A softball player doesn't have to run long distances or bench press 300 pounds to play successfully, but she does need to prepare her body for the rigors of the game. Softball involves sprinting and throwing, both of which require intense muscle contractions and a certain level of anaerobic fitness.
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Your neck muscles move your head through various ranges of motion—extension, forward flexion, lateral flexion and rotation—that you use on a daily basis. You can strengthen these muscles by performing resistance exercises.
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Preschool students typically love physical activity. Gym is likely one of their favorite classes at school because they get to move freely and release energy. Physical Education teachers should take advantage of this excitement by designing fun and engaging movement games for their preschool students.
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Although tee ball games are fun for both players and coaches, baseball skill development during practices is just as important, if not more important than winning games.
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Baseball is a fun game, but your players may consider practice drills, designed to teach them the fundamentals of the game through repetition, boring and tedious. As a coach, however, you have the power to design drills creatively to make them more enjoyable for your players.
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The biceps femoris, semimembranosus and semitendinosus muscles on the back of your thigh are collectively referred to as the hamstrings. These muscles attach to the pelvis on top and the tibia bone of your lower leg on the bottom, and facilitate both hip extension and knee flexion ranges of motion.
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As an elementary school teacher, you may want to take your students outside to play occasionally when the weather allows. This will help them burn off energy, and also may help them function better in the classroom, according to the Franklin Institute.
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The sartorius muscle, located in the front of the thigh, is the longest muscle in the human body, according to Susan Hall, author of "Basic Biomechanics."
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The muscles of the lower back include the erector spinae muscle group and the deep spinal muscles. Both of these muscle groups contribute to spinal extension, lateral flexion and rotation. You can stretch these muscles by moving your body through various ranges of motion.
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Your hips are one of the most important joints on your body because you use them so frequently. They must function properly for you to perform daily activities such as bending over, standing up, stepping sideways and walking.
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The femoral neck, which is located near the top of the femur bone, is especially susceptible to fractures due to osteoporosis because it is the weakest part of the femur.
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Doctors usually recommend a period of immobilization after ankle surgery, during which the involved bones, connective tissues and muscles atrophy, or get smaller and weaker. Performing exercises to restore flexibility and strength following this period is recommended.
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Dynamic arm stretches involve gentle bouncing or swinging movements meant to force your elbow, shoulder or wrist joints past their normal ranges of motion, according to The Stretching Institute.
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Your core consists of the muscles within your abdomen, hips and lower back. These muscles support your pelvic girdle and spine, and facilitate movements of your hips and torso. Performing stretching exercises that target the core muscles may increase flexibility and enhance muscular function.
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Participating in an upper-body plyometric-training program builds power in the muscles of your abdomen, arms, back, chest and shoulders. This is important for playing the variety of sports that require explosive upper-body movements.
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Performing stretching and strengthening exercises may help treat pain in your gluteus maximus muscle -- the largest of the three gluteal muscles in your buttocks -- regardless of the cause of the pain, which may include conditions such as fibromyalgia or sciatica, or injuries such as a deep bruise or muscle strain.
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The muscles within your inner thigh include the adductor brevis, adductor longus, adductor magnus and gracilis, which are referred to collectively as the hip-joint adductors. These muscles work to pull your legs toward the midline of your body -- an imaginary line that divides your body into left and right halves.
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