Dynamic stretching

An effective warm up will increase muscle temperature and the body's core temperature, and improve blood flow through the entire system. A warm up period is important before any athletic event or performance. There should be multiple goals for the warm up, including preparing the athlete both physically and mentally for the physical activity and competition ahead.

There are three major types of stretching that have been performed prior to sporting activities:

• Static stretching is a constant stretch held at an end point anywhere between 15 sec and 5 min.
• Dynamic stretching is an activity specific functional stretching exercise that should utilize sport specific movements to prepare the body for activity. Dynamic stretching focuses on movements patterns requiring a combination of muscles, joints, and planes of motion, whereas static stretching typically focuses on a single muscle group, joint and plane of motion.
• Ballistic stretching involves active muscle effort and uses a bouncing type movement to increase the range of motion without holding the stretch at an end position. Unlike static stretching, ballistic stretching triggersthe stretch reflex and can increase the likelihood of injury in individuals who have not progressed appropriately or do not have the correct training background for this form of stretching.
  

The warm up is a time that can be used to gain numerous training adaptations in many aspects of physical conditioning. A dynamic warm up can provide great benefits in:

• Stretching
• Power
• Endurance
• Flexibility
• Coordination
• Balance
• Neuromuscular activation
• Speed
• Mental preparation

A great aspect of an effective dynamic warm up is that it can be a complete total body workout for athletes with time constraints; if performed correctly, this warm up can result in positive training adaptations to improve performance. The dynamic warm up can be a time to focus on improving strength, power, speed and agility.

Dynamic warm up for swimmers

Swimming, both short and long distance, requires a combination of upper and lower body power with great core strength to help with effective energy transfer through the water. The warm up period for swimming can be performed both on land and in the water. Replace your typical static stretching routine with the one described below, do the routine one or two times depending on your current level of ability. You can still do your static stretching routine but in the end of your training, the benefits will be by far greater.

The routine

• Toe walk for 10 m
• Heel walk for 10 m
• Overhead squat (a squat while holding a weighted bar at arm's length overhead) 10 - 12 reps
• Inchworm (keeping your legs straight , place your hands as far forward on the ground as possible, heels should stay on the ground. While keeping your back and legs straight, slowly walk your feet as close as possible to your hands without allowing your knees to bend. Now, slowly walk your hands out into the starting position) 10 m
• Spiderman crawl (take a small to medium step forward with your left leg at approximately 45 degrees. Bend at your waist and knee to crawl forward, maintaining a neutral spine and walking your hands forward toward your left foot/knee. Keep your eyes looking straight ahead. Slowly walk your hands across to your right as your right leg slowly comes forward) 10 m
• Frogger (stand tall with good posture, keeping your shoulders back. Extend your arms at shoulder height straight out to the sides, palms facing forward. Flex your left hip and, as it starts to rise, externally rotate it to bring your knee up toward your armpit. As your left leg comes down, perform the same motion on your right side) 10 - 12 reps for each side
• Lateral lunge 10 - 12 reps for each side
• Upper body handwalk (start from a high push-up position. Maintaining a good push-up position, walk your hands to your left and repeat to your right) 8 - 0 reps for each side
• 10 m movement sequence (linear run, lateral shuffle toward your right side and then towrad your left side. Perform these movements at about 80% of maximum speed for 10 m. Do one, turn and then perform the next movement in sequence)
• Overhead pass (stand back to back with your partner while holding a medicine ball in fornt of you. Reach the ball directly overhead and slightly behind you so that your partner can receive it. Your partner returns the action) 10 - 12 reps

More on dynamic stretching can be found in Dynamic Stretching by Mark Kovacs.