How to Stretch for a Warm-Up and Cool-Down
By Kate Feinberg Robins Warm-up stretching should increase your mobility in preparation for more intense exercise, without putting yourself at risk of pulling a muscle. Be gentle and dynamic. Move continuously rather than holding a position. Keep your stretches small and your muscles in motion. Cool-down stretching decreases muscle soreness and tightness, and leads to long-term gains in flexibility. Sustain your position for several breaths or at least 30 seconds. Relax the muscles you're stretching. Stretching for increased flexibility requires repeated sustained stretches and lots of patience. Choose a moment when your muscles are very warm--like after a long walk or run. Hold your stretch for several minutes, making sure not to put weight on the muscles being stretched. Deepen your stretch gradually and with lots of breath. The longer you hold the stretch and the more often you do it, the more gains you'll see in flexibility. Never move suddenly into a deeper stre