Hi All
Looking for a bit of help/advice. I'm 42 and been fairly inactive since stopping playing football (not US) about 4 years ago.
I'm starting to play again this season so have been trying to get fit. I'm taking it steady - I walk the dogs (30mins brisk walk), bike to work (equates to no more than 4 miles for the whole day so won't be having much impact on my fitness at all) and I've started playing football with my son for about 30-45mins about 4 times per week.
My warm up consists of light jogging for about 5mins (remember, I am unfit right now ) and stretching my calf muscles, thigh muscles and groin for about 5mins for the lot....and that's it. I appreciate this is probably not doing me any favours but I've never really known what constitutes adequate warm up and stretches.
The problem I'm having is my right thigh muscle (I am right footed so my right leg is used a lot) and to a lesser extent my groin area on the right side is sore after a few kicks of the ball - not debilitating but it feels like it could 'go' if I use maximum effort and right now (I played for 30mins tonight and about 40mins last night) it's a little tender when I apply pressure with my hand to the top of my leg.
I have had trouble with it in the past but I've never really been one to warm up to the level I probably should so I've always put it down to that. The pain when it 'goes' is very similar to a dead leg and means I just can't kick with that leg and running is painful....which is a problem obviously.
What could be causing this? poor warm up? weak/unused muscle? Surely kicking a football, even at my level of fitness, shouldn't really have this impact?
Any help/advice would be much appreciated
Don't know if you need to know this, but my stretching comprises: calf - one leg bent in front of me, the other leg straight behind me, obviously the straight leg is the one being stretched. Thigh - leg bent and held by the ankle so my heel touches my bottom. Groin - sit with knees bent flat to floor with soles of feet touching each other. I NEVER bounce.
Thanks
Looking for a bit of help/advice. I'm 42 and been fairly inactive since stopping playing football (not US) about 4 years ago.
I'm starting to play again this season so have been trying to get fit. I'm taking it steady - I walk the dogs (30mins brisk walk), bike to work (equates to no more than 4 miles for the whole day so won't be having much impact on my fitness at all) and I've started playing football with my son for about 30-45mins about 4 times per week.
My warm up consists of light jogging for about 5mins (remember, I am unfit right now ) and stretching my calf muscles, thigh muscles and groin for about 5mins for the lot....and that's it. I appreciate this is probably not doing me any favours but I've never really known what constitutes adequate warm up and stretches.
The problem I'm having is my right thigh muscle (I am right footed so my right leg is used a lot) and to a lesser extent my groin area on the right side is sore after a few kicks of the ball - not debilitating but it feels like it could 'go' if I use maximum effort and right now (I played for 30mins tonight and about 40mins last night) it's a little tender when I apply pressure with my hand to the top of my leg.
I have had trouble with it in the past but I've never really been one to warm up to the level I probably should so I've always put it down to that. The pain when it 'goes' is very similar to a dead leg and means I just can't kick with that leg and running is painful....which is a problem obviously.
What could be causing this? poor warm up? weak/unused muscle? Surely kicking a football, even at my level of fitness, shouldn't really have this impact?
Any help/advice would be much appreciated
Don't know if you need to know this, but my stretching comprises: calf - one leg bent in front of me, the other leg straight behind me, obviously the straight leg is the one being stretched. Thigh - leg bent and held by the ankle so my heel touches my bottom. Groin - sit with knees bent flat to floor with soles of feet touching each other. I NEVER bounce.
Thanks