Pezarat-Correia, P., Leone, D., Valamatos, M. J., & Fernandes, O. (2009). Acute effects of a low-stretching static protocol in the upper body force production. A paper presented at the 14th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Oslo, Norway, June 24-27.

This study investigated the acute effects of a low-stretching static protocol on maximal isometric force, time to maximal isometric force, rate of force development, and EMG amplitude of the main agonist muscles acting in a bench press exercise. Ss (N = 20) were formed into two equivalent groups: no stretch and static stretch. The maximum voluntary contraction on the bench press exercise was measured before and after (immediately, 10, 20, and 30 minutes) the static stretching and non-stretching treatments. The average amplitude of the surface EMG of the pectoralis major, and the long and lateral heads of the triceps brachii was measured during the maximum contraction.

Maximum isometric force significantly decreased (~6%) from the pre- to post-stretching in the static stretching group. The decrease dissipated after 30 minutes. There were no significant differences in the time to maximal isometric force and rate of force development of the three investigated muscles between the pre- to the post-stretching. Significant decreases in the average amplitude of the surface EMG of the three muscles were found from the pre to the post-stretching also in the static stretching group. No significant differences were found in the no-stretch control group in the force or in the EMG parameters between the pre and the post-stretching.

Implication. An acute bout of static stretching impairs the force output in the pectoralis major and in the long and lateral heads of the triceps brachii for approximately 30 minutes.

Return to Table of Contents for this issue.