A static stretch is simply a form of stretching that requires you to hold a certain position for a certain fixed amount of time used to increase range of motion overtime through muscle lengthening.

There certainly are many different types of stretching but it is commonly advised that football players and most athletes in general avoid static stretching before training or a game.

A study found that Static stretching before a game as a warm-up had a direct negative impact on an athlete’s explosiveness on the field significantly. It was found that even a group of athletes that didn’t stretch at all were able to accelerate better to their usual capacity.

As opposed to that, dynamic stretching has been found to better aid players with speed and acceleration when it’s time to perform on match day.

The reasoning for this lies in two theories:

Length-Tension Relationship

Every muscle, according to this hypothesis, has an “ideal” length at which it may deliver maximum force. We essentially interrupt this length-tension connection with static stretching. As a result, the length-tension relationship is less efficient, which has been demonstrated to limit maximum muscle force. This is why having too much flexibility (hyper flexibility) might hinder a player’s performance.

Less Efficient Neuromuscular Coordination

Since there is less muscular activation, our reflex sensitivity changes. To put it another way, passive stretching slows down and inefficiently connects and cooperates the musculoskeletal and neurological systems.

Now don’t confuse it to be all bad! Static stretching certainly has its uses and doing it for 10second holds certainly won’t cause any harm, But long periods of holding the stretch 15+seconds is what might be considered suboptimal.

Every young aspiring footballer needs experienced professionals to help guide them through these misconceptions and train the right way, which is exactly what they can find in our certified UEFA licensed coaches here at MV8.