STRETCHING EXERCISES USED TO WARM UP DO NOT IMPROVE 1-RM PERFORMANCE OF VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to verify if stretching exercises as preparatory activity for these athletes decrease the performance of the one repetition maximum (1-RM).The sample it was composed 12 female volleyball athletes with mean age, height, body mass (±SD) were 19,6 ± 2,1years; 68,2 ± 4,8 Kg; 177 ± 0,06 cm, respectively, all the subjects signed an informed consent form. They performed 3-test sessions of 1-RM (interval of 48 h among all sessions).The first one was of familiarization and the other two were of experimentation, with and without stretching exercises. The squat exercise was selected and performed in a smith machine, by the proximity to the movement of volleyball jump. In the first experimental session (session 1) the athletes ran for 10 minutes in a self-selected velocity and performed stretching exercises (2 repetitions, 15 seconds stretch) for lower limbs muscles (passive static stretching exercises=maximum gluteus(1), hamstring(1) quadriceps(1) and calf(1), active static exercises=quadriceps(1), hamstring(1) and calf(1)). Thereafter the athletes were submitted the 1-RM test. In the session 2 the athletes repeated the session 1 procedure, without the stretching exercises program. An alpha level of p<0,05 was considered significant. The experimental sessions were randomized. To compare the 1-RM performance between session 1 and 2 a paired t-test was used. Significant difference was not found in 1-RM (p< 0,389). The stretching exercises have not negative influence in 1-RM performance of these volleyball athletes.