The influence of three different warm-up stretching routines on muscle performance

Prior to performing physical activity it is customary to undertake a warm up in the belief it reduces the risk of injury and increases performance. A typical warm-up includes cardiovascular exercise followed by mobility and stretching exercises. Existing research studies have examined the influence of different types of warm-up (active, passive) and different warm-up structure (intensity, duration and recovery) on performance (Bishop, 2003, Sports Medicine, 33, 483–498). In contrast there is little research comparing the acute effect of different stretching routines within an active warm-up. The aim of the current study was to examine the effect of three different stretching routines on muscle performance of the quadriceps and hamstrings.