Affective State Response to Stretching Before an Acute Bout of Exercise

Abstract

Sixteen University Students (8 male, 8 female) volunteered for this study which purpose was determine the influence of stretching before exercise on affective states such as state anxiety and acute self-efficacy. Participants completed two experimental trials which included a maximal effort cycling time trial. Each subject completed sessions, one with a stretching intervention and one with a control intervention. Subjects completed an STAI questionnaire to measure state anxiety during pre- and post- the cycling time trial on both experimental sessions. An Acute Self-Efficacy questionnaire was also administered before the cycling time trial in both experimental sessions. Within subjects differences were analyzed using a general linear model ANOVA and a paired samples t-test. There was no influence of pre-exercise stretching on state anxiety and acute self-efficacy. Therefore, acute stretching before a bout of exercise does not influence self-efficacy and/or state anxiety.