Experiment: Jumping After Two Kinds of Stretching

Groups test whether the type of stretching before jumping changes their standing long jump. Students learn when dynamic stretching fits and when static stretching does.

How to play

1. Pose the question and each group's prediction. Shared 3-minute warm-up of jogging and mobility (5 min).
2. Baseline standing long jump with feet together: two attempts each, record the best (6 min).
3. Half the class does long static leg stretches; the other half does dynamic stretches (6 min).
4. Second jump test: two attempts, record the best (6 min).
5. Group analysis: who improved, who dropped? Explain that long static holds right before tend to reduce explosiveness a little and that dynamic stretching prepares better (5 min).
6. Conclusion: each group writes one rule for their warm-up (2 min).

Rules

• Each student compares only with themselves; there is no ranking.
• Land with bent knees in a clear area.
• Stretch without pain or bouncing.
• Whoever measures stays out of the landing zone.

Variations

Adaptations

• Wheelchair users: run the experiment with a seated medicine-ball throw instead of a jump.
• Students with an ankle or knee injury: measure, record and analyze the data.
• Deaf or hard-of-hearing students: a written protocol card for each group.

Learning goals

• Tell static and dynamic stretching apart.
• Apply a simple testing method.
• Decide how to include stretching in a warm-up.

Equipment for a class of 25

• tape measures: 6
• chalk: 6
• cones: 12
• score sheets: 30

Teacher tip

Mark the start lines with chalk and fix a tape measure in each zone for quick measuring. One day's results can vary a lot: the reasoning matters more than the number. Don't let students compare jumps with each other.

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