Stop Stretching Before Performing

If you are a runner or cyclist, you probably follow the same warm-up routine before a race. You start with a brief jog or easy ride, add a few dynamic moves to awaken the muscles and finish with fifteen to thirty minutes of static stretching. The goal is to ready the mind and body for the event. Unfortunately, this age-old routine may be harming your performance.

What is Static Stretching?

Static stretching is the process of placing a muscle under tension for a period of time, usually ten to thirty seconds and then releasing it. It is an effective way to increase flexibility and improve your range of motion. Increased flexibility aids in agility, increases blood flow, and reduces the risk of injury. Some form of flexibility training should be a done at least three times a week for fifteen to twenty minutes.

Flexibility and Performance

The question is not whether you should improve your range of motion through flexibility exercises. The question is should you perform static stretches before an endurance event? If you are looking to maximize your performance, the answer appears to be no.

Two recent studies tested the affects it had on cycling and running performance. The results may surprise you.

Cycling

In one study, trained cyclist completed two time trials on a stationary bike. The first time trial was done after a warm up and sixteen minutes of sitting around. The second time trial was done after a similar warm up followed by sixteen minutes of static stretching. In each time trial, the bike was set at the same rate.

If you surveyed the cyclists before the time trials, they would have guaranteed that doing nothing would have been less effective than their normal pre-ride routine; but the opposite was true. The first trial ride required less energy and was perceived as easier than the trial ride that was preceded by static stretching.(1)

Running

Runners will swear that a pre-run routine of a quick jog, static stretches and a few strides are the keys to their running success. The current evidence says that they are wrong.

In a recently published paper, participants performed two separate runs: one after a warm-up and thirty minutes of doing nothing and the other after a warm up and sixteen minutes of static stretching.

The regimen of a warm-up followed by thirty minutes of hanging around won again. The participants ran further, used fewer calories, had lower heart rates and felt the run was easier when they ran without stretching.(2)

Why does static stretching decrease performance?

Static stretching does just what is supposed to do; it improves flexibility. So why does this decrease performance if done prior to an event? The authors of the above studies had a few theories. First, the increased flexibility may decrease the muscle-tendon stiffness which may reduce the ability of the muscle to produce the same force during the event. Second, a change in the neural function of the elongated muscles may alter the muscles' effectiveness. Finally, it may be fatiguing the muscles prior to the event.

Should I change my pre-event routine?

The participants in the above studies were trained athletes and not beginners. If you are properly trained and looking to maximize your results, performing static stretches prior to your event may be detrimental to your goal. Coaches who have blindly put their athletes through these routines because their coaches did the same may want to reconsider it in light of the information.

However, abandoning it does not mean you should not warm-up. Warm-ups are critical to maximizing performance and limiting your risk of injury. Additionally, you may want to consider other forms of flexibility exercises such as dynamic or active stretching as part of your warm-up routine. Just save the static stretches until after the event.

References

Alyson E. Wolf, Lee E. Brown, et al., Time Course of the Effect of Static Stretching on Cycling Economy, The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research 25(11)/2980-2984
Wilson, JM, Hornbuckle, LM, Kim, J.-S, Ugrinowitsch, et al., Effects of Static Stretching on Energy Cost and Running Endurance Performance, Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: September 2010 - Volume 24 - Issue 9 - pp 2274-2279, doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181b22ad6

Gregg Ghelfi is founder and contributor to http://fitinthemiddle.com/. Fit in the Middle is dedicated to providing information and resources on nutrition, fitness and weight loss. We invite you to read our blog at http://fitinthemiddle.com/blog/ and comment on the various articles. We also welcome you to submit guest blogs to info@fitinthemiddle.com.

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