Static Stretching Research
Academic Research
Reading
I'm obsessed with finding the perfect warm up, especially stretching. It make no logical sense, I know but I'm stupid and stubborn. Ever since my first year when I saw the head coaches run an hour long warm up with what seemed 100 different movements, I've devoted way too much time to figuring out the best way to warm up my athletes.
The most confusing damn thing with warm ups is stretching. In case you are out of the loop 3 or 4 years ago a study came out saying that static stretching isn't good for explosive exercises. I got confused as every coach I've ever seen stresses the importance of stretching. Suddenly, it's bad.
I'm not sure if I got the original source of controversy but let's go through some of the research that has come out in the last few years and how some people are reacting to it.
Acute Effects Of A Warm-Up Including Active, Passive, And Dynamic Stretching On Vertical Jump Performance
This study was done with 16 tennis players to test their jumping ability after using different forms of stretching. Lets cut to the end.
Significant increases in SJ (squat jumps or vertical) performance were observed when comparing the DC ( Dynamic Stretching Condition) (29.6 ± 4.9 cm; p = 0.02) with PSC (Passive Stretching Condition) (28.7 ± 4.3 cm).
In science, this is a clear victory for dynamic stretching. P=.02 is a defiant answer meaning way better, most studies only require .05.
Here's another one with similar results, just older athletes.
Effects of Dynamic Warm-up on Lower Body Explosiveness Among Collegiate Baseball Players
The mean jump heights for VJ (vertical jump) were 66.49 ± 8.28 cm for dynamic, 61.42 ± 7.51 cm for static, and 62.72 ± 7.84 cm for the control condition.
This study we see similar results to those above that static stretching cuts 2 inches off the vertical. The odd figure is that there isn't a large gap between the control and static. It's not really enough to say static stretching hinders explosiveness, there's only enough data here to suggest that dynamic stretching is better than static.
Resistance Training vs. Static Stretching: Effects on Flexibility and Strength.
Here's where shit gets confusing.
The results of this preliminary study suggest that carefully constructed full-range RT (resistance training or weight lifting) regimens can improve flexibility as well as the typical SS (static stretching) regimens employed in conditioning programs.
Ok, we all thought, "fuck it, stretching takes away from explosiveness but it will still help with flexibility." I was in that camp until I read this last week. Now I'm confused as to what the hell is going on.
This part really messed me up:
There was no difference in hamstring flexibility, hip flexion, and hip extension improvement between RT and SS, but both were superior to CON values.
Weight lifting and stretching both improved flexibility equally more than the control group.
Does this explain why Olympic lifters seem to be the most flexible people next to gymnast? I'm not sure.
I'm not putting this up raving that I have the answers to this new research. I read the last one last week and it blew my mind. If dynamic stretching is better for explosiveness and weight lifting can increase flexibility as much as static stretching, why do we do it?
Thursday I'll bring up how the experts have handled this information. Maybe I can help make the road a little clearer. Academic Research stretching Warm Ups
