Is warming-up More Important Than Stretching Before Physical
Activity ? It almost goes without saying that athletes should
stretch before playing or working out. But, a surprising amount
of new research is questioning that belief and challenging the
notion that stretching is effective in improving performance.
Surprisingly, there is little scientific evidence to support
that supports the performance benefits theory of stretching. In
fact, recent research has begun to demonstrate that stretching
prior to physical activity actually decreases Researchers at
California State University, Chico observed the effects
stretching had on vertical jump technique and performance. After
a 3 minute warm-up on a stationary bike, one half the subjects
rested while the other half performed a series of stretches.
Results indicated that over half the subjects in the stretching
group decreased jumping performance following stretching. The
researchers note that decreasing muscle stiffness is primarily
related to increased muscle t