Some people think that stretching before or after sport is absolutely pointless, while others might think that stretching is compulsory. There are people who think holding a stretch for just a few seconds is already enough and some just stretch because they want to prevent sore muscles. It turns out that when and how you stretch can make or break your fitness/flexibility goals.
Why should I actually stretch?
Hmm – good question – why should you stretch? Well, there are many reasons stretching has a positive influence on your fitness, your performance, your energy and of course your flexibility.
“Flexibility is crucial to my fitness. Incorporating a good warm-up and cool-down into every session decreases my chances of injury. I use both dynamic and static stretching in my training. I’ve starting doing a few yoga sessions which incorporates muscle strength and flexibility.”
– Samantha Stosur (professional tennis player)
Static Stretching and Dynamic Stretching – What is the difference?
Many people believe that no matter how you stretch the outcome will always be the same. I personally have been an active member of a dance company for many years and I can tell you that it does in fact make a big difference whether you perform static and/or dynamic stretching exercises. Let me give you a brief overview of these two types of stretches.
Static Stretching
These are the stretches you are told to hold for a specific time. When you think of stretching you most probably think of this type. To perform a static stretching exercise you must extend the muscles as far as possible and hold the position for at least 15 seconds. How long you hold the stretch depends on your age, your fitness and the exercise.
Dynamic Stretching
As you can assume, this type of stretching involves movement. In contrast to static stretches, dynamic exercises completely stretch the soft tissues. After a short pause of 3-5 seconds, a force is exerted in this lengthened position. Now we can elongate the muscle, strengthen it and work on balance and coordination.
Is dynamic or static stretching better?
Some of you might now have the following question in mind: “What type of stretching should I actually perform?” Well, it depends on your goals. Studies have been done comparing these two types with each other to show which one was better for runners[1]. The conclusion of the study was that dynamic stretching improved performance more than static stretching did. However, if you’d like to increase your range of motion I would recommend static stretching. A study by Bandy and Briggler[2] showed that dynamic stretching increased the range of flexibility by 4,3% while static stretching increased the range of flexibility by 11,4%. So I’d say that you should include both types of stretching in your training/workout. A good idea would be to start with dynamic stretching as it acts as kind of a warm up and increases your whole performance, and then you can continue with static stretches.
When is the best time to stretch and for how long should I stretch?
You are probably wondering how long you should stretch for. First of all, it mainly depends on you, to be more precise, on your age, fitness and health, previous injuries etc. There have already been a lot of studies on this issue. One of these long term studies (done with healthy persons between 21 and 39) showed that after six weeks people who stretched 30 sec/muscle a day increased their mobility and flexibility more than people who stretched only 15 sec/muscle a day. However, the people who stretched for 60 sec/muscle a day didn’t increase their mobility/flexibility much more than those who stretched for thirty seconds.
Other studies revealed different results. For example, one came to the conclusion that some people can increase the range of motion more by just stretching 15 sec/muscle a day than people who even stretch 45 sec/muscle a day. This leads us to the conclusion that everyone is different and that some of us don’t reach the same goals as easily as others do.
Can stretching prevent injuries and muscle ache?
I think all of you know that stretching prevents injuries and muscle ache, right? However, this is not completely true. Stretching can of course decrease the risks of injuries, especially if you do dynamic stretching. Stretching can also help you reduce the likelihood of muscle ache, but stretching cannot completely prevent injuries and soar muscles.
Why stretching has to be improved in (sport-focused) schools
As you might know by now, stretching is quite important, especially if you do a lot of sports. Sadly it is not always viewed as being as important as it should be. That’s of course a big topic in sport-focused schools; some already know that stretching is necessary in these situations and have adapted a stretching program. However, some of the sport-focused schools have not improved enough yet. Stretching programs in schools are very important. If young people do a lot of sports and don’t stretch, their muscles become shortened. This can then later lead to acute injuries, one of which could be serious knee problems.
What is your opinion on stretching? Do you already perform dynamic stretching/static stretching exercises or are they completely new to you?
[1] Little, T., & Williams, A. G. (2006). Effects of differential stretching protocols during warm-ups on high-speed motor capacities in professional soccer players. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 20(1), 203-307. Accessed April 12, 2016.
[2] Bandy, W. D., Irion, J. M., & Briggler, M. (1997). The Effect of Time and Frequency of Static Stretching on Flexibility of the Hamstring Muscles. Physical Therapy, 77(10), 1090-1096. Accessed April 12, 2016. Retrieved from https://ptjournal.apta.org/content/77/10/1090.