In addition to strong leg muscles and proper technique, stretching before kicking a football will optimize your kicking distance and prevent injury. According to USSoccer.com, the hamstring muscle, or the large muscle on the back of your upper leg, is commonly injured when kicking. Therefore, include a specific hamstring stretching program into your pre-kick routine to prevent injury.
Kicking Mechanics
The majority of your leg muscles are used when kicking a football; however, your quadriceps muscle is responsible for the primary kicking action. Your quadriceps attaches your upper leg to your lower leg, and is responsible for forward motion of your foot when kicking. Therefore, strengthening this muscle with leg extension exercises will increase your kicking power to help you kick the ball farther.
Role of the Hamstring
The hamstring muscle is the antagonist muscle in relationship to the quadriceps. While the quadriceps is responsible for extending the lower leg, the hamstring is responsible for bending the lower leg. In addition, the hamstring muscle limits how much the quadriceps is allowed to extend. Therefore, having tight hamstrings can reduce the length of lower leg extension, which will decrease the length of your football kicks. In addition, an unstretched hamstring is prone to injury because the force of a quadriceps contraction can cause excessive pulling on a tight hamstring and result in a strain.
Toe-Touch Stretch
You should perform the toe-touch stretch before kicking practice, or before a game time kick. To perform the toe touch stretch, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend down to touch your toes. Hold this position for at least 30 seconds and repeat three times. This is also a good stretch to perform in the huddle before a kickoff, punt or field goal.
Hurdler Stretch
After the toe touch stretch, you should get on the ground to perform the hurdler stretch. Place your kicking foot in front of you with your toes up. Place your non-kicking leg behind you, with your knee bent. Reach forward with both hands and try to touch your front toes. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat three times. Use this stretch when you are on the sidelines and not rushed to kick.
