Abstract
Introduction. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-session-per-week strength and stretching program, on sit and reach score, among high-school students in the physical education setting. Methods. A sample of 75 high-school students (26 girls and 49 boys) aged 12-14 years from four classes were clustered and randomly assigned to a stretching group (n = 21), a strengthening group (n = 18), a strengthening + stretching group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 16). During physical education classes, the experimental students performed a 1-minute stretching, a 1-minute strengthening or a 1-minute strengthening + 1-minute stretching program twice a week a total of 20 weeks. Control students performed the same physical education classes, but they did not follow any strength and/or stretching program. Active flexibility (estimated by the classic sit-and-reach test) was assessed at the beginning and at the end of the intervention program. Results. The Wilcoxon test results showed that students that performed a combined strengthening and stretching program increased statistically significantly their active flexibility levels from pre-intervention to post-intervention (∆ = 1.8 ± 3.2 cm; p < 0.05). However, for students that performed an isolated) program and control group students statistically significant differences were not found (strengthening group, ∆ = 0.6 ± 0.7 cm; stretching group, ∆ = 0.3 ± 2.3 cm; control group, ∆ = 0.7 ± 1.5 cm; p > 0.05). Conclusions. Since in physical education many curricular contents need to be developed each academic year and the subject is also restricted by its limited curriculum time allocation, teachers could improve students’ flexibility combining stretching and strength workout. Therefore, in addition to the improvement of students’ flexibility levels, this intervention program might permit regular development of other physical education curricular contents. This knowledge could help and guide teachers to design programs that guarantee a feasible and effective development of flexibility in the physical education setting.
Highlights
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-session-per-week strength and stretching program, on sit and reach score, among high-school students in the physical education setting
All the participants were free of orthopedic disorders such as episodes of hamstring and/or lumbar injuries, fractures, surgery or pain in the spine or hamstring and/or lumbar muscles over the past six months (Lopez-Miñarro et al, 2009)
The Wilcoxon test results showed that students that performed a combined strengthening and stretching program increased statistically significantly their active flexibility levels from pre-intervention to post-intervention (p < 0.05)
Summary
The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a two-session-per-week strength and stretching program, on sit and reach score, among high-school students in the physical education setting. Since in physical education many curricular contents need to be developed each academic year and the subject is restricted by its limited curriculum time allocation, teachers could improve students’ flexibility combining stretching and strength workout. In addition to the improvement of students’ flexibility levels, this intervention program might permit regular development of other physical education curricular contents. Shortened hamstring muscles could be addressed proactively by a systematical performance of stretching exercises in highschool students during PE sessions (Becerra-Fernandez, Mayorga-Vega & Merino-Marban, 2020). In this line, PE teachers in most countries are nowadays required to develop and maintain students’ health-enhancing flexibility levels (European Commission/EACEA/Eurydice, 2013)
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