To Static Stretch or Dynamic Stretch... That is the Question

How do I stretch? When do I stretch? For how long should I stretch? These are all important questions that are frequently asked. Due to myths that have been spread between individuals at gyms, schools and even higher level athletic organizations, stretching has often been misrepresented.

One of the more popular beliefs is that you must warm up first and then hold each static stretch for a certain amount of time before your workout. Sound familiar? I am sure most of you have heard something similar to this numerous times from individuals such as your high school gym teacher, various athletic coaches, or friends.

The Legend of the Static Stretch has plagued everyone from athletes to casual gym visitors. More often than not, you enter a gym and see people in the designated “stretching area” scattered over the ground getting ready for the stretch-athon. What most don’t know is that they are preparing themselves more for injury than for their workouts. “But how could this be true?” you may ask. When you perform a static stretch, you are holding a position for a certain count, and then moving to the next position when the time is up. When you are holding the static stretch in the stationary position you are actually overstretching the muscle fibers and making the muscles and tendons relax, ultimately making your muscles weaker for the workout.

Think of a long rubber band and a short rubber band: which one will generate more power when pulled the same distance? The answer is the shorter band. When you static stretch before your workouts your muscles are more like the longer rubber band. This ultimately dulls the activity in the nervous system, impairing your brain-to-muscle communication. The result is a decrease in your ability to generate maximum force in the following workout. On top of that, static stretching also decreases blood flow to muscle and makes you more susceptible to muscle strains and tears.

I remember using this stretching strategy when I played junior and college hockey. Looking back, it is no surprise why during some games I felt sluggish and couldn’t perform at my maximum potential. The scary thing to me is that even today everyone from amateur to college athletes are still doing pre-game static stretching which is only making themselves slower and less efficient athletes, while also making themselves more susceptible to future injury.

Static is not all evil – there is a time and place for it such as after your workouts. You may utilize it and hold each necessary stretch for 30 seconds - an ideal amount of time to help increase your range of motion in tight and shortened areas. This will aid you in recovering from your workout, or even performing daily actions such as squatting down to pick up something instead of bending at the waist and lifting with your back…ouch!

But what should I do before training? The better choice is DYNAMIC STRETCHING. Dynamic stretching is using an active movement to stretch a muscle instead of an immobile position. Some examples of dynamic stretches are single-leg high-knee walks for stretching your hamstrings, or hands-overhead lunges to stretch the hips. Since the stretch is being achieved through movement you can actually ignite the nervous system and increase blood flow to the muscles. This will prevent you from over-stretching and weakening the muscles and prepares your body for the power, speed, and endurance needed in the following exercises! Dynamic stretch movements may be repeated 5-8 times each to prepare the muscles ready. One active set for each muscle is sufficient – more isn’t always better. Doing more sets than needed will not be more beneficial.

Instead of mimicking the long rubber band our muscles will act more like the shorter rubber band resulting in more power and speed during our movements which makes it perfect for pre-workout or pre-game warm-ups, or for any other athletic activity. To learn more about Static and Dynamic mobility please feel free to contact me at Scott_Bottorff@yahoo.com or visit the Aspire Advanced Training page on Facebook.com.