Reebok Fit2Kick: Workout for Goalkeepers – Dynamic Stretching

#1 The importance of stretching

Now, you may have noticed that a goalkeeper is usually one of the most agile and acrobatically gifted athletes in the team. From gravity-defying jumps to super heroic blocks to last ditch clearances, a goalkeeper’s inner gymnast helps him/her achieve a near-superhuman status in the team.

A very important factor which plays its part here is the flexibility of the goalkeeper’s body. Our next workout helps a goalkeeper stretch and keep his body supple, flexible yet strong.

#2 The Dynamic Stretching Workout

Number of Exercises: 1

Time Duration: 20 minutes for the entire set

No. of Reps: 10

#3 Surya Namaskara The Raised Arms

Target Muscles: The entire body

A very popular yogic exercise, the surya namaskara or the sun salutation is a mix of a number of different yogic postures or asanas.

When done correctly, it helps a goalkeeper achieve overall body strength, suppleness and flexibility.

The various steps to this exercise are as follows:

Step 1: The Raised Arms: With your legs about placed approximately your shoulder width apart, bring both your hands up straight over your head and join them together in a ‘namaste’ pose (as shown in the image). Look up towards your hand and exhale deeply.

#4 The Hands to Feet Pose

Step 2: Hand to Feet: As shown in the image, bring both your hands down and bend your body so that your hands can touch your toes. Look straight ahead, and make sure to exhale while doing this step.

Step 3: Warrior Pose: From step two, bring one leg forward in a lunge-like position. Make sure that your other leg is stretched straight behind, and try and bend the knee of this leg as less as possible. Now, as in the first step, bring your hands up over your head in a namaste pose and look up towards them. Exhale while doing this step. Remember to alternate the leg you bring forward with each repetition.

#5 The Mountain Pose

Step 4: Mountain Pose: Put both your palms on the ground and then push your groin area up in the air to form an inverted ‘V’ form with your body. Exhale while doing this step.

#6 The 8 Limbs position

Step 5: 8 Limbs position: Very similar to a push up position, bring your body down towards the floor till your chest nearly touches the floor. Do not let your body sag in the middle, and inhale while doing this step.

#7 The Cobra Pose

Step 6: Cobra Pose: Now, push your upper body up; let your lower body be parallel to the ground. This move helps stretch your spinal cord. Exhale while doing this movement, try and look straight up as shown in the image.

After the cobra pose, re-do the above steps in this order – the 8 limbs position, the mountain pose, the warrior pose, the hand to feet and the raised arms – to complete the surya namaskara.

This exercise essentially helps your entire body stretch. Remember to inhale and exhale in the sequence mentioned. Also, to make this exercise harder, do as many reps as possible without pausing in between.