The Importance of Stretching
Winning a race is the ultimate goal, but in order to this it is necessary to stretch.
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Stretching is the most import part of winning a race.
In track and field, the importance of stretching is a huge when it comes to the performance of the athlete.
Before a practice or meet, a typical track and field athlete will stretch for about 20-40 minutes. Depending on what event a person competes in the type of stretching will be different. For example, a long distance runner will stretch different than a sprinter, and a sprinter will stretch different than a thrower.
Stretching can mean the difference between a first and second place finish.
“I have a messed up hip flexor, so I need to stretch before a race so I don’t pull it even more,” sophomore Nicolas Fier said.
After a race an athlete will often times stretch to make sure they get the lactic acid out of their system to prevent things like shin splints.
Stretching is a huge part of track and field and is needed to stay healthy; in order to perform at the highest level, a track athlete must make sure their body is in great condition.