The Ability to Relax Muscles

Sports training causes an increase in the difference between muscle contractions at the highest and the lowest effort.

Increasing the difference between maximum effort and rest is favourable because it increases the capability of maintaining maximal speed of movements.

The skill of relaxing muscles in numerous conditions is essential if the athlete is to boost his or her competitive results.

The athlete begins to learn these skills firstly while performing specific exercises committed solely to relaxing the muscles, later during training and finally during the competition.

Flexibility training has an indirect effect on muscle relaxation but alone is not enough. These are the basic methods of developing the skill of muscle relaxation:

1) Specific exercises such as the air bicycle (legs making pedaling movements in the air) while lying on your neck and shoulders, executed at a moderate speed.

2) Rapid vibration of the limbs using a vibration plate or massage gun.

3) Massage - especially rubbing, kneading and shaking.

4) Rocking while curled into a ball.

5) Sauna or Hot Baths between temperatures of 38-40 degrees celsius.

6) Relaxing positions, lowering mental stress through yoga exercises, turning off/altering the consciousness etc.