Static stretching
- Static stretching – where limbs are extended and held in a position for a period of time – is particularly bad
- Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons, making them less powerful and more prone to injury
Article
By ANNA HODGEKISS
PUBLISHED: 12:43 GMT, 4 April 2013 | UPDATED: 19:49 GMT, 4 April 2013
We’ve long been told that stretching before exercise is the best way to prevent injury, but experts are now warning it could do more harm than good.
Also not only could certain warm-up exercises prevent you from performing to the best of your ability, they could also make you more prone to injury.
It’s now thought that static stretching – where the limbs are extended and held in a position for a period of time to make our joints and muscles more flexible – is particularly bad.
The authors of both reports say the reason may be because stretching loosens the muscles and tendons.
Not only could certain warm-up exercises prevent you from performing to the best of your ability, they could also make you more prone to injury
While this loosening makes them more flexible, it makes them less able to ‘spring’ into action.
Also it gives the muscles and joints less support, increasing the risk of injury.
The process has been likened to having loose elastic on a waistband. While it may be more flexible, but it’s also less effective at its job.
To avoid injury, tendons need to be very elastic. While stretching makes them less elastic, so they are less able to deal with the large energy load placed on them by exercise.
Stretching can even affect other parts of the body, too. Previous research from the University of Texas has found that stretching one muscle can also impair another muscle that was not stretched - e.g. stretching a muscle in your left leg could weaken a muscle in your right leg - possibly by affecting the nervous system.
The new conclusions were drawn researchers at the University of Zagreb analysed 104 studies of stretching, the New York Times reported.
They found that competitive athletes who did static stretching reduced the strength in their muscles by almost 5.5 per cent.
Muscle power fell even more if the stretch was held for more than 90 seconds.
The ability to lift weights also reduced by 8.3 per cent after static stretching
If the stretch is held for less than 45 seconds, the negative effect is reduced, but stretched muscles are generally less strong, they say.
Other types of exercise were also affected. The ability to run fast or jump as high as you can was also reduced by three per cent after stretching.
This means that all-important tennis serve or sprint start could be missing that added bit of ‘oomph’, say the researchers.
Another study, published this month in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, concluded that young, fit men who stretched before lifting weights could manage 8.3 per cent less weight after the static stretching.
It may also lead to people feeling ‘weaker and wobblier’ during the workout.
The answer, say the researchers, is to warm up doing the movements you will use during exercise. That means jacks, high leg kicks and jogging on the spot.
Related articles
Static stretching is less effective on Sprinters during the warmup
Static Stretching
Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning
Volume 23 | Issue 3 | June 2015
9
Effects of static stretching, dynamic, and combined static-dynamic stretching on sprint performance, reaction time, and power production in sprinters.
J. Aust. Strength Cond. 23(3) 9-15. 2015 © ASCA.
Original Scientific Research Study
EFFECTS OF STATIC, DYNAMIC, AND COMBINED STATIC-DYNAMIC STRETCHING ON SPRINT
PERFORMANCE, REACTION TIME, AND POWER PRODUCTION IN SPRINTERS
Jad-Adrian Washif 1
, Lian-Yee Kok 1
, Chen-Soon Chee 1
, Erik C.H. Tan 2
1Department of Sports Studies, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia
2National Sports Institute, Malaysia
BLUF
Dynamic stretching that was preceded by general- and followed by sprint-specific warm up elevated sprint and reaction
performances while static stretching alone, or combined with dynamic stretching compromised the ability of muscle to
perform maximally during explosive movements
ABSTRACT
This study compared static, dynamic and combined static-dynamic stretching within a realistic warm up routine on sprint
performance, reaction time and power production in sprinters. Thirteen (n = 13) young male sprinters performed static
stretching (SS), dynamic stretching (DS) and combined static-dynamic stretching (CSDS) and were repeatedly
measured for sprint performance (50 metres), reaction time, peak force (PF) and peak power (PP).
Significant differences were observed for sprint performance (p = .001) and reaction time (p = .015), but not for peak force (p =.483) and peak power (p = .458). DS evoked the best sprint performance (6.18 s + .11), followed by CSDS (6.33 s + .10) and SS (6.37 s + .11).
DS also obtained best results for reaction time (0.22 s + .04), but SS (0.26 s + .05) was better than CSDS (0.29 s + .08). Even though results for power and force were not statistically significant, these results suggested that DS induced the best sprint performance, reaction time and power production.
CSDS resulted in the slowest sprint performance and reaction time, while SS resulted in the lowest PF and PP production.
It seems DS may be associated with greater neuromuscular activation compared with other protocols. However, the benefits from DS may have been diluted when combined with SS. Therefore, the application of DS for sprint performance, reaction time, peak force and peak power seem able to increase the ability of muscles to perform maximally.
Key Words - Warm up, stretching, explosive, speed, sprinters, muscle activation.
Supplied by Jad Adrian Washif.
Mr Washif is a Malaysian Statiscian for South East Asia, Coach, Sprinter, Sports Scientist and Website host
please checkout his website www.adriansprints.com
Sport Stretch, 2nd Edition: 311 Stretches for 41 Sports
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