Static Stretching

I just spoke at a track & filed clinic that had a large number of high school coaches in attendance. I gave three talks, one on planning and organizing training and two on strength training. In each talk I spoke briefly about flexibility and stretching and in each talk I mentioned that static stretching during warm-up was a waste of time. The predictable reaction was one of how I can do that we will have a explosion of injuries if we don’t static stretch in warm-up. Wrong – the 15 minutes of static stretching actually may be causing injuries. That time could be so much better spent actually warming up and for preparing for the workout or competition. I don’t understand the infatuation with pre-exercise static stretching. It has not place. Static stretching and warm-up are not the same. Static stretching in warm-up has a calming effect, the opposite of what you want in warm-up. Warm-up should be active and dynamic; it should activate and prepare the body for the subsequent workout. Static stretching used to enhance flexibility should be placed at the end of the workout. It is placed there when the body is warm so that maximum return from the stretches can be achieved. Also that is the time when you want the body to be relaxed and calm. I understand that from an administrative point of view there is a tendency to rush and get it over with. Don’t, this is the time when the body is most ready to make significant flexibility gains. Another point is that stretching needs to be individualized, group stretching assumes everyone has the same flexibility needs. Therefore team stretching regardless of where it is placed is a waste of time. Each individual has specific needs that often times are chronic and need to be considered. The individual flexibility routines should be selected based on a musculoskeletal screen, coupled with Athletic Competency tests and performance indicator tests. This will go a long way to insure that flexibility gains transfer to performance. Once again it is not content but context. Stretching must be placed in the correct place in the workout for optimum results.