Conley, D. S., Molacek, Z. D., Evetovich, T. K., Engebreston, B. J., & Hinnerichs, K. R. (2008). Effects of low and high volume stretching on bench press performance in collegiate football players. ACSM 55th Annual Meeting Indianapolis, Presentation Number, 1622.

This study determined the effects of acute low and high volume static and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on one-repetition maximum bench press in NCAA Division II collegiate football players (N = 15). Ss were randomly assigned to each of five stretching protocols to include: 1) low volume proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching (LVPNFS), 2) high volume proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching (HVPNFS), 3) low volume static stretching (LVSS), 4) high volume static stretching (HVSS), and 5) non-stretching (NS) prior to one-repetition maximum testing. Two and five sets of stretching were completed for the low and high volume protocols respectively. The proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching protocols used a contract (5 seconds at 75% maximum effort) - relax (10 seconds) - stretch (10 seconds at moderate tension) sequence that targeted the triceps and chest muscle groups using two separate exercises. The static stretching protocols targeted the same muscle groups and were passively held to a point of moderate tension for 20 and 30 seconds for LVSS and HVSS respectively. A minimum of 48 hours was required between testing sessions.

There was no significant effect of any of the stretching protocols on one-repetition maximum bench press performance.

Implication. Low and high volume proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and static stretching has no significant acute effect on one-repetition maximum bench press in resistance trained collegiate football players.

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