Malign - 2010-09-08 6:02 PM Since HS I have always done my "dynamic WU" series, like butt kicks, heel/toe walk, walking quad pull, tin soldier walk, and skipping quick/bounding. People always look at me funny since well I do look funny, but hey its what I was taught. Stretching has risks that far outweigh the benefits for me, so I stick with what I know.
There definitely is strong support for both sides, it very much is personal preference or experience if you ask people.
I believe the latest study I read said exactly this. If you're currently stretching, go ahead and keep stretching. If you're not, there's no reason to start.
There was no statistical difference in injuries to the groups of "stretchers" and "non-stretchers"
HOWEVER, if someone was previously a "stretcher" and was assigned to be a "non-stretcher" during the 3 month study... their risk of injury was doubled!
From the study:
"Although, all subjects switching routines were more likely to experience an
injury than those who did not switch, the group that stopped stretching had by far the higher
number of reported injuries, implying that an immediate shift in a regimen may be more
important than the regimen itself."
So, I am a non-stretcher and will continue to be a non-stretcher.
(Found the link to the synopsis:
http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?DUID=USATF_2010_08_20_12_13_14)
(and to the actual results:
http://www.usatf.org/stretchStudy/StretchStudyReport.pdf)