There is no denying that stretching is an integral practice that every sports person must imbibe. Padel involves two players who try to hit the ball over the net with their racquets while avoiding an opponent’s racquet.
Since the game keeps you on your feet, stretching becomes crucial for improving your balance, coordination, and endurance. It gives you a rush that takes your performance a notch higher. This blog emphasizes the significance of stretching for padel alongside with few exercises, to begin with!
How Stretching Helps to Amp Up Your Game?
One must keep a few minutes aside for stretching as it will enhance your padel court performance and prevent injuries. Let us dive into the amazing benefits stretching offers:
- Boosts flexibility and eventually averts the risk of injuries. A flexible muscle will be more resistant to posterior activities.
- Stimulates blood circulation, relieves muscle tension, and enhances mobility to help you remain agile during the sport.
- Eases inflammation if you are suffering from soreness or tight muscles.
- Improves pliability in your joints through stretching to inhibit ailments like tennis elbow and knee disorders.
Stretching: An Effective Way to Accelerate Post-Match Recovery
Stretching for padel can speed up your post-match recovery to a substantial extent. During the professional match, a player has to traverse many kilometers on a pitch of 20 x 10. Can you imagine the intensity of the movement and braking that takes place during a single match of padel?
The amateurs perform short movements involving the use of lower limbs such as legs, ankles, glutes, glutes, and the arm to hold the racket. Stretching is an excellent method of recovery for the body. It increases blood flow and oxygen supply to muscles, which helps them recover faster after strenuous exercise.
Four Stretching Exercises to Get You Moving for Your Game
The following are four exercises for stretching that you can perform for better fortitude, performance, and ability to ace the pedal:
- Hamstring Stretch
- Step 1: Stand on your one leg while raising the other.
- Step 2: Keep bending till you feel a sensation of stretch in the back of your thighs or hamstrings.
- Step 3: Remain in the same position for thirty seconds and switch to your other leg.
You have to repeat this pose thrice for each side. Alternatively, stretch the hamstrings by lying down on the ground and raising one leg.
Benefits: Hamstring stretch improves the flexibility of the back and hamstrings. Besides, it releases tension in the lower back, hips, and thighs.
- Calf Stretch
- Step 1: Stand properly on one leg and gently bend the other at 90 degrees.
- Step 2: Ensure to keep your back straight while pushing your hips off the floor to sense a stretch in the backside of the lower legs or the calf.
- Step 3: Hold the position for thirty seconds before switching sides.
Replicate the pose thrice for each side.
Benefits: The calf stretch pose assists you in building stronger muscles in your core, back, legs and arms, thereby rectifying the posture.
Hip Flexors Stretch
- Step 1: Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
- Step 2: Keep your hands alongside your body or gently on either side of your hips, palms facing down.
- Step 3: Inhale and exhale deeply, then lift both legs off the floor in one fluid motion so that they are perpendicular to the ground (knees should be straight).
- Step 4: Press into your hands to keep your back flat against the floor.
- Step 5: Hold this position for five deep breaths before lowering both legs to return to starting position.
You can repeat this stretching exercise three-five times for each leg. Try to elevate the stretch with each attempt.
Benefits: Hip flexors stretch pose is a great exercise for strengthening the hip flexors. It can improve your flexibility, strengthen your core muscles and help you with your posture.
Shoulder Joint Stretch
- Step 1: Stand upright with feet together.
- Step 2: Cross one arm over the other and clasp hands together in front of your chest or stomach.
- Step 3: Bend your elbows and lean forward as if you are bowing to someone in front of you.
- Step 4: Lower your head and look down at the floor, but keep your back straight and do not hunch over too much or bend too far forward from the waist.
- Step 5: Hold for 30 seconds and then release.
- Repeat the pose three times for the opposite side.
Benefits: The pose stretches muscles in the shoulders, neck, and back, which can help prevent injury from repetitive motions.
Conclusion
Stretching for padel offers versatile benefits to keep your body in good shape. It works on all the muscles involved while playing padel and stretches them to relieve soreness and tension. Give a shot at the four exercises mentioned above to remain at the top of your game!
