which have been shown to reduce acute injuries by more than 60% and the chance of re-injury by 50% 4 Returning from injury: Everything you need to know (but haven't been told) If you’re currently injured, or have been in the past, you’ll know just how difficult it is to deal with both physically and psychologically. How can you recover and return to play as quickly as possible…? We’ll address that later, but first let’s look at how often football injuries occur and which injuries are most common. How Common Are Football Injuries? What Types of Football Injuries Are Most Likely to Occur? The frequency of injuries varies depending on age, level and gender. It is estimated that male athletes develop on average one performance-limiting injury per year (1). Injuries seem to be less frequent in female athletes in general with the exception of particular injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which are more common in females. Risk of developing an injury also seems to increase with age and injuries are 4-6 times more likely to happen during a match than during a training session. They’re also much more likely to occur if you have suffered a previous injury (2). Let’s address which football injuries are most common. As you might expect, most football injuries occur in the lower body. They tend to involve either the ankle, knee, calf or hamstring (1). The most common types are strains, tears and bruises, which is what we will be focusing on here. Injuries tend to be due to overuse, contact with another player or foul play. Non-contact injuries occur mainly from either running or turning. If you’ve ever experienced an injury, you’ll know just how hard they are to deal with. In the next section, we’ll look at recovery from injuries, both physically and psychologically. 5 There are many things to think about when recovering from an injury, including: rehab, nutrition and psychology. Let’s look at each of these areas in turn. REHAB: This can be broken down into several stages: acute recovery, functional recovery and the re-training phase (3): How Can You Recover From Injuries? 1. Acute recovery (0- 7 days after injury): For any soft-tissue injury, this stage should involve the RICE principle. This means rest, ice, compression and elevation. Rest is important to prevent the injury from getting worse. Ice and compression are important to reduce inflammation in the area and to speed up the recovery process. Ice and compression should be applied for 15-20 minutes at a time and then repeated every 30-60 minutes for several hours following the injury. Elevation is important to reduce the chance of excess fluid building up in the area. It’s important to note that there is now conflicting research about the use of ice, with many believing that ice limits the delivery of nutrients which aid in the recovery process to the injured region. However, there is no doubting the numbing and pain relieving effect of ice which will be highly beneficial if you suffer a particularly painful injury, such as a knee ligament tear. So, the effectiveness of ice really does depend on the nature of the injury, in this situation we advise that you speak to your physio. 2. Functional recovery (after 3-7 days): If there has been no improvement after 7 days, medical help may be required to investigate the issue further which may involve a scan. If the injury seems to be responding well, more active treatment should begin. There are three types of exercises that are important to include at this stage: isometric, isotonic and isokinetic. 6 Isometric training: This is where the muscle length Isotonic training: This is where the length of the remains constant but the tension changes. Initially this muscle changes whilst the weight remains constant. should be performed without weight and then the Isotonic training can be started once isometric training weight can be added over time. It is very important can be performed without pain using weight. As the that any isometric training should fall within the limits injury heals, the weight can be increased over time. An of pain (i.e. it shouldn’t hurt). For example, wall squats example of an isotonic exercise would be a controlled where you place your back against a wall, lower to lunge or squat. You should also include some where the legs are parallel and then hold for 10-30 self-massage seconds, repeat this 2-3 times. surrounding the injured area at this stage. and stretching of the muscles Isokinetic training: This is usually performed with special equipment commonly found in injury rehab facilities. Here the level of resistance is varied throughout the movement so that it is performed at a constant speed. Isokinetic training can begin once the previous two types of training can be performed pain-free. In this functional recovery phase, physical activities aimed to maintain cardiovascular fitness can also be implemented. As with the other forms of training described, it’s imperative that the exercise method chosen does not cause pain. Ideal forms of exercise for this stage include: • Stationary cycling • Swimming • Battle ropes • Rowing • Cross trainer • Partner boxing (if it can be performed pain free) Retraining phase: This phase involves a return to football-specific training. Two important factors need to be considered before returning to this type training: • The ability to fully stretch the injured area • Being able to use the injured area pain-free in daily movements Returning to football-specific training should always be done under the supervision of a coach or trainer. A good rule-of-thumb is to start at 50% of non-contact team activity and gradually then build up slowly to the full 90 minutes of competitive play. Aim to increase by 10-15% each week, as long as there is no increase in injury symptoms. It’s also important to ensure that you are maximising your recovery from these sessions. 7 Nutrition is often overlooked when discussing recovery from injury. As well as helping to maintain body composition, nutrition needs to compliment the different phases of recovery in order to maximise the healing process. It’s important that energy needs are equal to the activity (or lack of activity) being performed. Energy needs will usually be reduced because of the lower level of energy expenditure during the recovery process. In the acute recovery stage (0-7 days after injury), it is recommended that protein intake should be around 2g/kg bodyweight to prevent muscle mass loss (4). This can come from food as well as supplements to ensure needs are met. It is also advisable to have some protein before bed to enhance the recovery process. During this stage it is also good to focus on taking in enough omega 3 fatty acids, such as oily fish, avocado, nuts and olive oil. If these foods are disliked, it is possible to take an omega 3 supplement to meet these needs. Nutrition For Recovery In the functional recovery stage (7 days after injury), it is important to ensure energy needs are being met, as well as eating enough protein and carbohydrates. Energy needs will be higher than in the acute recovery phase but lower than in the retraining phase. Low glycaemic carbohydrates should be chosen, which includes wholegrains, beans and lentils. It’s also important to focus on post-exercise protein intake (around 20-25g) to optimise recovery. Supplementation with creatine may also be helpful, which has been shown to help with recovery of muscle mass after injury (4). In the retraining phase, when there is a return to football-specific training, there will be an increase in energy needs. This should mainly come from carbohydrates, around 3-5g/ kg bodyweight depending on the level of training. As with the functional recovery stage, there should also be an emphasis on post-workout protein to maximise recovery after training. Sports drinks may also be useful during this time to help meet carbohydrate and hydration needs. 8 There are three main psychological areas that need to be addressed when recovering from an injury (5): 1. Constructive communication wi th ot hers: This me ans having go od communication both within and outside of football. It’s important that you maintain good communication with your coach and your team. Outside of football, it’s vital that you should have a good support network of friends and family. These types of communication will help you to feel supported during the time you are injured and stay motivated to keep up the rehab exercises. 2. Strong belief in importance and usefulness of the recovery process: This might seem obvious but it’s key that you have accepted the injury and remain persistent in trying to recover. It’s also important that you feel good about the other areas of your life outside of football. This will help you to stay positive and engaged in the injury recovery process. Psychological Considerations 3. Ability to set reasonable goals: Of course, all players want to get back to playing as soon as possible but it’s important to be realistic when setting goals and be honest with yourself even when there is pressure on you to return quickly. Having a clear plan for injury recovery but also for preventing future injuries is key. In the next section we’ll address how you can best set yourself up to reduce the risk of getting injured again. 9 Unfortunately, if you’ve already had an injury you are more likely to get injured in the future (2). However, if you nail the recovery to training and actively work on preventing future injuries, this doesn’t have to be the case. There are four aspects that are important for preventing injuries, which apply whether you’ve already had an injury or not: pre-season training, warming up properly, nutrition and stress management. Let’s touch on each of these aspects in turn. How Can You Prevent Future Injuries? 1. Pre-season training: Although this phase should be a welcome break from the season, pre-season training needs to be prioritised in order to maximise your performance for the next season. There are several important components of your training in the pre-season: strength, flexibility, proprioception and neuromuscular (6, 7 and 8,). Strength training should include exercises for the whole body but an emphasis on the hamstrings has been shown to be particularly beneficial for preventing future injuries. Strength training can be combined with explosive exercises, either field or gym based, to help maximise efficiency of movement. Flexibility is important to reduce muscle tightness, which is a risk factor for developing injuries. As with strength training, the whole body should be used but with specific emphasis on the quads, hamstrings and adductor muscles. Proprioception and neuromuscular training involves plyometrics (exercises where muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time to increase power) and football-specific agility drills. It’s important to keep up with all of these types of training throughout the year, both in the pre-season and into the season, to minimise the risk of getting injured or reinjured. 10 2. Warming up properly: This might seem obvious but the importance can’t be overstated. If you don’t warm up properly you are putting yourself at much greater risk of injury (9). Here’s an example of what warm-up can include: Warm-up exercises • • • • • • • Jogging end to end Backward running with sidesteps Forward running with knee lifts and heel kicks Sideways running with crossovers Sideways running with arm swings Forward skipping with trunk rotations Forward running with intermittent stops • Multi-directional sprints • • • Movement technique Planting and cutting movements Broad jump and stick landings Ladder and hurdle run-throughs Balance • • • • (On a balance mat or BOSU) Squats (one or two leg stance) Volleying back to a partner (one or two leg stance) Balancing with eyes closed • Facing a partner and trying to push each other off balance • • • Strength and power Sumo squats Forward lunge with trunk rotation Bounding strides • Forward jumps • 11 Game specific The above movements with the ball implemented and under pressure. This may include 1v1’s and small sided posession games. Now let’s move onto Nutrition. 3. Nutrition: As mentioned earlier, this aspect is often overlooked when discussing injury recovery and prevention but it’s really important. The energy needs for a match have been estimated as 1300-1500 calories but will vary depending on body composition, the quality of the opposition and the position that you play (4). Diets that do not meet energy needs not only increase the risk of injury but are also detrimental to performance and health. This is because as well as not providing adequate calories, there are likely to be a lot of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. It is therefore important that your diet is high enough in calories as well as nutrients. Supplementation with vitamin D, particularly during winter months, may also help is minimising injury risk. It is also important to ensure adequate hydration to not only prevent injury but also to maximise recovery from training. Nailing that post-match period is also crucial to maintain high levels of performance and decrease injury risk. 12 4. Stress management: Another often overlooked component of injury prevention is stress management (10). Stress not only increases risk of injury but also interferes with recovery from training. There are many different possible sources of stress, both football related and non-football related that could affect you. Strategies to help manage stress include physical relaxation and the use of imagery. Physical Relaxation: Both activities below can be done daily. Set aside about 15 minutes of your day and ensure you’re in a place where you can’t be disturbed. Start with one of these techniques at a time and then try others to see what works best for you. Deep Breathing: This has calming effects on the mind as well as physiological effects such as reducing heart rate. This involves breathing in and out slowly, to a count of 3 or 5. This should be done either lying or sitting down with the eyes closed. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: This involves the deliberate contraction of muscles followed by a greater relaxation of muscles. Here’s an example of how to do a progressive muscle relaxation: Example progressive muscle relaxation routine: • Foot (curl your toes downward then relax them) • Lower leg and foot (tighten your calf muscle by pulling toes towards you then release) • Upper leg (squeeze quads and then relax them) • Glutes (pull your glutes together and then release) • Neck and shoulders (raise your shoulders up to touch your ears then release them down) Other stress management techniques include journaling, meditation, yoga and even positive self-talk combined with the use of imagery of you playing again in the future injury free. All of these strategies can be practised throughout the year, both pre-season and during the season. By now, hopefully you’re feeling confident about knowing how to cope with an injury and prevent them from re-occurring in the future. Some of these components might seem tedious, but they will help you to build a long and successful career which is not stricken by injury after injury. 13 The Programme Use the planner below for guidance on how to schedule these workouts. Injury prevention is far more about being consistent in your training throughout the season rather than performing a one-off programme. You should make performing these different elements of injury prevention a habit in your daily routine and you can also include them with your strength training throughout the season. All of the sessions are low intensity and low impact so fatigue will not be an issue. You'll notice significant improvements not only in mobility, athleticism and injury resilience but also energy and mood. You can progress the exercises by performing them with: more control, greater range of movement or increased resistance/sets. WHEN TO USE THESE WORKOUTS INJURY PREVENTION GYM SESSION JUST BEFORE TRAINING AFTER TRAINING JUST BEFORE A MATCH STRAIGHT AFTER A MATCH DAY AFTER A MATCH MORNINGS BEFORE TRAINING IN PLACE OF/INCLUDED IN YOUR NORMAL GYM SESSION ✔ ✔ FOAM ROLLING MUSCLE MYOFASCIAL ACTIVATION RELEASE ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ EQUIPMENT YOU CAN USUALLY FIND ALL OF THE BELOW IN A STANDARD GYM MINI-BAND SWISS BALL SOFT PILATES BALL OR EQUIVALENT A STEP OR RAISED SURFACE 3 MARKERS CABLE MACHINE (GYM) ROLL OUT WHEEL (GYM) PULL UP BAR (GYM) TENNIS BALL/MASSAGE BALL A BOX (GYM) LEG PRESS MACHINE (GYM) FOAM ROLLER FITNESS BAND (GYM) TRX/SUSPENSION TRAINER (GYM) TRX YOGA BAND STRETCHING/ ACTIVE RECOVERY ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ INJURY PREVENTION WORKOUTS PERFORM THE EXERCISES IN SUPERSETS AS SHOWN BY THE SHADING WORKOUT 1 EXERCISE CALF RAISES SINGLE LEG BRIDGE CALF DROPS MINI-BAND SIDE STEPS SWISS BALL HOVER KNEE SQUEEZES FOOT-UP PLANK T PLANK SETS 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 REPS 10 10 PER LEG 10 10 EACH WAY 1 MIN 10 16 SECS EACH LEG 20 SECS EXERCISE ACHILLES ECCENTRICS MINI-BAND HIP ACTIVATION SINGLE LEG BALANCE (EYES CLOSED) HIP DROPS TRUNK ROTATIONS 3 POINT LUNGE PATTERN PLANK ARM REACH SIDE PLANK ARM RAISED SETS 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 REPS 10 3 PER LEG MAX TIME 10 PER SIDE 10 EACH WAY 3 PER LEG 10 SECS PER ARM 20 SECS EXERCISE ANKLE JUMPS LYING HIP ABDUCTIONS SINGLE LEG CONE REACH SINGLE LEG SQUAT ANTI TRUNK ROTATIONS NORDICS ROLL OUTS HANGING KNEE RAISES SETS 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 REPS 5 10 TOUCH EACH CONE ONCE PER LEG 5 20 SECS 5 5 5 EXERCISE DEEP SIT RDL'S SWISS BALL HAMSTRING CURL MINI-BAND STEP AND SQUAT DIAGONAL PLANK LEG ADDUCTIONS SWISS BALL PLANK SWISS BALL KNEE TUCKS SETS 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 REPS 20 SECS THEN SWITCH 5 PER LEG TIPS MOVE UP AND DOWN WORKING A FULL RANGE OF MOTION ENGAGE THE GLUTES AND HAMSTRINGS DROP THE HEELS AT SPEED AND AIM FOR DEPTH DON'T LET THE KNEES FALL INWARDS HOVER FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. RE-ATTEMPT AS APPROPRIATE WITHIN THE MINUTE SQUEEZE FOR 3 SECONDS, RELAX FOR 3 SECONDS KEEP THE LEG STRAIGHT AND BUM DOWN KEEP 3 POINTS OF CONTACT ON THE GROUND WHILST ROTATING VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE WORKOUT 2 TIPS KEEP THE HEEL ON THE GROUND AT ALL TIMES KEEP THE STANDING LEG AS STRAIGHT AS POSSIBLE FULLY EXTEND ARMS ENSURE THE KNEE DOES NOT FALL INWARDS KEEP THE HIPS LEVEL KEEP THE LOWER HIP RAISED VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE WORKOUT 3 TIPS PULL THE TOES UPWARDS WHEN IN THE AIR HOLD THE POSITION AND RESIST THE CABLE PULL FALL SLOWLY WITH CONTROL, DON'T LET THE LOWER BACK ARCH KEEP A STRONG CORE, TRY NOT TO ARCH THE LOWER BACK VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE WORKOUT 4 5 EACH WAY 20 SECS THEN SWITCH 10 PER LEG 20 SECS 10 TIPS HEELS ON THE GROUND, TRY AND FACE FEET FORWARDS, HEAD UP, STRAIGHT BACK TRY TO KEEP THE HIPS LEVEL ALWAYS KEEP THE BAND UNDER TENSION KEEP A STRONG LINE FROM HEAD TO HEEL FOAM ROLLER ROUTINE FIND THE TIGHT AREAS AND GENTLY MASSAGE WITH FOAM ROLLER FOR 20-30 SECS IN THE CALFS SINGLE LEG CALF HAMSTRINGS SINGLE LEG HAMSTRING GLUTES (LEG CROSSOVER) LOWER BACK LOWER BACK (ON THE SIDE) UPPER BACK (ARMS OVER HEAD) UPPER BACK (ARMS HUGGING) NECK (ROLL HEAD SIDE TO SIDE) ITB BAND QUADS SINGLE LEG QUAD ADDUCTORS (INSIDE LEG) VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE CLICK HERE VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE MUSCLE ACTIVATION ROUTINE ACTIVATION EXERCISE SETS REPS OUTSIDE LEG PUSH 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 8-10 SECS INSIDE LEG PUSH 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 8-10 SECS FRONT LEG PUSH 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 8-10 SECS HEEL PULL 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 8-10 SECS THIGH PUSH 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 8-10 SECS STANDING REAR LEG RAISE 1 PER LEG MAX CONTRACTION FOR 15-20 SECS LYING HIP ABDUCTIONS 1 PER LEG HOLD EACH POSITION UNTIL YOU FEEL SLIGHT FATIGUE LYING TOE POINT HIP ABDUCTIONS 1 PER LEG HOLD EACH POSITION UNTIL YOU FEEL SLIGHT FATIGUE LYING HIP ABDUCTION PULSE 1 PER LEG PULSE UNTIL YOU FEEL SLIGHT FATIGUE TIPS KEEP THE LEG STRAIGHT AND PUSH THE OUTSIDE OF THE FOOT INTO THE BOX/SOLID SURFACE KEEP THE LEG STRAIGHT, HOLD ONTO THE BOX AND PUSH THE INSIDE OF YOUR FOOT INTO THE BOX POSITION YOUR BODY TO THE SIDE OF THE BOX AND PUSH THE TOP OF YOUR FOOT FORWARDS INTO THE BOX WITH KNEE BENT BEND THE KNEE OF THE LEG YOU ARE ACTIVATING AND PUSH THE HEEL INTO THE GROUND WHILST TRYING TO DRAG IT TOWARDS YOUR BODY PLACE BOTH HANDS ON TOP OF THE WORKING LEG PUSH BOTH HANDS DOWN INTO THE LEG AS YOU TRY TO RESIST AND PUSH BACK UP AGAINST YOUR HANDS WITH YOUR THIGH LIFT THE WORKING LEG BACK AS FAR AS POSSIBLE WHILST SQUEEZING THE GLUTE TO HOLD THE CONTRACTION RAISE THE LEG AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILST KEEPING IT STRAIGHT AND HOLD, THEN REPEAT WITH THE LEG POSITIONED INFRONT OF AND BEHING THE BODY RAISE THE LEG AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILST KEEPING IT STRAIGHT AND HOLD WHILST ACTIVELY POINTING THE TOE DOWN TOWARDS THE GROUND AND HOLD, THEN MOVE THE LEG CLOSER TO THE GROUND RAISE THE LEG AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE WHILST KEEPING IT STRAIGHT AND PULSE IT AND AND DOWN VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE MYOFASCIAL RELEASE ROUTINE EXERCISE REPS PER SIDE TIPS FOOT SOLE ROLL 30 SECS MININUM PLACE YOUR FOOT ON TOP OF THE BALL AND TARGET AREAS OF TIGHTNESS, PAYING PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE AREA JUST INFRONT OF THE HEEL CALF GLUTE 30 SECS MININUM 30 SECS MININUM TARGET AREAS OF TIGHTNESS AND ALSO EXPLORE THE OUTER AND INNER CALF POSITION THE BALL JUST TO THE SIDE OF THE GLUTE ENSURING YOU'RE NOT ON BONE LOWER BACK 30 SECS MININUM OUTSIDE HIP 30 SECS MININUM HAMSTRING 30 SECS MININUM ACTIVATION EXERCISE DEEP SIT WHEEL PYRAMID WARRIOR 2 LOW LUNGE TRIANGLE HALF PIGEON CRESCENT LUNGE WARRIOR 3 TREE ELBOW TO KNEE BOAT SCISSORS SIDE PLANK CROW POSITION IN THE SPONGEY AREA TO EITHER SIDE OF THE SPINE IN THE LOWER BACK JUST ABOVE THE PELVIS PLACE THE BALL JUST BELOW THE HIP BONE AND ATTEMPT TO LAY FLAT ON YOUR SIDE ON TOP OF THE BALL SIT ON A SOLID AND RAISED SURFACE AND PLACE THE BALL BENEATH YOUR THIGH VIDEO LINK CLICK HERE TRX YOGA ROUTINE COMPLETE ALL SETS BEFORE MOVING TO THE NEXT EXERCISE PERFORM REPS/SETS PER SIDE WHERE APPLICABLE SETS REPS VIDEO LINK 2 30 SECS 2 15 SECS 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS CLICK HERE 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS 1 30 SECS 2 10 2 10 2 30 SECS 2 15 SECS BAND STRETCHING/ ACTIVE RECOVERY NOTES: A good active recovery session can include any up to 15 minutes of low impact, low intensity movements which get the blood flowing through the muscles. Performing dynamic stretches in cool water will also help reduce any swelling (if possible sea water because of the added minerals). Common activities include swimming, cycling, yoga, steam room, jacuzzi, ice bath and massage. Below are some examples of static stretches you can perform as part of your active recovery using a band, remember to get warm before performing static stretches. STRETCHING ROUTINE WITH A BAND (CLICK TO VIEW) Thankyou For Training With PSYCHOLOGY PROGRAMME 50% Off Your First Month Discount Code: matchfit-athlete Offer Ending Soon WHY FIT IN WHEN YOU WERE BORN TO STAND OUT? CLICK HERE for full details of our football psychology programme