Warm-Up and Stretching

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Warm-Up and Stretching
chapter 13
Warm-Upand Stretching
Ian Jeffreys, MS CSCS,D NSCA-CPT,D
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Chapter Objectives

• Identify the benefits and components of a
  preexercise warm-up.
• Assess the suitability of performing stretch-ing
  exercises for a warm-up.
• Identify factors that affect flexibility.
• (continued)

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Chapter Objectives (continued)

• Describe flexibility exercises that take
  advantage of proprioceptive neuromuscular
  facilitation.
• Explain the mechanisms that cause the muscular
  inhibition that improves the stretch.
• Select and apply appropriate static and dynamic
  stretching methods.

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Section Outline

• Warm-Up
• Stretching During Warm-Up
• Components of a Warm-Up

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Warm-Up

• Warming up can have the following positive
  impacts on performance
• Faster muscle contraction and relaxation of both
  agonist and antagonist muscles
• Improvements in the rate of force development and
  reaction time
• Improvements in muscle strength and power
• Lowered viscous resistance in muscles
• (continued)

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Warm-Up

• Warming up can have the following positive
  impacts on performance (continued)
• Improved oxygen delivery due to the Bohr effect
  whereby higher temperatures facilitate oxygen
  release from hemoglobin and myoglobin
• Increased blood flow to active muscles
• Enhanced metabolic reactions

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Warm-Up

• Stretching During Warm-Up
• Research suggests dynamic stretching is the
  preferred option for stretching during warm-up.
• Consider the range of motion and
  stretch-shortening cycle requirements of the
  sport when designing a warm-up.

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Warm-Up

• Components of a Warm-Up
• A general warm-up period may consist of 5 to 10
  minutes of slow activity such as jogging or
  skipping.
• A specific warm-up period incorporates movements
  similar to the movements of the athletes sport.
  It involves 8 to 12 minutes of dynamic stretching
  focusing on movements that work through the range
  of motion required for the sport.

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Section Outline

• Flexibility
• Flexibility and Performance
• Factors Affecting Flexibility
• Joint Structure
• Age and Sex
• Connective Tissue
• Resistance Training With Limited Range of Motion
• Muscle Bulk
• Activity Level
• Frequency, Duration, and Intensity of Stretching
• When Should an Athlete Stretch?
• Proprioceptors and Stretching

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Flexibility

• Flexibility is a measure of range of motion (ROM)
  and has static and dynamic compo-nents.
• Static flexibility is the range of possible
  movement about a joint and its surrounding
  muscles during a passive movement.
• Dynamic flexibility refers to the available ROM
  during active movements and therefore requires
  voluntary muscular actions.

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Flexibility

• Flexibility and Performance
• Optimal levels of flexibility exist for each
  activity.
• Injury risk may increase outside this range.

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Flexibility

• Factors Affecting Flexibility
• Joint Structure
• Structure determines the joints range of motion.
• Age and Sex
• Older people tend to be less flexible than
  younger peoplefemales tend to be more flexible
  than males.
• Connective Tissue
• Elasticity and plasticity of connective tissues
  affect ROM.
• (continued)

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Flexibility

• Factors Affecting Flexibility (continued)
• Resistance Training With Limited Range of Motion
• Exercise through a full ROM and develop both
  agonist and antagonist muscles to prevent loss of
  ROM.
• Muscle Bulk
• Large muscles may impede joint movement.
• Activity Level
• An active person tends to be more flexible than
  an inactive one, but activity alone will not
  improve flexibility.

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Flexibility

• Frequency, Duration, and Intensity of Stretching
• Acute effects of stretching on ROM are transient.
• For longer-lasting effects, a stretching program
  is required.

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Flexibility

• When Should an Athlete Stretch?
• Following practice and competition
• Postpractice stretching facilitates ROM
  improvements because of increased muscle
  temperature.
• Stretching should be performed within 5 to 10
  minutes after practice.
• Postpractice stretching may also decrease muscle
  soreness although the evidence on this is
  ambiguous.

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Flexibility

• When Should an Athlete Stretch?
• As a separate session
• If increased levels of flexibility are required,
  additional stretching sessions may be needed.
• In this case, stretching should be preceded by a
  thorough warm-up to allow for the increase in
  muscle temperature necessary for effective
  stretching.
• This type of session can be especially useful as
  a recovery session on the day after a competition.

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Flexibility

• Proprioceptors and Stretching
• Stretch reflex
• A stretch reflex occurs when muscle spindles are
  stimulated during a rapid stretching movement.
• This should be avoided when stretching, as it
  will limit motion.

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Flexibility

• Proprioceptors and Stretching
• Autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition
• Autogenic inhibition is accomplished via active
  contraction before a passive stretch of the same
  muscle.
• Reciprocal inhibition is accomplished by
  contracting the muscle opposing the muscle that
  is being passively stretched.
• Both result from stimulation of Golgi tendon
  organs, which cause reflexive muscle relaxation.

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Section Outline

• Types of Stretching
• Static Stretch
• Ballistic Stretch
• Dynamic Stretch
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretch
• Hold-Relax
• Contract-Relax
• Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction
• Common PNF Stretches With a Partner

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Types of Stretching

• Static Stretch
• A static stretch is slow and constant, with the
  end position held for 30 seconds.
• Ballistic Stretch
• A ballistic stretch typically involves active
  muscular effort and uses a bouncing-type movement
  in which the end position is not held.
• Dynamic Stretch
• A dynamic stretch is a type of functionally based
  stretching exercise that uses sport-specific
  move-ments to prepare the body for activity.

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Types of Stretching

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
  Stretch
• Hold-Relax
• Passive prestretch (10 seconds), isometric hold
  (6 seconds), passive stretch (30 seconds)

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Positions for PNF Hamstring Stretch

• Figures 13.1 and 13.2 (next slide)
• Starting position of PNF hamstring stretch
• Partner and subject leg and hand positions for
  PNF hamstring stretch

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Figures 13.1 and 13.2
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Hold-Relax

• Figures 13.3, 13.4, and 13.5 (next slide)
• Passive prestretch of hamstrings during
  hold-relax PNF hamstring stretch
• Isometric action during hold-relax PNF hamstring
  stretch
• Increased ROM during passive stretch of
  hold-relax PNF hamstring stretch

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Figures 13.3, 13.4, and 13.5
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Types of Stretching

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretch
• Contract-Relax
• Passive prestretch (10 seconds), concentric
  muscle action through full ROM, passive stretch
  (30 seconds)

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Contract-Relax

• Figures 13.6, 13.7, and 13.8 (next slide)
• Passive prestretch of hamstrings during
  contract-relax PNF stretch
• Concentric action of hip extensors during
  contract-relax PNF stretch
• Increased ROM during passive stretch of
  contract-relax PNF stretch

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Figures 13.6, 13.7, and 13.8
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Types of Stretching

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretch
• Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction
• During third phase (passive stretch), concentric
  action of the agonist used to increase the
  stretch force

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Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction

• Figures 13.9, 13.10, and 13.11 (next slide)
• Passive prestretch during hold-relax with agonist
  contraction PNF hamstring stretch
• Isometric action of hamstrings during hold-relax
  with agonist contraction PNF hamstring stretch
• Concentric contraction of quadriceps during
  hold-relax with agonist contraction PNF hamstring
  stretch, creating increased ROM during passive
  stretch

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Figures 13.9, 13.10, and 13.11
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Key Point

• The hold-relax with agonist contraction is the
  most effective PNF stretching technique due to
  facilitation via both reciprocal and autogenic
  inhibition.

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Types of Stretching

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretch
• Common PNF Stretches With a Partner
• Calf and ankle
• Chest
• Groin
• Hamstrings and hip extensors
• Quadriceps and hip flexors
• Shoulder

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Partner PNF Stretching

• Figures 13.12-13.16 (next two slides)
• Partner PNF stretching for the
• Calves
• Chest
• Groin
• Quadriceps and hip flexors
• Shoulders

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Figures 13.12 and 13.13
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Figures 13.14, 13.15, and 13.16
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Types of Stretching

• Guidelines for Static Stretching
• Get into a position that facilitates relaxation.
• Move to the point in the ROM where you experience
  a sensation of mild discomfort. If performing
  partner-assisted PNF stretching, communicate
  clearly with your partner.
• Hold stretches for 30 seconds.
• Repeat unilateral stretches on both sides.

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Types of Stretching

• Precautions for Static Stretching
• Decrease stretch intensity if you experience
  pain, radiating symptoms, or loss of sensation.
• Use caution when stretching a hypermobile joint.
• Avoid combination movements that involve the
  spine (e.g., extension and lateral flexion).
• Stabilizing muscles should be active to protect
  other joints and prevent unwanted movements.

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Types of Stretching

• Guidelines for Dynamic Stretching
• Carry out 5 to 10 repetitions for each movement,
  either in place or over a given distance.
• Progressively increase the ROM on each
  repetition.
• Increase the speed of motion on subsequent sets
  where appropriate.
• Contract the muscles as you move through the ROM.

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Types of Stretching

• Precautions for Dynamic Stretching
• Move progressively through the ROM.
• Move deliberately but without bouncing (movement
  must be controlled at all times).
• Do not forsake good technique for additional ROM.