Stretch Right, Perform Better: Dynamic Essentials

IN OUR MAILBOX

What’s up Athlete,
Each week, we tackle a question that many athletes like you can relate to. This week’s focus is on Stretching in your warming-up, Dynamic vs Static stretching, and 3 essential dynamic stretches for a professional athlete.

Have a question of your own? We’d love to hear it! Just send it to [email protected], and you might see it featured here in a future edition.

ON YOUR MARK

The final debate: Dynamic vs Static stretching

A few weeks ago, we covered flexibility and mobility in this newsletter. That edition was well-received; many of you asked for part two.

In this newsletter, we’ll dive deeper into the different types of stretches and how to incorporate them into your training. These stretches aren’t meant to help you recover better but to help you perform better.

Soccer is a sport where athletes need to master many different skills. You have to excel in speed, agility, endurance, balance, and technique. Not every exercise or type of training is equally effective for all these abilities.

It would be great if there were a way to improve multiple performance aspects at once, giving you more time to focus on your weaknesses. Stretching is something many athletes do, often without much thought.

Take a look at your warm-up. You probably include two or three general stretches, mostly for your hamstrings, groin, and hips.

This is an area where many athletes can make significant gains. Stretching helps prevent injuries, but if you want to improve your performance, you need to take your warm-up stretches more seriously.

There are two types of stretches: dynamic and static. Dynamic stretches are short and active; you hold a movement for 1 to 2 seconds and then repeat it.

Static stretches involve staying in one position for at least 15 to 20 seconds. I recommend doing dynamic stretches before training and static stretches afterward.

Dynamic stretches loosen and activate your muscles, while static stretches focus on lengthening and setting muscles in place, helping to improve flexibility in the long term.

Research clearly shows that dynamic stretching before training is better for performance. For example, athletes who did dynamic stretches significantly improved their sprint times compared to static stretching:

• Sprint time after dynamic stretching: 3.465 seconds.

• Sprint time after static stretching: 3.542 seconds.

Another study found that dynamic stretching can improve vertical jump height by 1.8%, while static stretching actually decreases it by 1.6%.

This is because dynamic stretching activates your muscles, raises your muscle temperature, and improves elasticity and power.

Dynamic stretching also has benefits for injury prevention. It prepares your body better for action, reducing the risk of strains, sprains, and overuse injuries.

Many athletes who include dynamic warm-ups (DWs) in their routines report fewer injuries compared to those who only do static stretching or no warm-ups at all.

Finally, evidence shows that both dynamic and static stretching are effective in improving your range of motion (ROM).

A study with volleyball players demonstrated that both types of stretches equally enhance joint flexibility. However, this doesn’t mean static stretching is just as good before training.

Dynamic stretching is better for preparing your body for action, while static stretching is ideal after training to help your muscles recover. Both have their place in your routine, but dynamic stretching is the key to better performance during your warm-up.

GET SET

The 3 Best Dynamic Stretches for Football Performance

Dynamic warm-ups help prevent injuries and improve performance. The FIFA 11+ program offers exercises that are great for football players and athletes in other sports too. Here are three useful dynamic stretches from the program, designed for football but adaptable for other sports.

Exercise 1: Hip Out Rotation

The athlete jogs lightly and periodically stops to lift the knee and rotate the hip outward. Repeat for two sets per leg.

• Endurance Modification: Extend the exercise by covering longer distances with the same movement.

• Adventure Sports Modification: Add lateral movement or use an unstable surface to simulate balance challenges.

• Strength Training Modification: Use a light resistance band around the knees to enhance muscle activation.

Exercise 2: Shoulder Contact

The athlete runs forward with a partner, turns 90 degrees to face them, jumps sideways, and makes shoulder contact. Repeat for two sets.

• Endurance Modification: Lighten the contact and perform the exercise for a longer duration to build cardiovascular endurance.

• Adventure Sports Modification: Perform on a sloped or uneven surface to improve balance.

• Strength Training Modification: Include a light medicine ball to throw after making contact.

Exercise 3: Vertical Jumps

The athlete starts in a half-squat position, jumps as high as possible, and lands softly. Perform two sets of 20 seconds.

• Endurance Modification: Add small jumps between vertical jumps to maintain rhythm.

• Adventure Sports Modification: Combine with lateral jumps to train speed and direction changes.

• Strength Training Modification: Use a weighted vest for added resistance.

These dynamic exercises enhance mobility, strength, and performance across various sports disciplines.

GO

DISCLAIMER: None of the content provided in this newsletter constitutes medical, training, or performance advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not intended to be a substitute for professional guidance or personalized coaching. Please be mindful of your limitations and perform exercises at your own risk.

1