Super Bowl Blackout Stretch

Joe Flacco remaining perfectly chill as he stretches during the blackout (from www.buzzfeed.com)

Yes, I know this is waaaaaaay late compared to the people that tweeted and posted about the blackout instantly, but hey, I've been getting my wrestlers ready for State all week.  Tomorrow we'll wake up bright and early to bring our three qualifiers to Firestone High School in Akron for the Ohio Youth Wrestling Association State Championships.

Now I don't know if you got up and did other stuff during that 34 minute delay, but if you were still fixed to the TV you would've seen many of the players stretching.  One thing that was noted weeks before the big game is that "the 49ers love to stretch," according to the Wall Street Journal.  It didn't give them quite enough of an edge to pull it off last Sunday, but they did have the lowest injury rate of any team this season (a light bulb should be going off in your head).  One of the other players seen stretching was Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco; he was doing a stretch I had never seen before, and so I got down on the carpeting at my friend's apartment and tried it.

The stretch is somewhat of a hybrid of two stretches I already do, but I like it enough that I've already added it to my routine.  It's a great stretch for the hips, and it's quite relaxing, too.  I could almost take a nap doing that!  Rather than explain it to you, I've included a link to a brief clip of Flacco contentedly performing this stretch: http://www.buzzfeed.com/ktlincoln/the-9-most-ridiculous-moments-of-the-great-super-b.  I can't stress enough to stretch once a day, preferably after a workout.  Allow yourself to mentally and physically relax, and focus on your breathing.  When I'm stretching after practice I like to play the "Power of 2" game.  Try to think of two things to start doing next practice, two things to stop doing, and two things you did well that you want to continue doing.  If it helps, write them down once you're done stretching so that you can remind yourself of them the next time you practice.

I'm so pumped for tomorrow!
Jeff