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This study examined acute systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure responses within passive and modified proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching techniques. Nonhypertensives (N = 60) were assigned to one of three treatment groups. Group 1 employed an antagonist passive stretch (APS), 6-sec maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the antagonist, and subsequent APS. Group 2 employed an APS, a 6-sec MVIC of the antagonist, submaximal concentric contraction of the agonist, and APS. Group 3 was similar to Group 2, with the deletion of an MVIC prior to the concentric contraction. Blood pressures were obtained during rest, baseline following passive stretch, and at the end of the three phases of the PNF technique. Range of motion (ROM) data were collected for baseline and treatment in terminal hip flexion for each group. All PNF treatments were effective for increasing ROM. One or two trials of PNF improve ROM and avoid increasing SBP, while a third trial increases SBP. Key words: flexibility, nonhypertensives, pressor response, range of motion

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of modified Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) flexibility techniques on hip flexion in college males and to determine if local cold application enhances the effectiveness of these techniques. Male subjects (N = 120), with an average age of 21.5 +/- 2.7 years, were randomly assigned to one of four different kinds of stretching treatments with cold or no cold application (15 per group). Range of motion (ROM) in degrees was determined following four stretching techniques: three modified PNF (PCP, 3-PIECP, 3-PIFCP) and a passive stretch (P). Data were analyzed using a 2 (conditions) x 4 (treatments) ANOVA. There were no significant differences in ROM between cold and no cold conditions. Significant differences existed among ROM techniques (p less than .05). Post hoc analyses revealed that the three modified PNF techniques resulted in greater ROM than the passive stretch technique. However, we conclude that cold application does not influence the effectiveness of selected stretching techniques.

After initially practicing a gymnastic routine in the presence of 17 coactors and casual spectators, 45 students in a gymnastic class were asked to perform the routine either alone or in the presence of 17 spectators from another class. One group of students who performed in front of spectators was given a prior warning of the impending spectator observation, while another group was given no such warning. Although subjects in all three conditions tended to perform more poorly during the second session, in the two spectator conditions the more highly skilled subjects showed greater decrements in performance than the relatively less skilled subjects. This effect was greater in the warning condition than in the no warning condition. The results of this study support both an anticipated evaluation of audience effects (cf. Cottrell, 4) and the Broen and Storms (2) modification of Hull-Spence theory.