6 Tips for Stretching Safely
- Warm up first. Muscles stretch more easily when warm. Dynamic stretches can act as a warm-up for static stretches, or you can do static stretches after sports, exercise, or even marching in place with arms swinging for five minutes or dancing to a few songs.
- Feel no pain. Stretch only to the point of mild tension, never to the point of pain.
- Pay attention to posture and good form. Posture counts whether you’re sitting, standing, or moving. Good form translates to better gains in flexibility and less likelihood of injury when stretching tight muscles.
- Focus on the muscle being stretched. You’ll notice that one side of your body often is tighter than the other. Work on balancing this over time.
- Breathe. Breathe comfortably while stretching, or use yoga breathing. Whatever you do, don’t hold your breath while you are holding a stretch.
- Practice often. You’ll make the best gains if you stretch frequently—daily, or on as many days of the week as possible.