702 STRETCHING AND FLEXIBILITY

Importance of a Warm Up:
Getting the body warmed up before physical activity is important for the following reasons.
1. It gets any stiffness out of the body.
2. A warmer body temperature by running for a few minutes before the work-
    out will allow for more blood flow through the muscles, tendons and joints
    helping to loosen them up.
3. Stretching will help with movement, strength and elasticity of the tendons,
    ligaments and muscles.

Reasons for Stretching
1. To prevent injury.
2. To increase range of motion.
3. To relieve muscles soreness.

Importance of Flexibility
Strength gained through body building at the cost of flexibility is a tremendous price to pay for the baseball player. For the pitcher who builds upper body strength through weight lifting, ignoring flexibility exercises will produce less velocity than that they previously had. The arm is attached to the torso by a cup and ball assembly in the shoulder. The range of motion will be restricted because of the tightness from the extra muscle tissue. Weight lifting for the ball player to develop upper body strength is recommended providing a full range of flexibility stretches precede the actual weight resistant exercises.

Post Game Warm Down
Keeping the desire to improve flexibility, is important after a game or heavy practice that the player, has a cooling down period. This is extremely important. It allows the muscles to relax slowly after a strenuous work out and helps the body expel the toxic waste that accumulates after a work-out in the muscles. This is especially important to pitchers because of the stress involved but all players should cool down properly. See section 414.

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