Stretching for Flexibility

When working on stretching exercises:

1. Warm up the muscles before stretching them.
2. Light stretching is fine at the beginning of practice to prepare for the workout ahead. However, stretching to improve flexibility should be done at the end of practice when muscles are warm.
3. Stretching should never hurt. There is a difference between muscle resistance felt when stretching properly and pain from improper stretching.
4. To improve flexibility, hold stretches for 20-30 seconds.
5. Avoid bouncing while stretching. Gently work into the full stretch. Breath deeply and relax.

 Up through age 9 is the optimum time to build overall motor skills and learn fundamental movement skills.

Warm-up Stages:
General Warm-up: 3-5 minutes, doing jogging, jumping rope, cardio games, jumping jacks, dancing.
Stretching:  hold stretches for around 20 seconds each. Wrist/Ankle, neck, shoulder/chest, back/side/core, leg/hips,
Skill/movement rehearsal.

Nutrition:
Carbonhydrates
Fat
Minerals
Protein
Vitamins
Water: drinking water every 15-20 minutes during practice or after practice
Milk: 3 servings from milk, yogurt, cheese (low fat or fat free)
Fruit & Vegi: 1.5 serving fruit, 2 servings vegi.
Fats & Sugars: Choose unsaturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated fats from fish, nuts, vegi oil.
Frains (5-6 servings): grains include breads, cereal, oatmeal, crackers, rice, pasta, tortillas, grits, and barley.

Meat & beans (4-5 servings): choose low-fat or lean. Vary choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, seeds.


Eat frequent small meals: children should eat every 3 or 4 hours, which equals 5-6 small to medium meals a day. small snack of 200-400 calories may suffice. Don't skip meals.

Healthy "on the go" snack:
portable low-fat yogurt, cottage cheese with fruit, apple+peanut butter on wheat toast, baby carrots+celery, whole grain cereals with low-fat or skim milk, animal crackers+raisins, teddy grahams, fat-free pudding, string cheese, wheat pita break+ 1 oz turkey breast and mustard, popcorn