Warm up reps, as many people know, are crucial to preventing
injuries. Warm ups, quite literally increase the core temperature of the body,
allowing the muscles to become more flexible (1). One way to warm up is called
dynamic stretching. Another way to stretch is known as static stretching, which
many of us were taught in P.E. class as the "Touch-your-toes" drill.
STATIC STRETCHING
Many of
us were taught to stretch out each individual muscle by holding a straining
pose for an extended amount of time. There has been a lot of controversy over
whether or not static stretching actually has any real benefit. There have been
a large amount of recent studies that seem to suggest that static stretching
could have a negative effect on lifts (2,3). The benefits of static stretching
are still being disputed, so tread lightly the next time you attempt to do that
hamstring stretch.
DYNAMIC STRETCHING
Static
stretching may be controversial, but dynamic stretching has been proven to reduce
injuries. Dynamic stretching can be defined as a movement that repetitively propels
the muscle to a point of slight tension, gradually increasing the tension with
each repetition. High knees, for example are a form of dynamic stretching that
involves the propulsion of the knees towards the chest while limbering up the
glutes. Dynamic stretching is a good way to warm up your muscles and avoid
injuries, as opposed to static stretching, which can arguably be harmful to
your workout.
Sources:
1. BISHOP, D. Warm up I. Potential mechanisms and the
effects of passive warm up on
exercise
performance. Sports Med. 33:439-454. 2003
2. BEHM, D.G., D.C. BUTTON, AND J.C. BUTT. Factors affecting
force loss with
prolonged
stretching. Can. J. Appl. Physiol. 26:261-272. 2001.
3. EVETOVICH, T.K., N.J. NAUMAN, D.S. CONLEY, AND J.B. TODD.
Effect of static
stretching
of the biceps brachii on torque, electromyography, and mechanomyography
during
concentric isokinetic muscle actions. J. Strength Cond. Res. 17:484-488. 2003.
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