PRE AND POST PRACTICE / GAME STRETCHES

Important

No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the
author.

The exercise information presented on these pages is intended as an educational resource and is not intended as a
substitute for proper medical advice. Consult your physician or health care professional before performing any of the
exercises described on these pages or any exercise technique or regimen, particularly if you have chronic or recurring
medical conditions. Discontinue any exercise that causes you pain or severe discomfort and consult a medical expert.
Neither the author nor advertisers of this manual make any warranty of any kind in regard to the content of the
information presented and accept no responsibility for its misuse.

Additional Resources

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By purchasing this guide to pre and post practice/game stretches, you have taken an important step in
maximizing your team’s flexibility and range of motion which may help reduce the occurrence of injury.

Warm-up

Prior to beginning any workout, practice or game, it is important that your team goes through a proper warm-
up. If you jump right into a high intensity activity - like basketball practice - without warming up, you may
increase the chance of injury to your players. Please don’t confuse warming up with stretching, as they are
two completely separate activities. The goal of a basketball specific warm-up is three fold:

1) Raise the body’s core temperature a few degrees in order to increase blood flow to the muscles and
loosen up the joints. This will help prepare the body and mind for the practice or game. A thorough
warm-up only takes a couple of minutes and should result in a light sweat.

2) Go through all of the movements required during practice (or game): jogging/sprinting, defensive
sliding, back pedaling, and jumping. This will ensure the muscles of the hips, groin, and ankles are
sufficiently warmed up.

3) Get your players talking! Communication and enthusiasm are contagious and are necessary
ingredients to a success on the court!

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BEFORE Practice / Game - Dynamic Flexibility

As a coach you are probably in constant search to find the best methods for improving your team’s
performance. After all, with all else equal, a bigger – faster – stronger and more conditioned player will be
superior on the court. A constantly overlooked area of proper preparation and performance is dynamic
flexibility, and the role it plays in maximizing each and every workout, practice, and game.

What is the best way to physically and mentally prepare your team for competition? For years the norm has
been to do a light warm-up followed by some static stretching. Most high school basketball practices begin
with players taking a couple of laps, and then sitting at half court and performing some simple stretches. Since
this type of warm-up has been around for so long, it is ingrained in many coaches’ heads as the correct way to
prepare.

Is this approach beneficial? Does it adequately prepare a basketball player for the workout or practice ahead?
Is there a better way? Absolutely! Dynamic flexibility is a superior way to prepare, as it is much more effective,
focused, and productive. The concept of dynamic flexibility is certainly not new, as track and field coaches
have used it for decades. A comprehensive dynamic warm-up does not take any more time than would the
more traditional method of stretching. Since your warm-up sets the tone for the entire workout, practice, or
game, it is important to implement something that is effective, focused, and productive.

Once your team has completed a thorough warm-up, it is time to move to the next phase of preparation and
begin with some dynamic flexibility movements. Dynamic flexibility exercises are ones that increase the range
of motion in a joint or series of joints while continuously moving. There are several benefits to performing
dynamic movements before practice over a more traditional “sit and stretch” routine. First, by continuing to
move, you ensure the body and muscles stay warm throughout this process. Many players will lose the 2-3
degree increase in core temperature by sitting and stretching for 10-15 minutes. Dynamic flexibility, when
performed appropriately, prepares the muscles and joints in a more specific manner than static stretching.
Given that the workout, practice, or game is going to consist of dynamic movements – it is important to prepare
the body in a similar manner. I am not advocating anything dangerous or inappropriately ballistic (such as
severe bouncing and/or jerking). By performing safe and conservative dynamic flexibility movements, you will
better prepare the mind and body for the workout to follow. Further, another major benefit of dynamic flexibility
is it helps with coordination, motor skills, and your players’ ability to jumpstart his or her central nervous
system. These traits are invaluable with younger athletes who are still learning their abilities and limits of their
bodies. Lastly, and possibly most importantly, dynamic flexibility sufficiently prepares the mind for the workout
to follow. Mental preparation for basketball is vital. This dynamic warm-up causes each player to focus and
concentrate on the task at hand, whereas many sit and stretch routines become a session of daydreaming.

Each of the following dynamic flexibility exercises should be done moving from the baseline to half court, and
can be followed with a light jog back to the starting point or to the opposing baseline to guarantee the warm-up
effect is not lost.

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Toe / Heel Walk

Walk forward on the balls of the feet. Do not allow the heel to touch the ground. Then walk forward on the
heels of the feet. Do not allow the toes to touch the ground.

Knee Hug

While walking forward, hug your right knee into your chest, then step and do the same thing with your left leg
(then repeat again with your right). This is an excellent way to loosen up the glutes and hips.

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Frankenstein March

Keeping your right leg straight, kick your right leg up in front of you as high as you can and try to touch your
opposite hand’s finger tips, then repeat with the left leg. This is an excellent way to increase hamstring
flexibility.

Quad Walk

While walking forward, pull your left heel into your backside, then step and do the same thing with your right
leg (alternating each leg). This is ideal for loosening up the quadriceps and hip flexors.

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Pointers

Keeping your right leg straight (left leg bent) and right foot pointed upwards, reach down with your left hand
and try to touch your right toe. Next, take a step and repeat with the other side. This is another excellent
movement to increase hamstring and low back flexibility.

Low Lunge

Step forward with your right leg into a lunge position (ankles, knees, hips and shoulders square to where you
are facing and keeping your torso upright). Try and place your right elbow on the ground as close to your
right heel as possible. Bring your feet together and repeat with the left side.

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Over the Fence

Facing forward, raise your right knee up as high as you can and rotate it forward you as if you were trying to
step over an imaginary fence. Then do the same thing with the left leg (alternating each leg). Keep your
shoulders and torso straight ahead.

Straight Leg Touch

Start by balancing on your right leg. With both hands, slowly reach down toward your right foot while
keeping both legs as straight as possible. You should feel a stretch in the right hamstring as you reach
down towards your foot. Now step back with the left foot and repeat the stretch.

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Side Lunge

Step laterally to your right with your right leg and assume a side lunge position (ankles, knees, hips, and
shoulders facing perpendicular to the direction you are moving and keeping your torso upright). Allow your
bodyweight to shift over your right foot. Bring your feet together and repeat. Make sure to do both sides.

*Note that a comprehensive warm-up and dynamic flexibility workout can take as little as 8-10 minutes or go as
long as 15-20 minutes depending on the time you have available.

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AFTER Practice / Game – Static Stretching

Once your workout, practice, or game is over, using a more traditional stretching routine is beneficial to rid the
body of lactic acid, improve range of motion and flexibility, and mentally unwind. The following stretches use a
popular method of stretching called “contract-relax.” There are three distinct phases to this method:

1) Position yourself into the initial stretch. Take to a point of slight tension but not to the point of
discomfort.

2) Lightly contract the specific muscles being stretched. Use something as external resistance (your
hand, the floor, a wall, etc.) against your contraction.

3) Relax, take a deep breath, and move immediately into the original stretch (with hopefully a better range
of motion).

If you are doing to perform these stretches on the court; it is recommend each player have a towel (to fold and
put under their knee during the lunge stretch series as well as to place over their foot for the hamstring stretch
series.

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Forward Lunge

Assume a slightly extended lunge position (with a folded towel under your knee for comfort). Make sure your
ankles, knees, and hips are facing forward. Don’t let your front knee travel past your toes. Slowly drive your
hips forward and keep your torso upright. This is a great stretch for the hip flexors and glutes.

Angled Lunge

Follow the exact same guidelines as the forward lunge except place your front leg a 45 degree angle (foot
still faces forward). Instead of driving your hips straight forward, drive them at a 45 degree angle. This will
give a little more of a groin stretch.

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Lateral Lunge

Follow the exact same guidelines as the forward lunge except place your front leg and foot perpendicular to
your back leg. Continue to face forward and drive your hips laterally. This will give an intense groin stretch.

Hamstring

Lay on your back with both legs flat. Wrap a towel or elastic band or jump rope around the middle part of
one foot. Keeping both legs straight (one stays on the ground), slowly pull your foot towards your nose.
Make sure your ankle stays dorsi-flexed (right angle). This is a great stretch for the hamstrings.

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Lateral Hamstring

Follow the exact same guidelines as the hamstring stretch and then, keeping your torso and hips flat on the
ground, drop your leg down laterally. For a more intense stretch, continue to pull your foot towards the top of
your head. This will give a stretch to the groin as well as the hips.

Crossover Hamstring

Follow the exact same guidelines as the lateral hamstring stretch, except instead of dropping your leg
laterally, cross over and drop it the opposite side. For a more intense stretch, continue to pull your foot
towards the top of your head. This will give a stretch to the low back and IT band as well as the hips.

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Groin

Assume a kneeling position (with a towel under your knees for comfort) and spread your knees as wide as
possible. Keeping your knees stationary, drive your hips forward and then backward as far as you can (kind
of a rocking motion). This is a great stretch for your groin, hips, and low back.

Double Hip

Sit on the floor with your front and back legs each making a 90 degree angle. The lower part of your front
leg should be parallel with your hips and the lower part of your back leg should be perpendicular to your
hips. Try and lower your torso towards your front foot. This is a great stretch for your hips and low back.

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Trunk Twist

Lay on your side with your legs at a 90 degree angle. Your upper legs should be perpendicular to your torso
and your lower legs should be parallel to your torso. Keep your knees firmly pressed together. Raise your
top hand straight in the air and slow rotate back trying to place the back of your hand on the ground. Keep
your lower body stationary. This is a great stretch for the core, low back, and shoulders/chest.

It shouldn’t take any longer than 12-15 minutes to go through each of these stretches (without rushing) after
each workout, practice, or game. It will be time well invested!

Good luck this season!

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