Avoiding sports injuries for the weekend warrior

Now that the weather is starting to cool down its more important than ever to make sure you warm up properly before beginning an athletic endeavor. Whatever sport or athletic event you are doing, it is important to make sure you spend enough time warming up your core as well as targeting any muscle groups that may be doing most of the work.This can usually be done by starting with a brisk walk for a few minutes and then gently going through any sport specific motions that you will be performing.Once you start sweating you can add some light stretches and you are ready to go. To help reduce or avoid muscle stiffness and soreness the next day spend a few minutes stretching your large muscle groups such as your back, hamstrings and quadraceps immediately after you are finished.If you were engaging in  a racquet sport a good stretch targeting your shoulder and arm muscles will also help.