EFFECTS OF DIFFERENTIAL STRETCHING PROTOCOLS DURING WARM-UPS ON HIGH-SPEED MOTOR CAPACITIES IN PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 203 - 307
• Main Authors: LITTLE, THOMAS, WILLIAMS, ALUN G.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States National Strength and Conditioning Association 01.02.2006; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies
• Subjects: Acceleration; Humans; Leg - physiology; Movement - physiology; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Physical Education and Training - methods; Soccer - physiology
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/r-16944.1

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different modes of stretching within a pre-exercise warm-up on high-speed motor capacities important to soccer performance. Eighteen professional soccer players were tested for countermovement vertical jump, stationary 10-m sprint, flying 20-m sprint, and agility performance after different warm-ups consisting of static stretching, dynamic stretching, or no stretching. There was no significant difference among warm-ups for the vertical jumpmean ± SD data were 40.4 ± 4.9 cm (no stretch), 39.4 ± 4.5 cm (static), and 40.2 ± 4.5 cm (dynamic). The dynamic-stretch protocol produced significantly faster 10-m sprint times than did the no-stretch protocol1.83 ± 0.08 seconds (no stretch), 1.85 ± 0.08 seconds (static), and 1.87 ± 0.09 seconds (dynamic). The dynamic- and static-stretch protocols produced significantly faster flying 20-m sprint times than did the nostretch protocol2.41 ± 0.13 seconds (no stretch), 2.37 ± 0.12 seconds (static), and 2.37 ± 0.13 seconds (dynamic). The dynamic-stretch protocol produced significantly faster agility performance than did both the no-stretch protocol and the staticstretch protocol5.20 ± 0.16 seconds (no stretch), 5.22 ± 0.18 seconds (static), and 5.14 ± 0.17 seconds (dynamic). Static stretching does not appear to be detrimental to high-speed performance when included in a warm-up for professional soccer players. However, dynamic stretching during the warm-up was most effective as preparation for subsequent high-speed performance.