Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of implementing AIS as part of a warm-upon vertical jump performance in division on male soccer players. This study compared a new stretch modality, active isolated stretching (AIS) versus dynamic stretching on vertical jump performance. The study consisted of 18 male collegiate soccer players, 18 to 22 year old, all of which were forwards, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers. Participants, randomly placed in one of two groups, underwent two testing conditions on two non-consecutive days. First test condition consisted of a general warm-up plus a series of dynamic exercises. The second test condition consisted of a general warm-up plus a series of AIS stretch exercises. All participants were tested on their vertical jump after both test conditions were administered. Results indicated no significant difference between the two stretch modalities after a general warm-up on vertical jump performance. Despite no significant difference between the groups, the AIS group did perform about the same to the dynamic group. This result may indicate that when necessary, AIS can be a substitute for dynamic stretching. Future research should compare AIS to other modalities such as static or PNF stretching when it affects performance measures. Also, AIS should be tested on other test measures such as speed, agility, and/or strength. An investigation to evaluate AIS's effectiveness on female athletes may be another avenue for future researchers. Longer testing days and acquiring more subjects can also be manipulated for further research. Finally, testing AIS on athletes who are completely familiar with AIS should be conducted to see if it may impact performance significantly.