Copyright © 2012 American College of Sports Medicine Chapter 10 Warm-Up and Flexibility
Copyright © 2012 American College of Sports Medicine
Chapter 10Warm-Up and Flexibility
Chapter 10Warm-Up and Flexibility
Copyright © 2012 American College of Sports Medicine
Warm-UpWarm-Up
• Overview
– Performing low-intensity exercise to prepare the body for more intense physical activity
– Increases in intensity progressively
– Passive vs. active
– General vs. specific
– Increases muscle temperature
– Should last 5-15 minutes
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Examples of General & Specific Warm-UpsExamples of General & Specific Warm-Ups
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Warm-Up (cont’d)Warm-Up (cont’d)
• Physiology of Warming Up Muscle & core temp
Blood flow
Speed of metabolic reactions
Release of O2 from hemoglobin & myoglobin
Heart rate & cardiac output
Nerve conduction velocity & neural activation
O2 consumption
Joint/CT & skeletal muscle viscosity & resistance
Muscle glycogen breakdown & glycolysis
Mental preparedness & psychological functioning
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Warm-Up (cont’d)Warm-Up (cont’d)
• Performance Effects
– After 3-5 min of warm-up, enhanced performance in:
• Vertical jump
• Swimming time
• Running time
• Cycling power
– Key elements of warm-up
• Increase muscle temperature
• Increase VO2
• Minimize fatigue
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Warm-Up (cont’d)Warm-Up (cont’d)
• Warm-Up Versus Postactivation Potentiation
– Potentiation protocol
• Activated motor units stay facilitated for a period of time following maximal or near-maximal muscle contractions
• Muscle strength, power, & endurance can be enhanced
• Viewed by some as a warm-up
• Viewed by others as a separate entity & part of workout
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The Warm-Up ContinuumThe Warm-Up Continuum
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Warm-Up (cont’d)Warm-Up (cont’d)
• Dynamic Versus Static Warm-Ups
– Dynamic warm-up: enhances performance
– Static warm-up
• Shown to reduce performance when performed before activity by itself
• Light stretching coupled with dynamic warm-up may be effective to optimize performance
• Intense stretching recommended for strength/power athletes after workout, in cooldown
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FlexibilityFlexibility
• Overview
– A measure of joint ROM without injury
– An important health-related component of fitness
– Types
• Static flexibility
• Dynamic flexibility
• Ballistic flexibility
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Health Benefits
– Maintains appropriate muscle lengths
– Improves muscle balance
– Improves muscular weakness
– Reduces risk of injury
– Improves posture
– Improves ability to move
– Relieves stress
– Reduces risk of low-back pain
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Improvements in Athletic Skills
– Olympic weightlifter: proper overhead position in the snatch
– Gymnast: proper position during a split
– Ice hockey goalie: blocking the puck at many difficult angles
– Tennis player: maximizing velocity & accuracy of serve
– Volleyball player: blocking a shot & spiking the ball
– Hurdler: elevating over the hurdle w/o deviation in stride
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Flexibility and Injury Prevention
– May decrease risk of pain & injury
– Increases compliance of tendon
– Reduces acute tendon stiffness
– Decreases hysteresis
– Enhances joint ROM
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Factors Affecting Flexibility
– Joint structure
– Muscular imbalance
– Muscular control
– Age
– Gender
– CT (tendons, ligaments, fascia, joint capsules, & skin)
– Bulk
– Training in a limited ROM
– Activity level
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Types of Stretching
– Static
– Dynamic
– Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)
• Hold-relax
• Contract-relax
• Hold-relax with agonist contraction
• Contract-relax with agonist contraction
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Flexibility (cont’d)Flexibility (cont’d)
• Flexibility Training Guidelines
– Stretch after workout or after general warm-up
– Select stretches that work each major muscle group
– Stretch for at least 10 minutes
– Perform at least 4 reps/muscle group at least 2-3 days per week
– Select dynamic, static, or PNF stretches
– Consider ballistic stretching for athletes in explosive sports
– Take static stretches to point of mild discomfort & hold 15-60 sec
– Allow a 6-sec contraction followed by a 10-30 sec assisted stretch for PNF stretches
Copyright © 2012 American College of Sports Medicine
The CooldownThe Cooldown
• Is a postworkout light exercise activity
• Example: 5-10 min of walking/cycling
• Provides an adjustment period between exercise & rest
• Helps return body to homeostasis in a controlled manner
• Facilitates waste removal
• Reduces cardiovascular responses appropriately
• Institutes a greater sense of well-being
• Provides time for stretching to increase flexibility