7 Stretches You Should Do After Every Workout

7 Stretches You Should Do After Every Workout

After a solid workout, whether a run, a dance class, or strength training session, stretching properly is one of the best things you can do to avoid soreness and help your muscles work their best.

“A joint works optimally when it has as much flexibility as possible around it,” explains Mahri Relin, creator of Body Conceptions, a full-body, dynamic dance workout. “Stretching is really good after a workout because you’ve just tightened and worked all these muscles and you don’t want to get into a situation where it effects your ability to move freely in the joints and your posture after a workout if you become overly tight,” adds Relin, whose previous experience includes working as a trainer with Tracy Anderson and as creative director in FlyBarre’s beginning stages.

There are two different types of stretches: dynamic and static. Dynamic involves movement—warming up by slowly going through similar motions to what you’ll be doing in the workout. Static is when you hold one position for about 30 seconds. Relin notes some controversy around stretching. “Research has shown that doing static stretching too much in the beginning of a workout is not as helpful and can actually reduce your power potential,” she says, so as a general rule, always stick to dynamic stretching before, static after.

After a sweat sesh, your muscles are warm, which is the best time to stretch them and increase their flexibility. “The more flexible you can be the better your posture can be, and the better your freedom of movement,” notes Relin. But just make sure you are not over stretching. Pay attention to any signals your body is sending: “You can push each stretch, but do not ever push them to the point of sharp pain,” she says. Always remember to keep breathing to oxegenate the muscles and encourage circulation. If you can, try to hold the more difficult stretches for longer to help increase your flexibility. And never bounce into a stretch, always ease into it.

Try this stretch sequence after your next workout for optimal muscle function and increased flexibility.

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