Parent's and Coach's Guide To The Dynamic Stretches

Dynamic stretches are different from ordinary, static ones in that they are designed not only to stretch the muscle, but also to begin to warm up the muscles, and to activate the muscles’ fine motor tuning (the proprioceptors). It is also important to note that dynamic stretches stretch the muscles functionally. That is to say that the more traditional stretches tend to stretch one muscle in isolation; whereas dynamic stretches tend to work the entire kinetic chain, stretching groups of muscles in the same sequence that they fire to produce a given movement.

Some of these stretches also work to stimulate core stabilization as well. What makes dynamic stretches so great is that you get so much bang for your buck with them: not only do they put the athlete into positions that force them to stretch properly, but they also require a high degree of focus on motor control and things like balance that are so important in soccer.

It has been my experience that with all of the other demands found in soccer training and pre game preparation that teams and athletes don’t spend nearly enough detailed attention to their stretching routine. . I would encourage coaches and parents alike to take the time to learn these movements and to practice them with their young athletes. As with anything, the sooner good habits are developed the better! Recently when I spoke to the a group of soccer players at a clinic I taught, I told them that stretching is not only important for injury prevention, but also that a properly stretched muscle is going to make you much faster than one that is not. Now….on to the stretches!!! To cut down on confusion I will post each of the stretches in its own post, so you can go from one post to the next. Feel free to post questions.

Welcome To The ASPI Blog

In the past ten years or so there has been an explosion of sports specific training for youngsters. In Europe this has been developed for a much longer period of time in the football/soccer academies of professional clubs, who are all about the business of identifying potential talent early and optimizing age-specific training. Of course, in most instances there isn't really a systematic approach and it is up to the individual to seek out training on their own. Often what is offered in public schools is dated and, sometimes, even detrimental to the young athlete. Most coaches include this or that element of speed and strength training, but what a coach does to train these competencies in any sport is bound to be incomplete in terms of their knowledge and what they are doing with their players. It's not their primary job, so that should come as no suprise!!! Whereas it is a soccer coach's job to train players in the tactical and technical aspect of the sport, it's the job of the strength trainer to develop the athlete's physical capacity to most effectively execute the physical elements that underlie the technical and tactical aspects of the game. Having a deep background in things like assessment of movement, development of core stability and strength, and proper care of muscle and other tissue through proper stretching and other activities, can give athletes a tremendous advantage. It's the job of the strength trainer--my job--to be as up-to-date as possible on the latest knowledge on optimum human performance. The purpose of this blog is to provide as make as much information accessible to parents and coaches I work with, so that we can work together to make informed decisions where their children/athletes are concerned. I encourage anyone reading this site to post comments or questions and I will attempt to answer them as I receive them.