Varsity basketball player Luke Stankavage plays for Ardrey Kell High School in North Carolina, where he has demonstrated exceptional skill as a point guard. Luke Stankavage’s basketball statistics include an average of 20.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.9 rebounds.
Many athletes know the importance of stretching before and after exercising to minimize injury. There are two main types of stretching that athletes engage in pre- and post-workout: dynamic and static.
Dynamic stretches consist of controlled movements that warm up the ligaments, muscles, and other soft tissues before physical activity. They help athletes and others improve their mobility and can enhance power, speed, and agility. At the same time, dynamic stretches reduce the risk of injury in both elite and recreational athletes. Such stretching is best done before a match, whether it’s competitive or not.
Meanwhile, static stretching involves holding a particular stance for a short period of time. Static stretches do not involve movement and may entail standing, lying down, or sitting. This type of stretch can decrease the performance of athletes when done as a warmup; however, this doesn’t mean it is not beneficial. Rather, static stretches are best reserved for cooling down after practice or a competitive match, since they increase the elasticity of the muscle and decrease recovery time.
Luke Stankavage 