Top Endurance

Recently, a growing body of research has reported that static stretching before activity may cause a decrease in power production. This decrease in power production could be important in short-distance, high-intensity endurance events or for athletes striving to maximize performance at a very high level. It could also be detrimental for activities of varying intensities, such as a cycling criterium, which requires intermittent periods of very high-intensity exercise.

Researchers are still exploring the effects of static stretching on performance. However, athletes who want to perform static stretching before activity should also include some general and sport-specific movements. After a workout, static stretching may help relieve muscle soreness, promote relaxation, and increase flexibility. In these instances, static stretching should concentrate on major muscle groups, especially those that are least flexible or those that work in a limited range of motion during training or competition. For example, static stretches for the hip extensors and abductor muscles are a good choice for cyclists and runners because these activities require only limited hip motion.