POWER REDUCED BY STRETCHING

Brill, Y., & Rodd, D. (2005). The effects of stretching on lower body strength and functional power performance. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 37(5), Supplement abstract 260.

Male soccer players (N = 14) performed the following protocol: warm-up, three vertical jumps, five minutes of rest, stretching (3 x 30 seconds of passive sit and reach, quad stretch, and standing calf stretch) or rest, vertical jump test. The procedure was repeated using a 3-RM barbell squat test.

Vertical jump was adversely and significantly affected by stretching while the no-stretch control remained unchanged. Strength was not significantly affected.

Implication. Power is adversely affected by stretching.

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