Acute Effect of Static Stretching in terms Of Duration on Vertical Jump Performance

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks go out to all who have helped me complete this study and with whom this project may have not been possible. In particular, my gratitude goes out to friends, facilitator and family for extensive and helpful comments on early drafts. I am also deeply indebted to the authors who have shared my interest and preceded me. Their works provided me with a host of information to learn from and build upon, also served as examples to emulate.

DECLARATION

I, (Your name), would like to declare that all contents included in this thesis/dissertation stand for my individual work without any aid, & this thesis/dissertation has not been submitted for any examination at academic as well as professional level previously. It is also representing my very own views & not essentially which are associated with university.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Purpose3

Hypotheses3

Variables3

Limitations4

Delimitations4

Assumptions4

Definitions5

Static stretching5

Dynamic stretching5

Ballistic stretching5

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF)5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW6

Vertical jump6

Static and ballistic stretching7

Plyometrics9

Effect on vertical jump11

Literature insight17

Interpretations18

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY19

Experimental approach to the problem19

Subjects20

Experimental design21

Static Stretching Protocol21

Gluteus maximus:22

Hamstring:22

Quadriceps:22

Plantar flexor:22

Vertical jump test procedure23

Statistical Data Analysis23

REFERENCE25

BIBLIOGRAPHY28

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Most athletes do some form of pre and post competition routine. These routines usually consist of stretching and low aerobic exercise as a part of warm up (Young & Behm, 2002; Young, 2007). Pre competition static stretching has been a basic and main element of warm up (Church, Wiggins, Moode, & Crist, 2001; Young & Behm, 2003). Flexibility exercise along with strength and endurance exercise are considered as one of the main components of physical fitness and is recommended by ACSM for maintaining strength, endurance and flexibility (Pollock, Gaesser, Butcher, Despres, Dishamn, Franklin, & Garber, 1998). Stretching exercise is a traditional practice performed in order to improve flexibility (Bandy, Irion, & Briggler, 1997).

Stretching was commonly thought to decrease the risk of injury and reduce muscle soreness, but recently certain review studies suggested that stretching neither reduces the risk of injury (Hebert and Gabriel, 2002; Pope, Herbert, Kirwan, & Graham, 2000) nor decreases muscle soreness (Magnusson & Renstrom, 2006; Andersen, 2005; High & Howley, 1989). It was also thought that stretching improves muscle performance, but no substantial evidence was found in improved muscular performance after acute bout of stretching. However, it is also suggested that habitual stretching may improve strength and jump height (Magnusson & Renstorm, 2006; Shrier, 2004; Church, Wiggins, Moode, & Crist, 2001). I

n addition many recent studies also show that pre competition static stretching has negative influence on muscular performance (Fowles, Sale, & MacDougall, 2000; Kokkonen, Nelson, & Cornwell, 1998; Young & Behm, 2003; Parsons, Maxwell, Elniff, Jacka, & Heerschee, 2006; Wallmann, Mercer, & McWhorter, 2005). It is also suggested that when static stretching follows with the other warm up routine, stretching was found to dilute or neutralize the effectiveness of warm up (Young & Behm, 2003; Behm, Bambury, Cahill, & Power, 2004).

Certain physiological mechanisms were suggested behind this reduction in muscle performance such as decrease in musculotendinous stiffness (Liber, Woodburn, & ...