The most important thing you need to know about stretching is this: it is good for you.
Reggie Bush 49ers Jersey . The second most important thing to know is that the word "stretching" refers to many different types of exercises that do many different things to the body. We just need to understand what to do, how to do it - and when. The ongoing debate in the scientific and running communities about how an athlete should approach stretching is sometimes taken as a sign that there are no significant benefits to increased flexibility. It just isnt true. The truth is that stretching is a complicated topic but understanding and applying the science of flexibility and proper warm up techniques is essential if you are going to improve your performance. How Stretching Works Done properly, stretching can help you decrease muscle tension, reduce pain (make sure you seek professional help if you are having significant pain!) and improve your range of motion. The catch is that you need to understand what kind of stretching to do and when to do it. Lets begin by looking closely at the two major kinds of "stretching" that have been the focus of research around running. Dynamic activation occurs when you extend your muscles while moving them in an effort to improve blood flow, temperature, range of motion and potential power output. An example is doing slow but smooth walking lunges to increase your range of motion before a run. Traditional "As" and "Bs" also fall in the dynamic activation category. Static stretching is the label used to describe traditional stretches that are done while sitting or standing still where you put a muscle on stretch and hold the stretch for a period of time. The emerging opinion about stretching in the scientific community is that athletes should engage in dynamic activation prior to a workout and use static stretching after their cool down. What The Research Tells Us Studies have shown that static stretching prior to activity limits your power output and results in a neuromuscular inhibitory response in the muscles, which is counterproductive when you are trying to prime your body for activity. In simple terms, putting your muscles on static stretch reduces their power output for a period of time. Researchers are not sure how long the inhibition lasts. Research has also shown that static stretching prior to exercise does very little for injury prevention. The largest such study involved military recruits and found that those who performed static stretches prior to exercise were just as likely to get injured as their cohorts who did not stretch at all. Research about dynamic activation has illustrated that if you perform these types of movements prior to a workout, your body is better prepared for the more intense exercise that is to follow. In part, this is because dynamic activation requires excitatory neuromuscular signals to be sent from your brain to your muscles which increases metabolic activity. It can also increase blood flow to muscle and increase muscle temperature, which help in the "warm-up" process. Research has also shown that if you perform a static stretch following a dynamic activation movement, you will undo the benefits of the more active motion. In a group of collegiate track athletes, when dynamic stretching was followed by its static counterpart, there was a significant reduction in sprinting speed.1 The approach to stretching that is supported by the evidence involves the following progression. Begin by warming up for five to ten minutes with light activity (around 50 per cent of your maximum heart rate) so that your muscles have sufficient blood flow, oxygen and temperature to benefit from activation. Then proceed to find a warm place to engage in some dynamic activation exercises. (Make sure you get your coach or trainer to show you activities that are appropriate for you). Select dynamic activation movements that replicate the kind of movements you will perform during your workout (i.e. walking lunges before running, shoulder rotations before swimming). For runners, this could include the famous As and Bs that get blood flowing through the quadriceps and hamstrings by kicking at your butt or lifting your knees toward your chest. When your workout is complete, and you have done a proper active recovery with at least ten minutes of light activity, there are significant benefits to static stretching because static stretches relax your muscles and calm your nervous system. By performing static stretches for at least 20 seconds per exercise, you can reduce tension in your muscles. You can tell how long to hold a static stretch by placing a muscle on stretch and holding the stretch until you feel the muscle relax and lengthen. This often takes 20-30 seconds and the relaxation and lengthening happens when your nervous system reflexes that are designed to protect the muscle from rapid lengthening decrease their firing. Improve Your Performance Here are some things to keep in mind about stretching: - Always warm up before you run by doing some dynamic activation exercises - Static stretching is beneficial after your cool down - Never bounce when you do static stretching - Once you have initiated a static stretch, hold it until you feel the muscle relax (usually about 20-30 seconds) - Remember to breathe while you are stretching or activating - If you are new to dynamic or static stretching, make sure you get instruction on how to do it properly Thoughts on Yoga for Runners We are fortunate to live in a day and age when the ancient art of Yoga has achieved international popularity and there is widespread access to Yoga studios. The physical benefits of yoga techniques are immense because they promote improved flexibility and have been tested during a three thousand year process of trial and error. Any runner will benefit from attending yoga classes – even if it can only happen once a week. I prefer flow Ashtanga yoga classes but try a few out and see what works for you. Yoga is a deeply meditative and spiritual practice that will help you develop mindfulness and get in tune with your body, habits that are of great benefit to all of us. From stress reduction to various forms of emotional release, yoga has side effects that will improve your fitness and help you live the vital and healthy life you crave. Reference 1 Static Stretching Impairs Sprint Performance in Collegiate Track and Field Athletes: http://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/2008/01000/Static_Stretching_Impairs_Sprint_Performance_in.4.aspx Greg Wells Ph.D. (www.drgregwells.com, @drgregwells) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Faculties of Medicine and Kinesiology. He was the sport science analyst for the Olympic Broadcast Consortium during the 2010 & 2012 Games, and is the author of Superbodies: Peak Performance Secrets from the Worlds Best Athletes. Jessica Caterini is a member of the Human Physiology Research Unit in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Toronto. http://www.drgregwells.comhttp://www.twitter.com/drgregwellshttp://www.superbodies.tv
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Arik Armstead Jersey .ca MLB Power Rankings, ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants. The As have scored 296 runs -- most in baseball -- while allowing 181, the fewest in baseball.(Sports Network) - Now that the business of bronzing franchise icon and international star Teemu Selanne is through, the Anaheim Ducks can finally get down to the business to which they should have been paying attention all along: making a dent in the stacked Western Conference when it counts. Bruce Boudreaus club heads into the season having posted a franchise-record in wins (54), and as the two-time defending champions of the Pacific Division and the club which sported the most points (116) in the West. However, theyre going to need to figure out a way to get past the Blackhawks, Blues, Avalanche and rival Los Angeles beyond the regular season to be considered a legitimate threat. Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It was those same Kings who upended Anaheim in a second-round series which went the distance and featured several momentum swings: the Ducks were down 0-2 before rallying to win three straight, then dropped the last two, including Game 7 on home ice to the eventual Stanley Cup champions. Perhaps a little less Selanne worship and better attention paid to things like the carousel in the crease, and Anaheim might have reached the conference finals for the first time since winning it all in 2007. Nonetheless, with a fresh start, a roster stocked with predominantly young talent allowed to grow and experience the pain and frustration of loss under certain expectations, we could see a team using the regular season as a mere testing ground for greater things. That, or Boudreau will have to guide his charges through the proverbial down season after pushing it to the floor the last two years. FORWARDS - The top lines are anchored by the longest-tenured Ducks in Hart Trophy candidate, team captain and center Ryan Getzlaf (team-leading 56 assists and 87 pts.) along with winger Corey Perry (team-high 43 goals). New addition Ryan Kesler from Vancouver brings 25 goals to the mix, solid but well below his 41 of 2010-11, and hell have to maintain that pace and do better than a minus-15 to remain a viable option up front. With Nick Bonino gone up the coast for Kesler, Dustin Penner making pancakes at home, Mathieu Perreault moved on to Winnipeg, and five forwards either UFA or RFA come July, its a spin of the roulette wheel to see who can contribute in a significant manner. Dany Heatley, who saw his playing time diminished significantly in Minnesota, gets one last go-round on a one-year deal. The former 50-goal scorer is already hampered by a groin issue and while no one is expecting his output to match his days with the Senators, he has to remain healthy to justify the expense. Jakob Silfverberg (10G, 13A) needs a breakout season to prove he wasnt just a throw-in on the Bobby Ryan deal; pressures on Andrew Cogliano after a career- high 22 markers; Flyers reject Patrick Maroon (11G, 18A) began to throw his weight around as the season progressed; Devante Smith-Pelly needs to develop his speed and learn how to use his size properly; Kyle Palmieri (14G, 31 pts.) needs to continue to respond well to increased playing time; Matt Beleskey is a dark horse in a contract year and eyes are on Emerson Etem to see if he can handle increased responsibility. Daniel Winnik wont be counted on for his shooting prowess, but the checking- line veteran has proven himself a capable defensive center and his lines have been consistently tough to score against. Nate Thompsons arrival from Tampa adds size and toughnness not present in Saku Koivu, while Rickard Rakells foray into NHL time last season will be challenged by the slicker-skating William Karlsson.
Colin Kaepernick 49ers Jersey. DEFENSE - A defense which allowed the ninth-fewest goals (203) and goals-per- game (2.48) remains intact for the most part -- with the notable subtractions of Stephane Robidas and promising youngster Luca Sbisa. Francois Beauchemin and Bryan Allen, the Grand Old Men of the Blueline, are 34 years old each and carried a plus-26 and plus-20, respectively through some heavy minutes against some top talent. Ben Lovejoy, 30, was a plus-21, while Mark Fistric played in just 34 games and clocked in at plus-28. Clayton Stoner, 29, fresh from roughly 13 minutes per night in Minnesota, will surely see his numbers rise in that department with similar ice time. At the other end of the spectrum lay 23-year-old Sami Vatanen, 22-year-old Cam Fowler and 20-year-old Hampus Lindholm, all of whom played beyond their years. Vatanen might be Beauchemins heir apparent with puck movement and shooting on the power play, Fowler -- at a touch above 6-foot and 200 pounds -- provides edge that Sbisa couldnt, while Lindholm recorded the best plus-minus (+29) of all during his pleasantly-surprising rookie NHL campaign. The future looks even brighter. Sheldon Sourays 35-plus deal has one more year to run, so Jesse Blacker, Mat Clark, Josh Manson and Shea Theodore have a chance to break through with good years in Norfolk. GOALTENDING - What proved to be a thorny issue despite the clubs overall success last season has been cleared up somewhat. Gone is long-time starter Jonas Hiller to Calgary, whose exit appeared forced by Boudreau due to a season interrupted by injury and inconsistent play thereafter which earned him a seat on the bench in favor of the younger Frederik Andersen, the departed Viktor Fasth and the surprising John Gibson. At just 20 years old, Gibson earned enough confidence with his late-season surge (3-0-0, 1.33 GAA, one shutout) to gain the starting spot in the playoffs, but his brilliance wasnt enough to overcome the combined forces of the battle-tested Kings in an elimination contest. Andersen (20-5-0, 2.29 GAA in 28 games), a native of Denmark, turned in a rookie campaign beyond what anyone could have guessed and will be hard-pressed to repeat the feat. Anything close will be viewed as promising. Both youngsters are likely to have journeyman Jason LaBarbera (1-3-0, 3.28 GAA for the Oilers) serve as a veteran counterpoint-slash-cheerleader if things get tough. WHEN ALL IS SAID AND DONE - Theres enough veteran flair in all three zones to ensure that youth will be served properly, but an unstable situation in the crease could derail what looks like a contender for another Pacific Division title. Selannes new book brought to light that not everyone is enamored with Boudreaus methods and personality, but hes pushed all the right buttons since taking over in November of 2011 and doesnt look like the leaders in the locker room have soured on him yet. The best case scenario, is that the Ducks will use last seasons untimely end to fuel their 82-game schedule as a prelude to playoff success. At worst, it will be an 82-game slog where boredom sets in before another shot at the postseason emerges. Like all great rivalries, Anaheims fans might just settle for their favorite team knocking the Kings down a notch no matter what else happens.
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