Sunil Chhetri, the fourth-highest goalscorer in the world, consistently follows post-dinner stretching routine, which he considers is a key to his recovery and vitality
India's most celebrated footballer Sunil Chhetri is known for his incredible fitness and health. The sporting icon has always been open about the strategies he adopts to stay at his fitness peak – prioritizing a balanced approach to health.
For the
40-year-old Indian Super League player – the fourth-highest goalscorer in the world, one of his lesser-known rituals – a post-dinner stretching routine, is extremely important which he considers is a key to his recovery and vitality.
What is stretching?
A physical exercise, stretching puts your body in a certain position that serves in the lengthening and elongation of the muscle or muscle group and thus enhances its flexibility and elasticity. For those looking to improve physical well-being and promote relaxation after dinner, Chhetri’s approach offers a valuable glimpse into a routine that supports long-term fitness.
Chhetri says he includes stretching as part of the training and muscle recovery program, which is extremely important for a high-intensity sport like football.
How does Chhetri incorporate stretching for fitness after dinner?
Chhetri says he began the ritual of stretching post-dinner time some 4-5 years back. “Every night, after dinner, I spend about 20 to 30 minutes stretching,” he said in a podcast interview.
Chhetri added the consistency of this practice has helped him wake up every morning feeling refreshed and energized. “Over time, this simple habit has become a staple in his routine, essential to maintaining flexibility, aiding recovery, and improving overall well-being,” he added.
How does stretching benefit you?
A few benefits of stretching include:
- Improves flexibility delaying impaired mobility associated with ageing
- Improves performance in physical activities as a result of improved flexibility
- Reduces the risk of injury and damage
- Improves blood circulation which reduces muscle soreness and time for recovery
- Increasing the range of motion
- Improves posture by strengthening the back muscles
- Restores normal neuromuscular balance between muscle groups
- Reduce injuries, strains, and damage
- Before and after exercise to reduce muscle soreness
How does stretching work?
According to experts, the stretching of a muscle fibre begins with the sarcomere - the basic unit of contraction in the muscle fibre, As the sarcomere contracts, the area of overlap between the thick and thin myofilaments increases. As it stretches, this area of overlap decreases, allowing the muscle fibre to elongate.
When the muscle fibre is at its maximum resting length it begins to increase tension in the connective tissue which helps in the rehabilitation of scarred tissue. The initial changes that are produced by stretch training involve mechanical adaptations that are followed by neural adaptations, which contrasts with the sequence observed during strength training.
For a perfect stretch, it is important that there should be:
- Proper alignment - the position of the patient has to be comfortable and should be such that the stretch force is applied to the particular muscle
- Stabilization - The bony segment of the muscle to be stretched should be fixed appropriately
- Intensity - It is the magnitude of the stretch applied
- Duration - Total time of the stretch that is to be applied
- Speed - The rate at which the initial stretch is applied
- Frequency - Total number of stretching sessions per day or per week
- Mode of Stretch – A type of stretch - static, ballistic, or cyclic and the amount of participation
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