The statement, "Fitness may
be an important, modifiable risk factor" is very important. It simply
means that age, weight, and conditioning of the study subjects may be an
important factor facilitating the injuries in this study.
Appropriate conclusion
Based on the way some have written
about this study, it's okay to run a 100 meter sprint full speed without
stretching beforehand. Now, this may be possible for a small number of lean,
young army recruits in New South Wales. However, does anyone believe that a
powerful, muscled-up NFL running back, or middle-aged and older adults can run
a sprint cold without leaving both hamstrings laying on the track? Don't think
so...
Use Common Sense
...and the
full body of research
Think about it; if an out-of-shape
couch potato (with just enough muscle to change channels) performs
high-intensity, fast-twitch exercise, he may get injured ... pre-stretched or
not.
This is why researchers in 2003
concluded, after researching all of the studies on this subject, "no
definitive conclusions can be drawn..." In short, there needs to be a body of
research based on age, weight, conditioning, and the study needs to be
performed for the specific sport and type of exercise before life-changing
conclusions are drawn.
The truth about
stretching
First, yoga is great for you!
Don't let some writer using sensationalism to sell a story to a magazine deter
you from stretching.
Researchers show that prolonged
stretching (in the form of yoga) with moderate aerobic exercise and diet
control will reduce cholesterol and significantly reverse hardening of the
arteries (20 percent regression) in adults with proven coronary atherosclerotic
disease.
After one year in a yoga program,
participants lost weight, reduced cholesterol, and improved their exercise
capacity, (Retardation of coronary atherosclerosis with yoga lifestyle
intervention, 2000, Manchanda).
If you have time for yoga class,
or your martial arts training emphasizes stretching, that's great. Keep it up!
But if you're not attending karate or yoga classes, then the Ready Set Go
Fitness 10-Minute Stretching Routine may be for you.
Use dynamic stretching
before games
Researchers show that athletes should not
perform prolonged stretching routines before playing a game because it
temporarily slows muscle activation. Dynamic stretching - Neck Circles, Arm
Swings, Knee Rotations - may be better for pre-competition.
Prolonged stretching
(stretch-and-hold "static" stretching) slightly decreases strength for up to an
hour after stretching by slightly impairing muscle activation. (Reduced
strength after passive stretch of the human plantar flexors, 2000, Fowles).
Static stretching builds
flexibility and should be performed regularly, just not immediately before a
big game.
Stretching as a
Warm-up
Since warming up prior to
anaerobic training is an absolute rule - never to be broken - stretching can be
combined (multi-tasked) as part of the warm-up.
The goal of the warm-up is to get
the blood flowing and raise body temperature (one degree) prior to
high-intensity workouts and athletic competitions.
Stretch-hold Position
Gains in flexibility are dependent
on the duration of stretch-hold position, and researchers show the best
stretch-hold position (for time-spent) is 30 seconds. (The effect of time on
static stretch on the flexibility of the hamstring muscles, 1994, Bandy).
"Best" means optimal results for time-spent. You can get positive results with
2 minute stretch-holds, but 30 seconds yields positive benefits.
Remember to move slowly
into the fully stretched-out position and hold it 30 seconds. Also, move
just as slow out-of the the stretch-hold position. This type of stretching
produces gains in flexibility, but it can cause injury, if you don't listen to
your body and move in slow motion.
The take home
1. The best way to
build flexibility is static stretching. And using the 30 second stretch-hold is
shown to produce great results.
2. Static
stretching can be used as part of a warm-up for training, however, static
stretching will slightly slow you down for an hour afterwards so examine your
training goals.
3. Dynamic
stretching (arm swings, hip rotations, toe touches) will aid in the warm up
process by increasing flexion in the joints and increasing body temperature.
This method is preferred before athletic competition.
Have a great day!
Phil Campbell, M.S., M.A.,
FACHE
Author Ready, Set, GO! Synergy Fitness
