Static vs Dynamic Stretching: Which is Better? (Evidence-Based)

do you think stretching is important if you're like most people you probably answered with a resounding yes but do you know why you should do it or when or even how to do it hello and welcome i'm dr tony camella physical therapist with e3 rehab stretching is a hot topic and it's a quite popular activity that's commonly used in a warm-up in order to either improve range of motion or improve performance now there are a lot of ways to stretch but the more notable options are static stretching and dynamic stretching so in this video i'm going to break down what the research says about static and dynamic stretching and provide some insight or suggestions as to why when and how you should implement these into your training let's begin by looking at the differences between static and dynamic stretching during a static calf stretch for example you would sink into the stretch and hold it there for a certain length of time usually somewhere between 10 and 60 seconds whereas with the dynamic calf stretch you would sink into the movement momentarily then come back out of it repeating back and forth for a certain number of repetitions here's another example using the hamstrings you can hold the stretch for a set duration of time or move through the full available range of motion at a controlled speed so essentially the difference between the two is the time spent holding a stretch versus the time spent moving in and out of the stretch now with those general definitions out of the way let's start to look at why and when you might pick one over the other like i said these are usually used as part of the warm-up fortunately there is a lot of research investigating these two forms of stretches prior to activity and looking at how they impacted performance a 2019 article by curry and colleagues compared light aerobic activity static stretching and dynamic stretching on selected measures of range of motion and power in untrained females for range of motion they found no significant difference between the three conditions however the effect on power varied across groups when looking at vertical jump height the dynamic stretching group saw an increase while the static stretching group actually saw a decrease in performance for time to peak force the light aerobic group improved 10 while that dynamic stretching group improved 27 percent but the static stretching group saw no change essentially utilizing dynamic stretching as part of the warm-up was found to be superior for power compared to static stretching we have seen similar trends in other studies such as yamaguchi in 2005 dynamic stretching was superior to static stretching for power during a leg extension movement harada in 2008 there was a decrease in torque and emg activation for the hamstrings with static stretching but not dynamic stretching pierre in 2011 subjects demonstrated an increase in jump height following dynamic stretching compared to static stretching additionally there is no difference in flexibility between these groups hoff in 2009 static stretching had a negative influence on vertical jump performance whereas dynamic stretching had a positive impact and siatras in 2003 speed was decreased after static stretching but not dynamic stretching and male gymnasts this information suggests that prior to explosive or high speed activities dynamic stretching is more favorable over static stretching in terms of flexibility or improving range of motion there really does not seem to be a significant difference between the two as both have shown to elicit similar results now static stretching is often viewed as being negative or detrimental but it probably really just depends on a few factors such as what activities you are performing afterwards and how long or how intense you are holding this stretch for if it is an activity requiring higher speeds a rapid stretch shortening cycle reactive forces or explosive movements such as with sprinting or jumping you're probably better off utilizing dynamic stretching but if you are someone that really really enjoys static stretching that is okay because it's not likely going to have any negative influence on flexibility or even strengthen hypertrophy but this is also assuming that you're not holding the stretch very long or doing it at intensity so high that it's actually creating severe discomfort so if you want to continue with static stretching the recommendation would be shorter duration holds about 30 to 60 seconds and at a moderate intensity about a 5 out of 10 or in other words just to the point of a mild stretch discomfort however dynamic stretching makes a stronger case for being more efficient and therefore is likely a better tool to use as part of the warm-up prior to activity so let's review the best ways to perform dynamic stretching exercises these should include movements that will better prepare you for training in order to help improve performance outcomes for example if you're about to sprint jump or squat emphasis should be placed on the lower body here are some examples calves a controlled deficit calf raise quadriceps dynamic quad stretch in standing or a dynamic quad stretch in a half kneeling position with the rear foot elevated hamstrings single leg rdl or a straight leg march adductors lateral squat or a lateral lunge glutes knee lift or leg cradle and hip flexors reverse lunge with arm reach or a split squat with emphasis on hip extension in the back leg there's not a general consensus on how long this warm-up should be how many exercises you should do or even the speed of the movements but based on the current evidence the recommended parameters are as follows choose 5-10 movements specific to the activity you are about to perform and run through each for eight to twelve repetitions the entire sequence should take anywhere from five to fifteen minutes however for muscular endurance activities research has demonstrated that higher volumes can lead to decline in performance due to increased fatigue so adjust this duration based on individual needs and activity and finally for the speed of the movement move through the full available range of motion at a controlled tempo while moving slowly and deliberately in summary static and dynamic stretching are often used in a warm-up in order to either improve range of motion and or performance now although static stretching gets a bad name it's not inherently wrong it just hasn't been proven to be as beneficial however if you are set on doing it pay attention to the length you're holding these stretches and the intensity we've covered this topic more in depth in a previous youtube video so we recommend that you check that out for more information i'll put a link for that in the description box down below now based on the best available evidence dynamic stretching has the edge over static stretching especially when we're looking at performance outcomes there's not yet a consensus on general parameters but hopefully the information we provided is a good starting point just know that you might have to cater these parameters based off of individual needs i want to take a moment to thank the mass crew for helping put this video together if you aren't familiar with mass they do a monthly research review on all things related to training performance and nutrition we are huge fans of them and we highly encourage you guys to check them out if you're looking to stay up to date on these topics i'll put a link for that in the description box down below as well alright that is it for today thank you for watching if you have any questions or comments or suggestions for future content drop those below in the comments but before you guys go please please do us a huge favor tap that like button subscribe and even turn on notifications although it may seem insignificant these things help us out a ton alright we'll see you guys in the next one

Channel: E3 Rehab

Views: 271,643

Keywords: dynamic stretching, dynamic stretching warm up, dynamic stretching exercises, dynamic stretching for legs, dynamic stretching vs static stretching, dynamic stretching before workout, dynamic stretching routines, dynamic stretching and static stretching, dynamic stretching before running, stretching for flexibility, stretching before workout, dynamic and static stretching, dynamic and stretching exercises, stretching, stretches, stretching exercises, dynamic and static stretches

Id: r-pxOslY-q4

Length: 9min 47sec (587 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 03 2021