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Stretching is important for everyone every day, not just those people about to work out. Stretching is very good for your body as it increases your flexibility, reduces the stress on your joints, and improves the circulation of blood and nutrients throughout your body. Stretching daily can noticeably improve your flexibility over time. You should start out at your level and work your way slowly into deeper stretching very gradually. Flexibility must be maintained not just achieved once. It only takes a short time and can easily fit into anyones schedule, so continue stretching no matter what your current activity level. The more flexible you are, the less prone your muscles will be to tearing or spraining when actively used.

Additionally, stretching is a necessary part of a complete workout. You should stretch immediately before and after a workout. It prepares your muscles for an intense workout, it prevents injury and soreness, it increases your range of motion and it just feels good. If your planned workout is using muscle groups not regularly used, stretching again later on after your workout becomes even more important to reduce soreness and stiffness that can be painful.

Stretching should be done in a stress-free environment. It should be enjoyable, relaxing and never hurried. There are many stretching exercises, which would be valuable to explore in more detail in health books, from DVDs, or from online resources where you can see people moving or diagrams of correct motions. Make sure and choose stretches which target the appropriate muscle groups for your chosen activity. Also, you should generally avoid ballistic stretching unless you or your trainer are very experienced with their use and have a high flexibility already. Ballistic stretches involve bouncing motions which could more easily cause injury to inexperienced or unaware people.

Instead, static stretches are recommended for most people as they are less likely to cause injury. Static stretches involve slowly moving towards the end of your range of motion. You should “feel” the stretch, but you should experience no pain. Once in place, you should hold each position for at least 15-20 seconds. This motion should be repeated 3-5 times, each time pushing yourself just a little bit further into the stretch to “deepen” the stretch and increase your flexibility. Remember this should feel good. If you experience any pain, stop the stretch immediately.

Balance is important in everything you do, and that goes for stretching too. Make sure to stretch both sides of the target area being worked out. For example, if you are doing abdominal exercises, make sure and stretch out your back as well, as those muscles will be used along with your abs during any exercise. Just as we have two arms and two legs to work out, we have two sides to our muscles: those that pull and those that retract during exercise. Both front and back muscle groups need stretching and exercise for a balanced, healthy body.

So make sure and enjoy your time stretching before and after workouts, and once a day every evening or morning. Never rush through it in a hurry to get something else done or you are cheating yourself of its benefits. Stretching only effectively warms up, prepares, or relieves tension in muscles if patiently held for the appropriate amount of time. Do it consistenty, be creative, focus on tight areas or muscles about to be used rigorously, and listen to your body to get the most out of stretching.

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