SE Academic Review 2023

6.00

Step 1: Selection of participants

5.00

54 ST EDWARD’S, OXFORD

4.00

Step 2: Random allocation of participants to an experimental or control group

3.00

STRETCHING PROGRAMME The stretches used in the stretching programme were chosen because they are predominantly aimed at stretching muscle groups in the lower body such as the quadriceps, gluteus maximus, hamstrings and gastrocnemius and the stretches recommended for hockey players are mainly aimed at these muscles (Barclay Physical Therapy, n.d.). These stretches also require no equipment, therefore making the stretching sessions easier to conduct. The experimental group completed a stretching programme twice a week, for four weeks. Studies that investigated the effect of a programme on performance have all used four to eight weeks such as Holcomb investigating the effect of a plyometric training programme on performance (Holcomb, et al., 1996). The study must be this long in order for the programme to take effect as it is investigating the effect it has in the long term. I chose four weeks due to the availability of the participants. I led a 30-minute stretching session for the ‘stretching group’. This is because it gave sufficient time for all the stretches but wasn’t too time-demanding for the participants. It included a series of 15 stretches, that you hold for at least 30 seconds for each stretch. It is recommended by many that the optimal time to hold a static stretch is 30 seconds as it allows the muscles to reach their maximum (Dobler, 2019). At the end of the four week programme, once the stretching programme Experiment Control 1.00 2.00 0.00 Experi ent Control 28.00 Power 27.00 27.50 25.00 25.50 26.00 26.50 24.50 Experiment Control 33.00 Agility 32.00

Time (s)

was finished, all of the participants completed the final fitness tests which were conducted the same way as the baseline tests (the tests before the programme). This was to see if there was any improvement in performance looking at the results of both tests after the intervention of the stretching programme. The following flowcharts show the timeline of the methodology used for the investigation: Figure 1. Flow chart showing order of events of the method

Step 3: Consent from participants to their role in the experiment using the PAR-Q

Step 4: Baseline tness tests for all participants

Step 5: Group 1 (experimental group) complete 4-week stretching programme as well as regular training. Group 2 (control group) only follow regular training sessions

Sprint

6.00

Step 1: Selection of participants

5.00

Step 6: Final tness tests for all participants

Distance (cm)

4.00

Step 2: Random allocation of participants to an experimental or control group

3.00

Time (s)

2.00

Step 3: Consent from participants to their role in the experiment using the PAR-Q

1.00

0.00

Step 4: Baseline tness tests for all participants

Power

31.00

28.00

30.00

Step 5: Group 1 (experimental group) complete 4-week stretching programme as well as regular training. Group 2 (control group) only follow regular training sessions

27.50

29.00

27.00

Time (s)

28.00

26.50

27.00

26.00

26.00

Step 6: Final tness tests for all participants

Distance (cm)

25.00

25.50

Control

Experiment

25.00

Figure 2. Flow chart showing timeline of testing procedure

24.50

Control

Experiment

Experimental group

Regular training and stretching programme

Baseline testing

Regular training

Final testing

Agility

Control group

Regular training

33.00

32.00

April 30th

June 2nd

31.00

30.00

29.00

Time (s)

28.00