Posted on June 01, 2013 by Jenny Cromack

Previous research has shown that static stretching decreases middle distance running performance. However the greatest effect on decreased running economy were observed during the initial 5-10 minutes of running when static stretching had occurred. This would suggest that for interval or repetition training where distances are short static stretching should be avoided to maximise performance.

 Recently the national strength and conditioning association published a study examining the effects of static stretching on 1 mile hill sprint performance. 10 elite runners ran the mile on 3 separate occasions. Interestingly the occasion in which the runners completed static stretching before the time trial resulted in an 8% reduced performance compared to when they completed no stretching.

 When completing interval or short endurance training at high intensity it is critically important that static stretching is avoided. The inclusion of static stretching reduces the capacity of the individual to perform and will directly influence your training negatively.

 If you want to know how to warm up effectively ask a trainer from Motive8 North about how best to prepare for your specific training.

References

Effects of Static Stretching on 1 Mile Uphill Run Performance, 

Lowery, Ryan P.; Joy, Jordan M.; Brown, Lee E.; Oliveira de Souza, Eduardo; Wistocki, David R.; Davis, Gregory S.; Naimo, Marshall A.; Zito, Gina A.; Wilson, Jacob M. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research: April 2013

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