Flexibility is the range of motion available at a joint. Flexibility in most sports is important as it enables athletes to have a better range of motion to perform the movements their bodies demand. Having a good level of flexibility can help prevent an athlete have less injuries as the joint will be used to the higher range of motion. Posture is also maintained and improved with flexibility. If you want to develop a higher maximum strength and better power flexibility is defiantly key.
One type of stretching is static stretching. This is when a muscle is stretched slowly and in a controlled manner to ensure no injuries occur. When fully stretched the muscle will then be held in fixed/static position. It should be stretched to …show more content…
A static stretch can either be a maintenance stretch or a developmental stretch. 10 seconds is usually the amount of time a maintenance stretch is held, around this point is when the discomfort should stop. The developmental stretch however is held for around 30 seconds. After discomfort has disappeared the stretch should be applied again until the discomfort has disappeared again. Dynamic stretching is more active then static stretching because it is stretching while on the move. This constant motion is in my opinion more effective as it warms up your overall body temperature and increases the heart rate making it more efficient before playing sport. Having an already increased heart rate means that you’re already prepared, for the effect the game will have on you, meaning your body won’t be shocked by the sudden raise in BPM (Beats per minute.) Studies show that static stretches actually have a detrimental effect on explosive movements and strength output. From my own experience playing American Football, we always warm up with 5 minutes of static stretching then 10 minutes of dynamic stretching. I think the contrast of using the two is most effective as you’re stretching the muscles before you turn it into a jog which could possibly increase your chances of pulling