You see Dean has a tremendous spirit, the kind of person who lets nothing stand in his way and now his doctors are so surprised with his recovery that they are using him as a case study in the hospital!

Dean has seen improvements in his cardiovascular fitness and core strength since starting his program and sees his training as the reason he is recovering so quickly.

The road is a long one for dean and his battle is not yet over but he is determined to reach all his training goals at the same time he defeats cancer.  Each and every week we see a new Dean, he always comes to training with a smile on his face and I’m sure if your in his camps you’ll agree, he raises everyones motivation to another level - he is just so energetic and cheerful, its hard not to be carried along by Dean’s enthusiasm.

So if your feeling a little sluggish on those early mornings stop for a minute and think what Dean would do… because anything is possible!

This only applies to Tuesdays so all other days are business as usual.

So this is how it goes;

• if you train in the morning camps you will be assigned to the Red team
• if you train in the evening camps you will be assigned to the Blue team
• and the lunch time crew you will make up the Yellow team
• all teams will rendevious at the check in point at 0600 hrs and recieve their team pack
• each team will follow the instructions inside the orange envelope
• if you come across another team while following the instructions you must challenge that team
• if your team is challenged you must accept that challenge
• you can only decline the challenge (once) if your team has won three games in a row
• the first team back to base camp is crowned 2009 Team Challenge Champions

Now back to those challenges…

You all remember Princess?  the 600lb tyre?  Well her ugly sister Peartrice is in town.  Weighing in at close to 800lbs there may be more tactics that play a part than brute strength this year!  Also, we wont give too much away but lets just say some challenges have jumped in teh degree of difficulty as blindfold have been introduced to some games.  You level of team work must be honed razor sharp.  I hope you’ve had good practice all year.

Ok thats all for now, make sure you start signing up this week because we are now in countdown mode… LET THE GAMES BEGIN!!!

Kettlebell lifting has been nationally recognized and played throughout the world for decades, and its competitive exercises are the ‘Two Kettlebell Jerk’ and ‘One Kettlebell Snatch‘; performed in that order for ten minutes each. The competitor with the highest overall score wins.

In recent years, kettlebells have become popular among athletes, especially mixed martial artists and those in the entertainment community.

Weight training differs from bodybuilding, weightlifting, powerlifting, and strongman, which are sports rather than forms of exercise. Weight training, however, is often part of the athlete’s training regimen.

Weight training versus other types of exercise

Strength training is an inclusive term that describes all exercises devoted toward increasing physical strength. Weight training is a type of strength training that uses weights rather than elastic or muscular resistance to increase strength. Endurance training is associated with aerobic exercise while flexibility training is associated with stretching exercise like yoga or pilates. Weight training is often used synonymously of strength training but is actually a specific type within the more inclusive category.

History of weight training

An early plate-loading barbell and kettlebell

Hippocrates explained the principle behind weight training when he wrote “that which is used develops, and that which is not used wastes away.” Progressive resistance training dates back at least to Ancient Greece, when legend has it that wrestler Milo of Croton trained by carrying a newborn calf on his back every day until it was fully grown. Another Greek, the physician Galen, described strength training exercises using the halteres (an early form of dumbbell) in the 2nd century.

Another early device was the Indian club, which came from ancient Persia where it was called the “meels.” It subsequently became popular during the 19th century, and has recently made a comeback in the form of the clubbell.

The dumbbell was joined by the barbell in the latter half of the 19th century. Early barbells had hollow globes that could be filled with sand or lead shot, but by the end of the century these were replaced by the plate-loading barbell commonly used today.^[1]

The 1960s saw the gradual introduction of exercise machines into the still-rare strength training gyms of the time. Weight training became increasingly popular in the 1980s, following the release of the bodybuilding movie Pumping Iron, and the subsequent popularity of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Since the late 1990s increasing numbers of women have taken up weight training, influenced by programs like Body for Life; currently nearly one in five U.S. women engages in weight training on a regular basis.^[2]

Basic principles

An old man practicing weight training for physical fitness at gym

The basic principles of weight training are essentially identical to those of strength training, and involve a manipulation of the number of repetitions (reps), sets, tempo, exercise types, and weight moved to cause desired increases in strength, endurance, size, and shape. The specific combinations of reps, sets, exercises, and weights depends on the aims of the individual performing the exercise; sets with fewer reps can be performed with heavier weights.

In addition to the basic principles of strength training, a further consideration added by weight training is the equipment used. Types of equipment include barbells, dumbbells, pulleys and stacks in the form of weight machines, and the body’s own weight in the case of chin-ups and pushups. Different types of weights will give different types of resistance, and often the same absolute weight can have different relative weights depending on the type of equipment used. For example, lifting 10 kilograms using a dumbbell requires significantly more force than moving 10 kilograms on a weight stack due to the use of pulleys.

Weight training also requires the use of ‘good form‘, performing the movements with the appropriate muscle group, and not transferring the weight to different body parts in order to move greater weight (called ‘cheating‘). Failure to use good form during a training set can result in injury or a failure to meet training goals;since the desired muscle group is not challenged sufficiently, the threshold of overload is never reached and the muscle does not gain in strength.

Comparison to other types of strength training

The benefits of weight training overall are comparable to most other types of strength training: increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, bone density, flexibility, tone, metabolic rate, and postural support. There are benefits and limitations to weight training as compared to other types of strength training.

Weight training versus resistance training

Resistance training involves the application of elastic or hydraulic resistance to muscle contraction rather than gravity. Weight training provides the majority of the resistance at the beginning, initiation joint angle of the movement, when the muscle must overcome the inertia of the weight’s mass. After this point the overall resistance alters depending on the angle of the joint. In comparison, hydraulic resistance provides a fixed amount of resistance throughout the range of motion, depending on the speed of the movement. Elastic resistance provides the greatest resistance at the end of the motion, when the elastic element is stretched to the greatest extent.

Weight training versus isometric training

Isometric exercise provides a fixed amount of resistance based on the force output of the muscle. This strengthens the muscle at the specific joint angle at which the isometric exercise occurs, with some lesser gains in strength also occurring at proximal joint angles.^[3] In comparison, weight training strengthens the muscle throughout the range of motion the joint is trained in, causing an increase in physical strength from the initiating through to terminating joint angle.

Weight training and bodybuilding

Although weight training is similar to bodybuilding, they have different objectives. Bodybuilders compete in bodybuilding competitions; they train to maximize their muscular size and develop extremely low levels of body fat. In contrast, most weight trainers train to improve their strength and anaerobic endurance while not giving special attention to reducing body fat below normal. Weight trainers tend to focus on compound exercises to build basic strength, whereas bodybuilders often use isolation exercises to visually separate their muscles and to improve muscular symmetry.

However, the bodybuilding community has been the source of many of weight training’s principles, techniques, vocabulary, and customs. Weight training does allow tremendous flexibility in exercises and weights which can allow bodybuilders to target specific muscles and muscle groups, as well as attain specific goals.

Safety

Weight training is a safe form of exercise when the movements are slow, controlled, and carefully defined. However, as with any form of exercise, improper execution and the failure to take appropriate precautions can result in injury.

Maintaining proper form

A dumbbell squat.^[4]

When the exercise becomes difficult towards the end of a set, there is a temptation to cheat, i.e. to use poor form to recruit other muscle groups to assist the effort. This may shift the effort to weaker muscles that cannot handle the weight. For example, the squat and the deadlift are used to exercise the largest muscles in the body—the leg and buttock muscles—so they require substantial weight. Beginners are tempted to round their back while performing these exercises. This causes the weaker lower back muscles to support much of the weight, which can result in serious lower back injuries.

To avoid such problems and to ensure training success, weight training exercises must be performed correctly. Standing exercises are performed in a completely erect posture, as though one’s back were pressed to a wall, and sitting exercises are performed without slouching.^[5] Weights are not lifted with a jerk (which makes the exercise easier, but overstresses muscles and joints). Rather, trainers recommend that the positive phase of the lift take three seconds (counting “one-and-a, two-and-a, three-and-a”), followed by a one second pause and three seconds for the negative phase (lowering the weight).^[6]

Stretching and warm-up

The cross trainer can be used to warm up muscles in both the upper and lower body.

Weight trainers commonly spend 5 to 20 minutes warming up their muscles with aerobic exercise before starting a workout. They also stretch muscles after they have been exercised.

Breathing

Breathing shallowly or holding one’s breath while working out limits the oxygen supply to the muscles and the brain, decreasing performance and, under extreme stress, risking a black-out or a stroke by aneurysm.^[7] Weight trainers are advised to conscientiously “exhale on effort” and to inhale when lowering the weight. This technique ensures that the trainer breathes through the most difficult part of the exercise, where one would reflexively hold one’s breath.^[6]

Hydration

As with other sports, weight trainers should avoid dehydration throughout the workout by drinking plenty of water, even while not thirsty; thirst is a sign that the body is already dehydrated. Sportspeople are advised to drink about 7 imperial fluid ounces (2.0 dl) every 15 minutes while exercising, and about 80 imperial fluid ounces (2.3 l) throughout the day.^[8] Under most circumstances, sports drinks do not offer a physiological benefit over water during weight training.^[9]

Insufficient hydration may cause lethargy, soreness or muscle cramps.^[10] The urine of well-hydrated persons should be nearly colorless, while an intense yellow color is normally a sign of insufficient hydration.^[10]

Straps and belts

Using a wrist strap.

A lifting belt is sometimes worn to help support the lower back.

There have been mixed reviews regarding the use of weightlifting belts and other devices, such as lifting straps. Critics claim that they allow the lifter to use more weight than is safe. In addition, the stabilizer muscles in the lower back and gripping muscles in the forearms receive less benefit from the exercises.

Wrist straps (also known as cow ties or lifting straps) are sometimes used to assist in gripping very heavy weights. The straps wrap around the wrist and tuck around the bar or weight being lifted, transferring some of the weight directly to the wrist instead of through the fingers. They are particularly useful for the deadlift. Some lifters avoid using wrist straps in order to develop their grip strength. Wrist straps can allow a lifter initially to use more weight than they might be able to handle safely for an entire set, and can place potentially harmful stress on the bones of the wrist.

Avoiding pain

An exercise should be halted if marked or sudden pain is felt, to prevent further injury. However, not all discomfort indicates injury. Weight training exercises are brief but very intense, and many people are unaccustomed to this level of effort. The expression “no pain, no gain” refers to working through the discomfort expected from such vigorous effort, rather than to willfully ignore extreme pain, which may indicate serious soft tissue injuries.

Discomfort can arise from other factors. Individuals who perform large numbers of repetitions, sets, and exercises for each muscle group may experience a burning sensation in their muscles. Muscle fatigue and soreness, contrary to popular belief, is not caused by lactate buildup but by the acid byproduct generated by glycolosis metabolism and the corresponding drop in pH. ^[11] These individuals may also experience a swelling sensation in their muscles from increased blood flow (the “pump”). True muscle fatigue is experienced as a marked and uncontrollable loss of strength in a muscle, arising from the nervous system (motor unit) rather than from the muscle fibers themselves. Extreme neural fatigue can be experienced as temporary muscle failure. Some weight training programs actively seek temporary muscle failure; evidence to support this type of training is mixed at best. Irrespective of their program, however, most athletes engaged in high-intensity weight training will experience muscle failure from time to time.

Beginners are advised to build up slowly to a weight training programme. Untrained individuals may have some muscles that are comparatively stronger than others. An injury can result if, in a particular exercise, the primary muscle is stronger than its stabilising muscles. Building up slowly allows muscles time to develop appropriate strengths relative to each other. This can also help to minimise delayed onset muscle soreness. A sudden start to an intense program can cause significant muscular soreness. Unexercised muscles contain cross-linkages that are torn during intense exercise.

Other precautions

Anyone beginning an intensive physical training programme is typically advised to consult a physician, because of possible undetected heart or other conditions for which such activity is contraindicated.

Exercises where a barbell is held above the body, which can result in injury if the weight drops onto the lifter, are normally performed inside a squat cage or in the presence of one or more spotters, who can safely re-rack the barbell if the weight trainer is unable to do so.

Types of exercises

[edit] Isotonic and plyometric exercises

These terms combine the prefix “iso” (meaning “same”) with “tonic” (strength) and “plio” (more) with “metric” (distance). In “isotonic” exercises the force applied to the muscle does not change (while the length of the muscle decreases or increases) while in “plyometric” exercises the length of the muscle stretches and contracts rapidly to increase the power output of a muscle.

Weight training is primarily an isotonic form of exercise, as the force produced by the muscle to push or pull weighted objects should not change (though in practice the force produced does decrease as muscles fatigue). Any object can be used for weight training, but dumbbells, barbells, and other specialised equipment are normally used because they can be adjusted to specific weights and are easily gripped. Many exercises are not strictly isotonic because the force on the muscle varies as the joint moves through its range of motion. Movements can become easier or harder depending on the angle of muscular force relative to gravity; for example, a standard biceps curl becomes easier as the hand approaches the shoulder as more of the load is taken by the structure of the elbow. Certain machines such as the Nautilus involve special adaptations to keep resistance constant irrespective of the joint angle.

Plyometric exercises exploits the stretch-shortening cycle of muscles to enhance the myotatic (stretch) reflex. This involves rapid alternation of lengthening and shortening of muscle fibers against resistance. The resistance involved is often a weighted object such as a medicine ball or sandbag, but can also be the body itself as in jumping exercises or the body with a weight vest that allows movement with resistance.^[12] Plyometrics is used to develop explosive speed, and focuses on maximal power instead of maximal strength by compressing the force of muscular contraction into as short a period as possible, and may be used to improve the effectiveness of a boxer’s punch, or to increase the vertical jumping ability of a basketball player. Care must be taken when performing plyometric exercises because they inflict greater stress upon the involved joints and tendons than other forms of exercise.

[edit] Isolation exercises versus compound exercises

The leg extension is an isolation exercise.

An isolation exercise is one where the movement is restricted to one joint and one muscle group. For example, the leg extension is an isolation exercise for the quadriceps. Specialized types of equipment are used to ensure that other muscle groups are only minimally involved—they just help the individual maintain a stable posture—and movement occurs only around the knee joint. Most isolation exercises involve machines rather than dumbbells and barbells (free weights), though free weights can be used when combined with special positions and joint bracing.

Compound exercises work several muscle groups at once, and include movement around two or more joints. For example, in the leg press movement occurs around the hip, knee and ankle joints. This exercise is primarily used to develop the quadriceps, but it also involves the hamstrings, glutes and calves. Compound exercises are generally similar to the ways that people naturally push, pull and lift objects, whereas isolation exercises often feel a little unnatural. Compound exercises generally involve dumbbells and barbells (free weights), involving more muscles to stabilize the body and joints as well as move the weight.

The leg press is a compound exercise.

Each type of exercise has its uses. Compound exercises build the basic strength that is needed to perform everyday pushing, pulling and lifting activities. Isolation exercises are useful for “rounding out” a routine, by directly exercising muscle groups that cannot be fully exercised in the compound exercises.

The type of exercise performed also depends on the individual’s goals. Those who seek to increase their performance in sports would focus mostly on compound exercises, with isolation exercises being used to strengthen just those muscles that are holding the athlete back. Similarly, a powerlifter would focus on the specific compound exercises that are performed at powerlifting competitions. However, those who seek to improve the look of their body without necessarily maximising their strength gains (including bodybuilders) would put more of an emphasis on isolation exercises. Both types of athletes, however, generally make use of both compound and isolation exercises.

[edit] Free weights versus weight machines

Exercise balls allow a wider range of free weight exercises to be performed. They are also known as exercise balls, fitness balls, gym balls, sports balls, therapy balls or body balls. They are sometimes confused with medicine balls

Free weights are dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells. Unlike weight machines, they do not constrain users to specific, fixed movements, and therefore require more effort from the individual’s stabilizer muscles. It is often argued that free weight exercises are superior for precisely this reason. As weight machines can go some way toward preventing poor form, they are somewhat safer than free weights for novice trainees. Moreover, since users need not concentrate so much on maintaining good form, they can focus more on the effort they are putting into the exercise. However, most athletes, bodybuilders, and serious fitness enthusiasts prefer to use compound free weight exercises to gain functional strength. However free weights sometimes aren’t safe to use without a spotter.

The weight stack from a Cable machine.

Some free weight exercises can be performed while sitting or lying on an exercise ball. This makes it more difficult to maintain good form, which helps to exercise the deep torso muscles that are important for maintaining posture.

There are a number of weight machines that are commonly found in neighborhood gyms. The Smith machine is a barbell that is constrained to move only vertically upwards and downwards. The cable machine consists of two weight stacks separated by 2.5 metres, with cables running through adjustable pulleys (that can be fixed at any height) to various types of handles. There are also exercise-specific weight machines such as the leg press. A multigym includes a variety of exercise-specific mechanisms in one apparatus.

One limitation of many free weight exercises and exercise machines is that the muscle is working maximally against gravity during only a small portion of the lift. Some exercise-specific machines feature an oval cam (first introduced by Nautilus) which varies the resistance so that the resistance, and the muscle force required, remains constant throughout the full range of motion of the exercise.

Description

CrossFit maintains that proficiency is required in each of 10 fitness domains: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance, coordination, and accuracy.^[1] CrossFit says it increases work capacity and speed in these domains by provoking neurologic and hormonal adaptations across all metabolic pathways. The program’s weightlifting component includes complex, compound movements with heavy loads. CrossFit also uses kettlebells, gymnastics rings, pull-up bars and many calisthenics exercises. CrossFit may call on athletes to run, row, climb ropes, jump up on boxes, flip giant tires, and carry odd objects. They can also bounce medicine balls against the floor or a target on a wall.

CrossFit workouts typically call for athletes to work hard and fast, often with no rest. Many CrossFit gyms use scoring and ranking systems, transforming workouts into sport. ^[2][3]

CrossFit adaptations include programs tailored for children, seniors, military special forces candidates, triathletes and martial artists. Most CrossFit gyms also offer “Boot Camp” or “Elements of CrossFit” introductory classes for beginners.^[4]

History and growth

CrossFit Trainer Certification, 2007

Greg Glassman, a former gymnast, created the CrossFit training methodology in the 1980s. The program gained the attention of various military and law enforcement agencies. In 1995, Glassman was hired to train the Santa Cruz, CA police department. The first CrossFit gym opened in Santa Cruz in 1995. The CrossFit website, launched in 2001, now includes an extensive video library of exercise demonstrations and a very active discussion forum. The number of CrossFit-affiliated gyms has grown from 18 in 2005 to 1,000 on March 2, 2009. According to Canada’s Business News Network, CrossFit is “one of the fastest growing fitness movements on the planet.”^[5]

Stretching, in its most basic form, is a natural and instinctive activity; it is performed by many animals including humans. It can be accompanied by yawning. Stretching often occurs instinctively after waking from sleep, after long periods of inactivity, or after exiting confined spaces.

Many athletes stretch deliberately before or after exercise in order to increase performance and reduce injury. Whether this is helpful, has no effect, or even has detrimental effects is in dispute. While common, it may not be beneficial for all athletic activities.^{[citation needed]}

Possible benefits

Sport stretching

Cat stretching from a relaxed position

In the literature described by Michael Yessis, there are many beneficial stretches that can improve range of motion (ROM) in athletes, especially runners. In his review,^[2] he cites benefits of stretching:

1. may improve ROM
2. reduce risk of injury during activity
3. prevent post-exercise muscle soreness
4. slow delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS)

To gain these benefits, Yessis describes different forms of stretching along with their individual benefits. He suggests that one stretching exercise may not be enough to prevent all types of injury. Therefore, multiple stretching exercises should be used to gain the full effects of stretching.

Research by Sharman et al. sought to find what techniques elongate muscles through “proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation” (PNF) stretching. They used around seventy sources to compile their data. In this review, PNF stretching yielded the greatest change in range of motion (ROM), especially short-term benefits. Ballistic stretching was also beneficial in comparison; however, PNF techniques emphasize active flexibility and therefore get better results. Reasoning behind the biomechanical benefit of PNF stretching points to muscular reflex relaxation found in the musculotendinous unit being stretched. More common findings in literature suggest that PNF benefits are due to influence on the joint where the stretch is felt.

Research and controversy

It has been suggested in some studies that overstretching or stretching to a point where pain is felt is inappropriate and detrimental. Effects on performance, both short and long-term, may include predisposition to injury and possible nerve damage (Yessis 8-18). Other findings in research conclude that active stretching routines will reduce muscle-tendon viscosity and increase muscle compliancy and elasticity. In sports activities where there are little or no short-stretching cycles, (bicycling, jogging, etc.) stretching routines may be detrimental to athletic performance and have no effect on reducing injuries.^[3]

In J. C. Andersen’s compilation of lower extremity stretching research, the effects of stretching before and after exercise were reviewed for evidence of muscle soreness. The seven articles referenced in his research came from sources such as MEDLINE and CINAHL. All data used came from studies that used static stretching programs and included average healthy participants between ages eighteen and forty.

The results of Andersen’s research are somewhat limited, due to the nature of the literature he selected; however, his findings suggest that stretching has no beneficial effects on injury reduction. Two to five percent reductions in injury levels lead Anderson to believe stretching routines will not have impact on injury prevention or post-exercise soreness. Also, the concept that stretching decreases risk of injury in active muscles is negated by claims in the literature reviewed. Stretching as observed in the research found increased complaisance in relaxed muscle groups. This idea, in conjunction with stretch tolerance and stretch variability, does not encourage stretching to prevent injuries. The conclusion claims more research is needed to finalize evidence on the benefits of stretching.^[4]

A study constructed by Nelson et al. set out to find the correlation between pre-exercise static stretching and its effects on muscle strength endurance. Two experiments were designed to find the initial links between pre-exercise stretching and muscle endurance.

Results of the study found both stretching experiments to reduce effectiveness of muscle strength endurance by up to thirty percent. They suggest that pre-exercise stretching induces a fatigue-like state in muscles which would clearly inhibit performance if the muscle is not at full potential.

Smaller amounts of research included state that stretching may cause ischemia in muscles, which reduces oxygen levels and the ability to remove metabolic waste. Higher levels of metabolic waste create a catalyst that contracts muscles. This may cause muscle injury in individual performance. Other theories included claim active static stretching increases inflow of Ca²⁺ from extra cellular spaces into the muscles being stretched. The increase of Ca²⁺ reduced the muscle twitch tension by up to sixty percent. Reasoning behind this claims that increased levels of Ca²⁺ in resting muscles predisposes individuals to fatigue quicker than individuals who did not stretch.^[5]

Flexibility

A woman in a Yoga stretch position.

A study done by LaRoche and Connolly was designed to see whether stretching reduces frequency of sports-related injuries and increases individual performance. The study, conducted over a four-week period, involved male participants between the ages of eighteen and sixty who were not actively training. Participants were randomly assigned to three different stretching groups which included ballistic, static, and control groups. The study used a custom-built device to test the individual’s maximal hamstring resistance.

To see what stretching method worked best, participants first needed to experience Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). This was done by having individuals use a hamstring curl machine, doing three sets of fifteen repetitions with a one-minute break between sets. Stretching was done before and after exercise, only three days a week for a four-week period. Warm ups were a mandatory requirement before stretching. The results of the study found that both ballistic and static stretching yielded a large increase in individual range of motion (ROM). This is thought to be from an increase in stretch tolerance as opposed to actual muscle elongation. The study also found that ballistic stretching seemed to have the same effects as static stretching without any perceived negative effects. Although there was an increased range of motion due to stretching, there was no change in DOMS or muscle soreness (LaRoche and Connolly 1000-1007).

Popular beliefs around stretching versus research

For many, the idea of stretching means that injuries become less common and athletic performance is enhanced. Multifactorial claims in literature essentially discredit generally accepted ideas of stretching. In terms of genetic ability, some people are more flexible than others; this includes gender differences where women are generally more flexible than men. In this sense, some people are more predisposed to injuries than others. In addition to genetics, some studies found that stretching does not increase range of motion. Instead it increases individual stretch tolerance and may become detrimental to athletic performance. Still, other studies are nonspecific about what their research really found. Some measure capsular mobility as opposed to the joint-muscle compliance.

Pittsburgh Steelers player stretching before a game with assistance from a Certified Athletic Trainer

Overwhelming research concludes that pre-exercise stretching, especially for those who do not use short bursts of muscular activity, may result in a reduction in performance of up to five percent. At best, literature shows that weeks of regular stretching exercises, in conjunction with warm ups, may help athletes reduce injury by up to five percent. This small percent may help athletes who use short bursts of energy such as sprinters improve their fifty-yard running speed by fractions of a second. Other sports that use continuous movements, such as cycling, should not expect the same benefits. Regardless of research, athletes, especially runners, continue to stretch, attempting to reduce injuries and increase their performance. More detailed studies and research are needed to find all possible neurological effects of stretching.^[6]

Research by Weerapong et al. was designed to find the effects of stretching on the body. In their research, they used ninety-nine peer-reviewed and scholarly sources to compile their data. Their sources came from three online databases which included PubMed, SPORT Discuss, and ProQuest 5000 International. The criteria for research looked for average healthy participants where no bias was placed on age, gender or physical abilities. All claims considered in the research were picked if they researched the long and short-term effects of stretching, while suggesting what effects stretching had on events such as injury occurrence, sport performance, and muscle soreness.

Results of the study found that it is very common in literature to suggest stretching as a possible mechanism to prevent onset of injury and muscle soreness. This idea, however, while very common, does not specifically explain how stretching affects muscle properties on individual performance. Their findings suggest that common stretching methods, like static and ballistic stretches, decrease muscle performance and have inconclusive evidence to support the notion of injury reduction. Their research questions whether flexibility will reduce incidence of injury. A large number of their sources claim flexibility does not reduce incidence of injury; therefore, increasing range of motion is not needed. Their conclusion states that more research is needed to find the best stretching techniques that improve performance and reduce risk of injury.^[7]

A study done by Witvrouw et al. was done to find what relationship stretching has with injury prevention. Over forty sources of relevant literature were used in their review. Initially the documentation of stretching claimed to promote better physical performance and reduce risk of injury. The number of suggested ideas in recent literature makes the relationship between stretching and its effects ambiguous.

Chicago Cubs players stretching before a game.

Results of the research were two different findings,^[3] each of which has a different consideration based on individual activity:

• They claim the reason behind conflicting data is due to the different levels of observed sports activity.
• In activities where stretch-shortening cycles (SSC) are more prevalent, such as sprinting and jumping, the muscle-tendon units need to store and use more elastic energy
• In activities which do not require as much SSC such as jogging, a more elastic muscle-tendon unit is not needed.

Physiology

Studies have shed light on a large protein within skeletal muscles named titin. A study performed by Magid and Law demonstrated that the origin of passive muscle tension (which occurs during stretching) is actually within the myofibrils, not extracellular as had previously been supposed.^[8]

See also

• Types of Stretching section above
• PNF stretching
• Resistance stretching
• Warming up
• Flexibility
• Range of motion
• Yoga as exercise
• Bodybuilding

At On Target Personal Training…

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Got questions NOW? Call John John’s on (123) 456 7890 to immediately get answers!

John Johns  is a certified personal trainer with over thirteen years experience.  John has taught health & fitness workshops and classes at various institutions in the Chicago land area; including Parker School, U.I.C Department on Aging and United Airlines.

John was a senior personal trainer at Lakeshore Athletic Club for thirteen years. Currently John offers exclusive private training at HiFi Studio’s.  He also offers in-home and in-office training for individual clients as well as organizations.

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