Stretch Still-Strong? Pre-Session Stretching

Updated: May 17, 2020

There's a tonne of research out there for stretching before training, but how reliable is it? The Brake's verdict...

Want to hit the right angles? Get yourself mobile

We’ve all been taught about stretching from a young age. You might remember your poor 5-weeks-from-retirement primary school teacher trying desperately not to collapse whilst demonstrating a quadriceps stretch to a group of hyperactive, uninterested 8 year olds.

There are different schools of thought on the best approach to it, and like so many well-researched but inconclusive elements of exercise science, you really have to see what works for you.

General idea: dynamic stretch before training, static after or separately. PNF anytime

What Is Stretching?

Stretching through its various forms is basically an exercise to reduce stiffness and improve elasticity in a muscle or tendon. The result should be greater flexibility, range of motion, muscle tone and comfort.

Ideally it should facilitate an ability to complete exercises with better performance and lower risk of injury. Or that’s the idea.

Stretching comes in a few different forms but, to keep this article snappy, let’s look at 3 likely types you’d be doing:

1. Static: Stretching the muscle or tendon without movement (e.g. bending over and touching your toes)

2. Dynamic: Active stretching of the muscle through targeted movement (e.g. swinging a straight leg in front of you to feel an active stretch in the hamstring)

3. PNF: (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, stupid name) is basically loosening the muscle group through the use of targeted periods of static contraction and relaxation (in a sitting adductor stretch, contracting your knees against your elbows for a few seconds before relaxing and allowing the stretch to deepen)

Does Static Stretching Impair Performance In Speed And Power Sessions?

Now here’s where I want to clear up this question once and for all with a succinct and easy to digest answer.

The answer is yes - and no.

Answer YES

To quickly touch on the research (1), it basically says that static stretching can impair performance and elastic function in a muscle, but also that it tends to be when the stretch is held for longer than 60 seconds.

So whilst it seems that negative effects are linked to long duration stretches (even then the research is questionable), the studies also seem to enforce protocols that are not accurate to actual athletic endeavour.

For example, this study (2) found that when a static stretch protocol in isolation was used, there was an observed decrease in power output. However, a static stretching protocol succeeded by a sports specific, dynamic warm up, showed no ill-effects on power output.


So yeah, if you sit in a protocol of long duration stretches then immediately try to sprint or squat a heavy weight - it could be sub-optimal.