Friday, December 08, 2006
Nordic Walking (Ski Readiness) Training Program - Post Exercise Stretches
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FOLLOWING ON FROM THE FIRST THREE PARTS OF THE WEEK 1 NORDIC WALKING (SKI READINESS)TRAINING PROGRAM POSTED EARLIER THIS WEEK...THE FOURTH PART OF YOUR PREPARATION IS TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO WARM DOWN AND STRETCH AFTER EXERCISE.
After every Nordic Walking session, be sure to walk around slowly for five or ten minutes to warm down. This helps your blood flow return to normal, and also helps prevent muscle soreness.
Then, when you have finished warming down, it is important to give your muscle groups a gentle stretch. Hold each stretch for about 20 seconds. Always consider your posture when you stretch eg don’t slump.
Note that these are ‘static’ stretches – this means that you hold each position still and do not bounce when doing them. Use your Nordic Walking poles for support / balance as appropriate
Tibialis Stretch (front lower leg)
- Stand with your feet side by side and about hip-width apart.
- Stand up on your toes and hold this position
Calf Stretch (rear lower legs)
- Stand with your feet side by side and about hip-width apart.
- Keep your heels on the ground and lift your toes upwards and hold this position
Alternative Calf Stretch
- Start with your feet side by side. Then step one foot forward about 18 inches and step the other foot back about 18 inches.
- Bend the front knee so that it is directly above the front ankle (your foot is flat on the ground)
- Your rear leg is straight and your foot is flat on the ground. Push down into the ground through your heel.
- Ensure the toes of the rear foot are pointing directly forwards and not turned outwards
- To increase the stretch take the rear foot a little further back whilst making sure that the knee of the front leg remains directly above the ankle
- Change legs and repeat
Quad Stretch (front upper leg)
- Start with your feet side by side and stand tall
- Lift the heel of one foot behind you (so that the knee bends) and take hold of that ankle with your hand (you can see why this is sometimes called the flamingo)
- Lengthen from the hip of the bent knee towards the knee and beyond
- To increase the stretch, gently pull the bent leg backwards whilst pushing the hip of the same leg forwards. You should be feeling a stretch on the front of the thigh of the bent leg.
- For extra stability hold on to a fixed object eg wall or a tree for balance with your spare hand or use your Nordic Walking poles for support.
- Change legs and repeat
Hamstring (rear upper leg) & Back Stretch
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Plant your Nordic Walking poles about three feet in front of you and bend forward at your waist and “hang” on your poles (don’t let your head sink)
- Keeping your arms fairly straight, push forward through your poles and push back through your hips.
- To increase the stretch take your feet further back and push forward through the poles more
Triceps Stretch (rear Upper Arm)
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Hold one Nordic Walking pole vertically behind your back, with one hand near the top of it (eg behind your head) and the other near the bottom (eg behind your lower back).
- Pull down with the lower hand
- To increase the stretch as you pull down on the pole with your lower hand push upwards through the elbow of the higher hand.
- Change hands and repeat
Ok that's all for this week. We will be back with week 2 of this training program soon.
Stuart Montgomery (Director - XCuk Ltd)
FOLLOWING ON FROM THE FIRST THREE PARTS OF THE WEEK 1 NORDIC WALKING (SKI READINESS)TRAINING PROGRAM POSTED EARLIER THIS WEEK...THE FOURTH PART OF YOUR PREPARATION IS TO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO WARM DOWN AND STRETCH AFTER EXERCISE.
After every Nordic Walking session, be sure to walk around slowly for five or ten minutes to warm down. This helps your blood flow return to normal, and also helps prevent muscle soreness.
Then, when you have finished warming down, it is important to give your muscle groups a gentle stretch. Hold each stretch for about 20 seconds. Always consider your posture when you stretch eg don’t slump.
Note that these are ‘static’ stretches – this means that you hold each position still and do not bounce when doing them. Use your Nordic Walking poles for support / balance as appropriate
Tibialis Stretch (front lower leg)
- Stand with your feet side by side and about hip-width apart.
- Stand up on your toes and hold this position
Calf Stretch (rear lower legs)
- Stand with your feet side by side and about hip-width apart.
- Keep your heels on the ground and lift your toes upwards and hold this position
Alternative Calf Stretch
- Start with your feet side by side. Then step one foot forward about 18 inches and step the other foot back about 18 inches.
- Bend the front knee so that it is directly above the front ankle (your foot is flat on the ground)
- Your rear leg is straight and your foot is flat on the ground. Push down into the ground through your heel.
- Ensure the toes of the rear foot are pointing directly forwards and not turned outwards
- To increase the stretch take the rear foot a little further back whilst making sure that the knee of the front leg remains directly above the ankle
- Change legs and repeat
Quad Stretch (front upper leg)
- Start with your feet side by side and stand tall
- Lift the heel of one foot behind you (so that the knee bends) and take hold of that ankle with your hand (you can see why this is sometimes called the flamingo)
- Lengthen from the hip of the bent knee towards the knee and beyond
- To increase the stretch, gently pull the bent leg backwards whilst pushing the hip of the same leg forwards. You should be feeling a stretch on the front of the thigh of the bent leg.
- For extra stability hold on to a fixed object eg wall or a tree for balance with your spare hand or use your Nordic Walking poles for support.
- Change legs and repeat
Hamstring (rear upper leg) & Back Stretch
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Plant your Nordic Walking poles about three feet in front of you and bend forward at your waist and “hang” on your poles (don’t let your head sink)
- Keeping your arms fairly straight, push forward through your poles and push back through your hips.
- To increase the stretch take your feet further back and push forward through the poles more
Triceps Stretch (rear Upper Arm)
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- Hold one Nordic Walking pole vertically behind your back, with one hand near the top of it (eg behind your head) and the other near the bottom (eg behind your lower back).
- Pull down with the lower hand
- To increase the stretch as you pull down on the pole with your lower hand push upwards through the elbow of the higher hand.
- Change hands and repeat
Ok that's all for this week. We will be back with week 2 of this training program soon.
Stuart Montgomery (Director - XCuk Ltd)
