A comparison of The Acute Effect of Warm-up with The Ballistic Stretching and Warm-up with PNF Stretching on Speed in the 50 meter Sprint

Abstract

     The purpose of this research was to study and compare the effect of warm up with Ballistic stretching and warm up with intramuscular stretching (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)) on the speed of a 50-meter sprint. The sample consisted of students from Udon Thani Rajabhat University in the academic year 2020, aged 18 - 22 years, 20 men who were not athletes. They were divided into two experimental groups; the first group consisted of ten participants and was tested by using the warm-up with ballistic stretching; the second group consisted of ten participants and was tested by using the warm-up with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching (PNF). The duration of experiment was three weeks, one day every week, with each test separated one week apart to minimize the carry over effect. Experimental group received a warm-up and one kind of stretching. All individuals were then subjected to a 50-meter sprint speed test. Prior to the study, week 1, week 2, and week 3 times were recorded for each participant. The data were evaluated to see whether there were any differences between the groups (Paired samples t-test) before and after the experiment (best time) and use the best time to analyze the differences between groups (Independent samples t-test). The study's findings revealed that after the experiment, the both experimental group (warm-up with Ballistic stretching and warm-up with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation; PNF stretching) resulted in a statistically significant decrease in 50m short-distance running time (increased speed) at the .05 level, and there was no difference between warm-up with Ballistic stretching and warm-up with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation; PNF stretching.