Dynamic vs. Static Warm-Ups: Peak Performance Secrets

You step onto the court, the echo of bouncing basketballs filling the gym.

Your teammates are getting shots up, but you? You’re at half-court, stretching your hamstrings, pulling your arm across your chest just like you’ve seen guys do before every game.

It feels like the right thing to do, right? But as you reach down for your toes, a thought creeps in: Is this actually helping me? 

Some players swear by dynamic warm-ups, while others still hold onto static stretching. And then there’s the fear of what would happen if the wrong choice messes with your performance.

In this edition:

•  ⚡ Should you stretch before or after training? The truth about flexibility and performance.

• 🧠 The science behind stretching—how muscles actually respond and why timing matters.

• 🔥 Three dynamic stretches to prime your body for peak performance

• 🔍 Sport-specific tips to apply stretching the right way for your game.

— Paco Raven, Editor & Founder

Stretch Smarter, Move Better

You’ve seen it a hundred times. An athlete steps onto the court, field, or track, pulls a leg behind them, leans forward, and holds.

Maybe they sit down, reach for their toes, and stay there, waiting for something to change. Stretching is just what you do before playing, right?

But does it really work like that? And more importantly are you actually helping your performance, or just checking a box?

The first thing to know is that stretching isn’t just one thing. There’s static stretching, where you hold a position for 30 seconds or more, gradually elongating the muscle.

Then there’s dynamic stretching, which moves muscles through their full range of motion with controlled movement.

The problem? Not all stretching is created equal, especially when you’re about to play a sport that demands speed, power, and reactivity.

Think of your muscles like high-performance springs. When you sprint, jump, or change direction, those springs need to be tight, coiled, and ready to explode.

But when you hold a static stretch before activity, you temporarily reduce muscle stiffness dampening the spring-like effect that makes you quick off the mark.

Research shows that static stretching decreases power output and explosive performance, at least in the short term. That’s why elite sprinters, jumpers, and basketball players don’t spend their pre-game routine sitting in deep stretches.

Instead, they use dynamic warm-ups: leg swings, hip openers, and controlled lunges to activate their muscles while maintaining their reactive strength.

But before you write off static stretching completely, here’s the other side of the equation.

Muscles aren’t just elastic; they’re viscoelastic. That means they don’t just snap back like rubber bands; they actually change depending on how they’re used.

Here’s what happens when you stretch:

• The short-term effect – A single 30-second stretch reduces muscle resistance, but the benefit lasts only about 10 minutes unless followed by movement.

• The long-term effect – To make lasting flexibility gains, your body must add sarcomeres, which happens only with frequent stretching over weeks or months.

• Your brain adapts, too – The more you stretch, the higher your pain threshold becomes, letting you push deeper into flexibility over time.

So what does this mean for athletes? If you play an explosive sport like basketball, soccer, or football dynamic stretching is your go-to pre-game routine. Where you prime your muscles for movement without sacrificing power.

Static stretching still has a place, but save it for after training or on recovery days to improve flexibility without dulling your performance.

And if your sport relies on a wider range of motion—like gymnastics, martial arts, or swimming you’ll need a combination of both to stay mobile while maintaining strength.

Stretching isn’t just about routine—it’s about understanding what your body needs at the right time. And now that you do, it’s time to get set.

Best 3 Stretches to Improve Your Performance

1. Leg Swings

What it is: Stand tall and swing one leg forward and backward, then side to side, keeping the movement controlled.
Benefit: Improves hip mobility, activates stabilizers, and increases range of motion for powerful strides and jumps.
Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, adductors, abductors.

2. World's Greatest Stretch

What it is: Start in a deep lunge, place one hand on the ground, and twist your torso to reach the other arm toward the sky. Repeat this a couple off times per side in a fast rhythm.
Benefit: Opens up the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, enhancing movement efficiency and explosive power.
Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes, thoracic spine, shoulders.

3. A-Skip

What it is: Skip forward while driving your knee high and keeping a quick rhythm, focusing on an explosive push-off.
Benefit: Fires up fast-twitch muscles, improves coordination, and preps the nervous system for sprinting and jumping.
Muscles targeted: Calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core.

🔹 Team Sports – Prioritize dynamic hip and ankle mobility (leg swings, lunges) to improve agility and quick direction changes.

🔹 Endurance Sports – Use A-skips and high knees to prep your stride and avoid overstretching pre-run or ride.

🔹 Strength & Power Sports – Thoracic mobility drills (like the World’s Greatest Stretch) help maintain form under heavy loads.

🔹 Skill & Precision Sports – Controlled rotational stretches (like torso twists) improve swing mechanics in golf, tennis, and archery.

🔹 Combat Sports – Dynamic hip openers (like Cossack squats) enhance kicking, grappling, and explosive movement.

🔹 Extreme & Action Sports – Ankle mobility drills (like deep squat holds) improve landing control and injury prevention.

Rule of thumb: Dynamic before, static after. Keep it specific to the movements you make and move better.

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Thank you for reading.

Next Monday, we will be back with a new Q&A edition.

Have a question of your own? We’d love to hear it! Just send it to [email protected], and you might see it featured here in a future edition.

And if you missed last Monday's Athlete Portrait on Michael Phelps. Read it here.

Until next week,
Paco Raven, Editor & Founder
The Stoiclete

DISCLAIMER: None of the content provided in this newsletter constitutes medical, training, or performance advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not intended to be a substitute for professional guidance or personalized coaching. Please be mindful of your limitations and perform exercises at your own risk.