(Reuters Health) – Stretches that work several muscle groups at once are great for upper-body warm-ups before a workout, an Australian study finds.
Although athletes and coaches often swear by stretching, many common pre-workout routines may not actually enhance performance, said lead author Matt McCrary at the University of Sydney.
Higher load dynamic warm-ups are “the best bet” in most situations, said McCrary. For the upper body, these include pushups, dumbbell back flys, and resisted lateral raises, he told Reuters Health by email.
Dynamic stretches focus on getting the blood flowing and increasing range of motion by using multiple muscle groups simultaneously. Unlike static stretches, which generally involve holding a single pose for a minute or two, dynamic stretches use a series of controlled movements.
To analyze the effect of upper body warm-ups, McCrary and colleagues reviewed 31 past studies involving 628 people playing sports at many levels, from youth leagues to college athletics and adults in recreational activities. Most studies involved sports where upper body strength is essential, such as baseball, football, tennis, golf, kayaking and shot put.
