The game of racquetball has had a growing number of players over the past decade. This is because the sport offers a lot of fun and exciting moments. It can also help an enthusiast stay in tip-top condition. But just like any other physical activity you should know the imperatives in order to keep yourself free from any sort of injury.
The body is a machine that needs to heat up in order to function at optimum levels. A good warm-up session is your ticket in ensuring that youre on top of your game while on the court. Moreover, you have the assurance that you are free from any sort of sores and aches after a well fought battle. Remember even the simplest strain or sprain can eat up your racquetball time.
The principle of warming up is based on increasing the flow of blood across the muscles so as to promote readiness and strengthen their capacity in withstanding the workload during a game. Stretching and jogging are the common methods used. You only need to allot 10 to 15 minutes. At this point you can let your body have a feel of what the court condition is like.
Full slow motion stretches are ideal. Perform a full stretch and then hold your position for around a minute. But be sure not to overstretch especially if you feel pain. Fast and jerky motions are a no-no since they can result into counter-productivity and injury susceptibility. Put in mind that when muscles undergo excessive amounts of pressure they can be torn leading to loss of strength and even permanent damage.
Make sure that your session covers all body parts to be utilized during the game. Prepare your arms by engaging in slow and wide circular movements which is termed as the windmill. Loosen up your back and the back of your legs by bending over to reach your toes. Foot abduction and adduction can also be used to strengthen your ankles. Another warm-up routine you can perform is bouncing lightly on the ball of your feet to loosen you lower leg muscles.
Warm-up exercises are extended to the court before the game kicks off. You can start on the right track by casually hitting some balls. You can then move up by performing some of your favorite moves. Tyr increasing the power and velocity of each strike as you go along.
At this point dont get too excited. Take your time as you focus more on increasing the range of your swing gradually until you reach the point of maximum extension. Afterwards you can start working on your forehand and backhand making sure to utilize both sides of the court.
You should not forget to hydrate yourself. During a competitive match around two to four quarts of water is lost. Once this is not replaced you will suffer in terms of endurance reduction and energy loss. Never trade water with supplements like salt and potassium tablets.
Avoid protein rich and fatty foods like beef before stepping onto your racquetball battlefield as it will make your body busy digesting such consumption and will leave you with less energy to work with. Whole wheat bread and macaroni which are rich in complex carbohydrates are the ones to ingest since they can be easily digested and converted to energy.