- Why is stretching so important? Stretching prevents injuries by stretching your muscles prior to using them you can prevent serious down-time injuries from occurring. A smart athlete knows that the 15 minutes spent warming up is a critical component to continued training and injury prevention.
- Is there one stretch that should never be ignored? The calf stretch should always be done prior to running since tight calves are directly implicated to several sports injuries such as plantar fasciitis.
- If I do get injured from a torn or pulled muscle, what’s the treatment? Muscle strains can be classified into three levels (Grade I, Grade II, and Grade III) which define the severity of the pull and how long it will take to heal. The best treatment for any one of the three categories is rest (anywhere from one to five days), application of ice (as soon after the injury as possible), and possible anti-inflammatory medications (to help reduce swelling should it be present).
- How can I run faster without getting so fatigued? As with everything in sports, the secret rests with conditioning; and the best way to achieve all around conditioning is through interval workouts so the body will learn to run faster while minimizing fatigue.