Stretching exercises are commonly used as an
integral part of a pre-exercise warm-up training
sessions despite even early laboratory studies having
demonstrated that some degree of mechanical
weakness takes place following the stretching of
muscle tissue. This study compared the effects of
four treatments (n = 12 each) [10 minutes of quiet
sitting, without stretching (NS); two minutes warm
up on an arm ergometer at 25 watts resistance (WU);
10 second-hold static stretching (each) of the
shoulder, chest and arm muscle groups (ST10); and
two sets of 20 second-hold static stretching (each) of
the shoulder, chest and upper-arm muscle groups
(ST20)] on a 1-RM bench press in 48 subjects who
were matched for their pre-test 1-RM bench press
values. The mean 1-RM bench press values
following ST10 (45.0 ± 9.9 kg) and WU (48.9 ± 10.5
kg) treatments were significantly (p ? 0.05) higher at
the post-test than at the pre-test 1-RM (43.9 ± 10.1
kg and 43.9 ± 10. kg, respectively). The mean 1-RM
values following the ST20 treatment was significantly
lower (41.9 ± 10.0 kg) than at pre-test (43.9 ± 10.1
kg). However, multiple comparisons and Analysis of
Variance (ANOVA) statistical procedures
demonstrated that there was no significant difference
from pre- to post-test between the four groups. These
findings suggest that the use of stretching activities
prior to events requiring maximal force production
may not be obligatory or may even be
contraindicated since the effects of stretching are
then to decrease the amount of force that can be
produced via the natural elastic components of the
muscle and tendons and via the stretch reflex.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:tut/oai:encore.tut.ac.za:d1001024 |
| Date | 01 March 2007 |
| Creators | Nongogo, P, Shaw, BS, Shaw, I |
| Publisher | African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | |
| Rights | African Journal for Physical, Health Education, Recreation and Dance |
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