Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a dynamic-stretching warm up (DWU) intervention performed daily over four weeks positively influenced power, speed, agility, endurance, flexibility, and strength performance measures in collegiate wrestlers when compared to a static-stretching warm up (SWU) intervention. Methods. Subjects were 24 male National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I wrestlers from the University of Wyoming. A four-week treatment condition (DWU) and active control condition (SWU) was introduced into the wrestlers' daily pre-season workouts. Anthropometric and performance measures were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention: peak torque of the quadriceps and hamstrings, medicine ball underhand throw for distance, 300-yard shuttle, pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, broad jump, 600-meter run, sit-and-reach test, and trunk extension test. Results. Following the DWU intervention, several performance measure improvements were observed. The DWU showed positive increases in performance among peak torque of the quadriceps (11%), broad jump (4%), medicine ball underhand throw for distance (4%), sit-ups (11%), and push-ups (3%). There was a decrease in average time to completion of the 300-yard shuttle (2%) and the 600-meter run (2.4%) which is suggestive of enhanced muscular strength and endurance and anaerobic capacity in the DWU group. Neither the DWU nor the SWU influenced peak torque of the hamstrings, flexibility of the hamstrings or trunk, nor muscular endurance of the arms and shoulder girdle. In contrast to the DWU intervention, there was no observed improvement in the SWU group for peak torque of the quadriceps, broad jump, 300-yard shuttle run, medicine ball underhand throw for distance, sit-ups, push-ups or 600-meter run. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that incorporation of this specific four-week DWU into the daily training regimen of wrestlers produced longer term or chronic performance enhancements in regards to power, strength, muscular endurance, anaerobic capacity, and acceleration.