Good morning, Ontario. This is Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab—an AI-powered podcast brought to you by Dr. Nick Kuiper of Absolute Rehabilitation and Wellness in Burlington.
It's Tuesday, and today we're debunking a myth that's been drilled into you since gym class—that you need to stretch before exercise. The truth? It might be sabotaging your performance.
THE HOOK:
Picture this: You're about to go for a run. Play hockey. Hit the gym.
So you do what you've always been told—you stretch. You hold each stretch for 30 seconds. Hamstrings. Quads. Hip flexors. You feel loose. Ready.
But here's what Dr. Kuiper knows: Static stretching before exercise doesn't prevent injury. In fact, it can reduce your power output by up to 30%.
Today, you're learning why the pre-workout stretch routine you've done your whole life is outdated science—and what actually works.
THE MYTH:
The myth: You need to stretch before exercise to prevent injury and improve performance.
The reality? Static stretching before activity temporarily weakens your muscles, reduces explosive power, and doesn't lower injury risk.
Here's where this myth came from:
Decades ago, researchers noticed that flexible people had fewer injuries. They assumed stretching caused the flexibility, and that stretching before activity prevented injury.
But correlation isn't causation.
What they missed: Flexible people often have better movement patterns, stronger stabilizer muscles, and more body awareness. The flexibility was a marker—not the cause.
Meanwhile, static stretching—holding a stretch for 20-60 seconds—tells your nervous system to relax the muscle. It reduces muscle activation, decreases force production, and impairs reaction time.
Great for bedtime. Terrible before performance.
Dr. Kuiper sees this constantly: athletes who stretch before games and wonder why they feel sluggish. Gym-goers who stretch before lifting and can't hit their usual weights.
The problem isn't their effort. It's their warm-up strategy.
THE SCIENCE:
Let's break down what the research actually shows.
STATIC STRETCHING BEFORE EXERCISE:
A 2013 meta-analysis in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reviewed 104 studies and found:
• Static stretching reduces muscle strength by 5.5%
• It decreases power output by 2-5%
• It impairs explosive performance (jumping, sprinting) by up to 30%
• It does NOT reduce injury rates
Why? Because static stretching temporarily reduces muscle-tendon stiffness. That sounds good, but stiffness is actually protective during high-force activities. It allows your muscles to store and release elastic energy—critical for running, jumping, and lifting.
When you stretch that stiffness away, you lose power.
WHAT ABOUT INJURY PREVENTION?
A landmark study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine followed over 2,000 runners. Half stretched before running. Half didn't.
Result? No difference in injury rates.
The conclusion: Static stretching before exercise doesn't prevent injury.
SO WHAT DOES PREVENT INJURY?
1. Dynamic warm-ups that prepare your nervous system and joints for movement
2. Progressive loading that builds tissue resilience over time
3. Adequate recovery between training sessions
4. Movement variability that prevents repetitive strain
Notice what's missing? Static stretching.
THE SOLUTION:
So if static stretching before exercise is outdated, what should you do instead?
Here's Dr. Kuiper's evidence-based pre-activity protocol:
PHASE 1: GENERAL WARM-UP (3-5 minutes)
Get your heart rate up. Increase blood flow. Activate your nervous system.
Examples:
• Light jogging or cycling
• Jumping jacks
• Skipping
• Dynamic movement (high knees, butt kicks)
Goal: Raise your core temperature and prepare your cardiovascular system.
PHASE 2: DYNAMIC MOBILITY (5-7 minutes)
Move your joints through their full range of motion—actively, not passively.
Examples:
• Leg swings (forward/back, side to side)
• Arm circles
• Walking lunges with rotation
• Inchworms
• Hip openers (90/90 transitions)
• Thoracic rotations
Goal: Prepare your joints and nervous system for the specific movements you're about to do.
PHASE 3: ACTIVATION (2-3 minutes)
Wake up the muscles you're about to use.
Examples:
• Glute bridges before running or squatting
• Band pull-aparts before upper body work
• Dead bugs before core-intensive activities
• Calf raises before jumping or sprinting
Goal: Prime your nervous system to recruit the right muscles at the right time.
PHASE 4: MOVEMENT-SPECIFIC PREP (2-3 minutes)
Rehearse the movement you're about to do—at low intensity.
Examples:
• Bodyweight squats before loaded squats
• Light sets before heavy lifting
• Easy running before tempo runs
• Shadow boxing before sparring
Goal: Groove the movement pattern and prepare your body for the specific demand.
TOTAL TIME: 12-18 minutes
Yes, it's longer than static stretching. But it actually works.
WHEN TO STRETCH:
So when SHOULD you do static stretching?
AFTER exercise. When your muscles are warm and your nervous system is primed for recovery.
Post-workout static stretching:
• Improves long-term flexibility
• Aids recovery by reducing muscle tension
• Promotes parasympathetic nervous system activation (rest and digest)
• Feels good and supports mental relaxation
Hold each stretch for 2 minutes. Breathe deeply. Let your body recover.
This is when stretching works.
THE ONTARIO WAKE-UP CALL:
Here's the reality:
Most Ontarians are still doing what they learned in high school gym class—static stretching before activity.
It's outdated. It's ineffective. And it's costing you performance.
Stop stretching before you move. Start warming up intelligently.
Your body will thank you with better performance, fewer injuries, and more power.
YOUR ACTION STEP:
Before your next workout, skip the static stretches. Do a 10-minute dynamic warm-up instead.
Notice how you feel. Notice your performance.
If you want a personalized warm-up protocol designed for your sport or activity, Dr. Kuiper's team can build one for you.
CONNECT WITH US:
• Website: AbsoluteRW.com
• Instagram: @absoluterw_burlington
• Email: [email protected]
This is Absolute Edge: Performance & Rehab. We'll see you tomorrow.
Keywords: stretching myths, pre-workout stretching, static stretching, dynamic warm-up, injury prevention, Ontario fitness, sports performance, Burlington rehabilitation, Dr. Nick Kuiper, exercise science, muscle activation, athletic performance, warm-up protocol, power output, explosive performance, movement preparation
