How to Do Youth Soccer Stretches

Youth soccer stretches improve flexibility, reduce the risk of injury and can improve agility and speed. You can make sure your child does the proper stretches.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Stretch your calf muscle by placing your hands down (like a sprinter on the "set" command) and keeping your heel on the ground. You can also do this stretch by leaning against a wall or tree.
2. Keeping the above position, slightly bend the knee, which moves the stretch down to the lower calf.
3. Stretch the hamstring muscle (back of the leg) by lying flat on your back and pulling one leg at a time gently toward your head.
4. Stretch the quadriceps muscle (front of the thigh) by lying on your side and pulling the foot toward the buttocks.
5. Stretch the groin area by sitting, putting the soles of your shoes together and pushing down on your knees with your elbows.
6. Stretch the lower back by lying facedown on the ground, with your hands to each side and palms down (like a pushup position), and slowly pushing down on your hands to raise the top half of the body.
7. Add other stretches, including those for the upper body, as desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Get the blood flowing. Jog with the ball (dribble) or do other brief soccer activity to get the muscles warm.
• Keep it brief. The state-of-the-art technique entails stretching for a short time - about 3 to 8 seconds.
• Stretch to the point of feeling a stretch, not to the point of pain.
• Make it steady. Never bounce when you stretch.
• Be gradual. Increase the stretch with each repetition.
• Use proper form at all times to get the maximum benefits from the stretch.
• Teach the names of the muscles to your child.
• Remember the cooldown. Stretches should be done after playing as well as before. Stretching is most efficient when the muscles are warm after playing.