This document discusses warm-up and stretching. It defines warm-up as activities that increase muscle temperature and blood flow, improving performance. An effective warm-up has general and sport-specific components lasting 5-12 minutes. Stretching is most effective post-exercise and should involve dynamic motions. Flexibility depends on factors like age, sex, activity level and can be improved through regular stretching, especially PNF techniques using partner assistance or agonist muscle contraction. Guidelines are provided for static, dynamic and PNF stretching techniques.

1. Warm-Up and Stretching
Ian Jeffreys, MS; CSCS,*D; NSCA-CPT,*D
chapter
13 Warm-Up
and Stretching

2. Chapter Objectives
• Identify the benefits and components of a
preexercise warm-up.
• Assess the suitability of performing stretch-
ing exercises for a warm-up.
• Identify factors that affect flexibility.
(continued)

3. Chapter Objectives (continued)
• Describe flexibility exercises that take
advantage of proprioceptive neuromuscular
facilitation.
• Explain the mechanisms that cause the
muscular inhibition that improves the
stretch.
• Select and apply appropriate static and
dynamic stretching methods.

4. Section Outline
• Warm-Up
– Stretching During Warm-Up
– Components of a Warm-Up

5. Warm-Up
• Warming up can have the following positive
impacts on performance:
– Faster muscle contraction and relaxation of both
agonist and antagonist muscles
– Improvements in the rate of force development and
reaction time
– Improvements in muscle strength and power
– Lowered viscous resistance in muscles
(continued)

6. Warm-Up
• Warming up can have the following positive
impacts on performance (continued):
– Improved oxygen delivery due to the Bohr effect
whereby higher temperatures facilitate oxygen
release from hemoglobin and myoglobin
– Increased blood flow to active muscles
– Enhanced metabolic reactions

7. Warm-Up
• Stretching During Warm-Up
– Research suggests dynamic stretching is the
preferred option for stretching during warm-up.
– Consider the range of motion and stretch-shortening
cycle requirements of the sport when designing a
warm-up.

8. Warm-Up
• Components of a Warm-Up
– A general warm-up period may consist of 5 to 10
minutes of slow activity such as jogging or skipping.
– A specific warm-up period incorporates movements
similar to the movements of the athlete’s sport. It
involves 8 to 12 minutes of dynamic stretching
focusing on movements that work through the range
of motion required for the sport.

9. Section Outline
• Flexibility
– Flexibility and Performance
– Factors Affecting Flexibility
• Joint Structure
• Age and Sex
• Connective Tissue
• Resistance Training With Limited Range of Motion
• Muscle Bulk
• Activity Level
– Frequency, Duration, and Intensity of Stretching
– When Should an Athlete Stretch?
– Proprioceptors and Stretching

10. Flexibility
• Flexibility is a measure of range of motion
(ROM) and has static and dynamic compo-
nents.
• Static flexibility is the range of possible
movement about a joint and its surrounding
muscles during a passive movement.
• Dynamic flexibility refers to the available
ROM during active movements and
therefore requires voluntary muscular
actions.

11. Flexibility
• Flexibility and Performance
– Optimal levels of flexibility exist for each activity.
– Injury risk may increase outside this range.

12. Flexibility
• Factors Affecting Flexibility
– Joint Structure
• Structure determines the joint’s range of motion.
– Age and Sex
• Older people tend to be less flexible than younger people;
females tend to be more flexible than males.
– Connective Tissue
• Elasticity and plasticity of connective tissues affect ROM.
(continued)

13. Flexibility
• Factors Affecting Flexibility (continued)
– Resistance Training With Limited Range of Motion
• Exercise through a full ROM and develop both agonist and
antagonist muscles to prevent loss of ROM.
– Muscle Bulk
• Large muscles may impede joint movement.
– Activity Level
• An active person tends to be more flexible than an inactive
one, but activity alone will not improve flexibility.

14. Flexibility
• Frequency, Duration, and Intensity of
Stretching
– Acute effects of stretching on ROM are transient.
– For longer-lasting effects, a stretching program is
required.

15. Flexibility
• When Should an Athlete Stretch?
– Following practice and competition
• Postpractice stretching facilitates ROM improvements
because of increased muscle temperature.
• Stretching should be performed within 5 to 10 minutes
after practice.
• Postpractice stretching may also decrease muscle
soreness although the evidence on this is ambiguous.

16. Flexibility
• When Should an Athlete Stretch?
– As a separate session
• If increased levels of flexibility are required, additional
stretching sessions may be needed.
• In this case, stretching should be preceded by a thorough
warm-up to allow for the increase in muscle temperature
necessary for effective stretching.
• This type of session can be especially useful as a recovery
session on the day after a competition.

17. Flexibility
• Proprioceptors and Stretching
– Stretch reflex
• A stretch reflex occurs when muscle spindles are
stimulated during a rapid stretching movement.
• This should be avoided when stretching, as it will limit
motion.

18. Flexibility
• Proprioceptors and Stretching
– Autogenic inhibition and reciprocal inhibition
• Autogenic inhibition is accomplished via active contraction
before a passive stretch of the same muscle.
• Reciprocal inhibition is accomplished by contracting the
muscle opposing the muscle that is being passively
stretched.
• Both result from stimulation of Golgi tendon organs, which
cause reflexive muscle relaxation.

19. Section Outline
• Types of Stretching
– Static Stretch
– Ballistic Stretch
– Dynamic Stretch
– Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretch
• Hold-Relax
• Contract-Relax
• Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction
• Common PNF Stretches With a Partner

20. Types of Stretching
• Static Stretch
– A static stretch is slow and constant, with the end
position held for 30 seconds.
• Ballistic Stretch
– A ballistic stretch typically involves active muscular
effort and uses a bouncing-type movement in which
the end position is not held.
• Dynamic Stretch
– A dynamic stretch is a type of functionally based
stretching exercise that uses sport-specific move-
ments to prepare the body for activity.

21. Types of Stretching
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
(PNF) Stretch
– Hold-Relax
• Passive prestretch (10 seconds), isometric hold
(6 seconds), passive stretch (30 seconds)

22. Positions for PNF Hamstring Stretch
• Figures 13.1 and 13.2 (next slide)
– Starting position of PNF hamstring stretch
– Partner and subject leg and hand positions for PNF
hamstring stretch

23. Figures 13.1 and 13.2

24. Hold-Relax
• Figures 13.3, 13.4, and 13.5 (next slide)
– Passive prestretch of hamstrings during hold-relax
PNF hamstring stretch
– Isometric action during hold-relax PNF hamstring
stretch
– Increased ROM during passive stretch of hold-relax
PNF hamstring stretch

25. Figures 13.3, 13.4, and 13.5

26. Types of Stretching
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Stretch
– Contract-Relax
• Passive prestretch (10 seconds), concentric muscle action
through full ROM, passive stretch (30 seconds)

27. Contract-Relax
• Figures 13.6, 13.7, and 13.8 (next slide)
– Passive prestretch of hamstrings during contract-
relax PNF stretch
– Concentric action of hip extensors during contract-
relax PNF stretch
– Increased ROM during passive stretch of contract-
relax PNF stretch

28. Figures 13.6, 13.7, and 13.8

29. Types of Stretching
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Stretch
– Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction
• During third phase (passive stretch), concentric action of
the agonist used to increase the stretch force

30. Hold-Relax With Agonist Contraction
• Figures 13.9, 13.10, and 13.11 (next slide)
– Passive prestretch during hold-relax with agonist
contraction PNF hamstring stretch
– Isometric action of hamstrings during hold-relax with
agonist contraction PNF hamstring stretch
– Concentric contraction of quadriceps during hold-
relax with agonist contraction PNF hamstring
stretch, creating increased ROM during passive
stretch

31. Figures 13.9, 13.10, and 13.11

32. Key Point
• The hold-relax with agonist contraction is
the most effective PNF stretching technique
due to facilitation via both reciprocal and
autogenic inhibition.

33. Types of Stretching
• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
Stretch
– Common PNF Stretches With a Partner
• Calf and ankle
• Chest
• Groin
• Hamstrings and hip extensors
• Quadriceps and hip flexors
• Shoulder

34. Partner PNF Stretching
• Figures 13.12-13.16 (next two slides)
– Partner PNF stretching for the:
• Calves
• Chest
• Groin
• Quadriceps and hip flexors
• Shoulders

35. Figures 13.12 and 13.13

36. Figures 13.14, 13.15, and 13.16

37. Types of Stretching
• Guidelines for Static Stretching
– Get into a position that facilitates relaxation.
– Move to the point in the ROM where you experience
a sensation of mild discomfort. If performing partner-
assisted PNF stretching, communicate clearly with
your partner.
– Hold stretches for 30 seconds.
– Repeat unilateral stretches on both sides.

38. Types of Stretching
• Precautions for Static Stretching
– Decrease stretch intensity if you experience pain,
radiating symptoms, or loss of sensation.
– Use caution when stretching a hypermobile joint.
– Avoid combination movements that involve the spine
(e.g., extension and lateral flexion).
– Stabilizing muscles should be active to protect other
joints and prevent unwanted movements.

39. Types of Stretching
• Guidelines for Dynamic Stretching
– Carry out 5 to 10 repetitions for each movement,
either in place or over a given distance.
– Progressively increase the ROM on each repetition.
– Increase the speed of motion on subsequent sets
where appropriate.
– Contract the muscles as you move through the
ROM.

40. Types of Stretching
• Precautions for Dynamic Stretching
– Move progressively through the ROM.
– Move deliberately but without bouncing (movement
must be controlled at all times).
– Do not forsake good technique for additional ROM.