A dynamic stretch is a category of functionally-based stretching exercise that utilises sport-specific actions to prepare the body for movement. Dynamic stretching – also termed mobility drills – places a priority on the movement necessities of the sport or activity rather than on separate muscles. This kind of exercise can closely imitate the movement requirements of a sport or activity, for instance, a walking knee lift stretch duplicates the knee lift of a sprinter. In essence, one can think of dynamic stretching as vigorously moving a joint through the ROM necessary for a sport.
Dynamic and ballistic stretches may seem similar; however, a number of key variances expressively alter the effects of these activities such that dynamic stretching circumvents the negative effects related to ballistic stretching. Dynamic stretching averts bouncing and is executed in a more meticulous manner than ballistic stretching. The outcome is a controlled ROM that is often lesser than that fashioned by ballistic stretching. As a consequence of the comparable movement patterns in dynamic stretching, it is the favoured method of stretching during a warm-up. In dynamic stretching, unlike static stretching, the muscle does not relax during the stretch but in its place is active through the ROM; this is also more precise to the movements that follow in a sport.
