Why You Should Never Skip Stretching When Working Out
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Once you put in a few hours in the gym or finally take the final step in a miles-long run, it’s very easy to want to head straight to the showers rather than stretching. But not taking the time to plop down and get rid of any tightness could be a mistake.
While stretching is often treated as an optional practice for flexibility, the latest research shows it’s far more important to your health than just being able to touch your toes or do a split. Depending on how and when it’s done, stretching can help you recover and trigger powerful responses from your body that improve blood flow and muscle repair, which unlock your potential for improved strength, greater mobility, and an overall better state of health.
How Stretching Supports Health and Recovery
Stretching works by briefly decreasing blood flow to your muscles, then allowing a rush of oxygen and nutrients to flood your stretched limb or muscle, removing waste that has built up during exercise. The improved blood circulation allows for easy absorption, healing, and cleansing throughout the body.
Your body’s nervous system and mood are also affected by the increased flow of nutrients. Thanks to the effects of static stretching, your body can enter a state of relaxation and repair, which makes your whole body calmer, in contrast to an anxious, fight-or-flight mode or excitement during competition. It also makes it easier for body processes like digestion to run more smoothly.
In one study, people who stretched for just 15 minutes a day over four weeks saw improvements in heart rate variability, which measures how well your body can adapt to stress and recover.
Other studies have found that regular stretching also reduces stiffness in your arteries and improves blood vessel function, which can lower blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
After 12 weeks of stretching, middle-aged adults saw an improved blood flow and reduced arterial stiffness in one University of Milan study. Researchers believe nitric oxide is released in the body after stretching puts mechanical stress on muscles and blood vessels. The body compound helps blood vessels relax and function better.
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Static vs Dynamic Stretching
To get the most out of stretching, the type you do and when you do it matter just as much as how often you stretch. Understanding the difference between static and dynamic stretching is important because not every stretch works the same way and can even hold you back if done at the wrong time.
Dynamic stretching has been shown to improve performance in activities like running, sometimes by nearly 10% when kept under four minutes total. These are movement-based stretches done during warm-ups like leg swings, arm circles and high knees.
On the other hand, static stretches, where you are more still and extend a muscle to feel a tight pull, can slightly reduce explosive abilities for sprints or jumps . You don’t want to hold a deep lunge, butterfly stretch or hamstring stretch for more than a minute. Shorter holds under 60 seconds per muscle group avoid these downsides, especially if you wait to do them after a workout as a cool-down.
Stretching also helps with recovery and slow dynamic stretching is the best option to use when starting up again after an injury or after an intense workout. When recovery is the goal, slow dynamic stretching after a workout may be the best of both worlds. A 2024 study found it improved muscle strength recovery, balance and joint position awareness more than static stretching or doing nothing at all.
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Strength Growth and Injury Prevention
When people think of stretching, flexibility is the first thing that comes to mind, but muscle growth and strength are also part of its benefits.
In one 12-week trial, a daily stretching routine for the calf muscles boosted muscle size by 23%. Another study found that six weeks of daily one-hour stretching increased strength by 15% in a maximal contraction test and 25% in a one-rep max test. A broader review of stretching research confirms that these kinds of high-volume regimens, sometimes lasting up to two hours per muscle group, can lead to measurable gains in both size and strength.
Although stretching for that amount of time is unlikely outside of a study, it demonstrates how mechanical tension from stretching activates the same growth processes that happen with resistance training. Your muscles are under pressure, which causes them to get thicker and stronger. The low intensity of stretching makes it take longer to have the same effect as lifting weights, but even shorter stretching sessions contribute to greater strength over time.
The biggest and most obvious benefit to stretching is an improved range of motion, especially when sessions are consistent and last between 10 and 60 minutes per day. Increased flexibility can reduce joint stress, improve posture and make daily movement and activity easier.
There’s also evidence that stretching can help manage chronic pain. In a review of six studies, five found significant pain reduction after stretching programs lasting from four weeks to six months. This is likely due to a combination of reduced muscle stiffness, improved blood flow and increased stretch tolerance.
Researchers conclude that stretching is key in injury prevention for sports like soccer or football, where muscles help athletes make quick cuts and tendons need the flexibility to absorb more stress.
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How to Make Stretching Work for You
Don’t rush off after finishing a workout or race, or forget to warm up with dynamic stretching. Taking the time to stretch can help your body recover, protect your heart and even build muscle. You may be sabotaging your performance if you skip it.
Here are examples to incorporate into your daily fitness routine based on your goals:
1. For games or activities
When running or jumping during a sport or for exercise, use dynamic stretches before workouts and static stretches after.
- Dynamic pre-game: Walking lunges, high knees, skipping drills, arm swings, torso twists
- Static post-game: Seated hamstring stretch, standing quad stretch, calf stretch against a wall, shoulder cross-body hold
2. For general recovery and health
Moderately active people and adults should aim for 15–30 minutes of static or slow dynamic stretching several times a week.
- Example stretches: Child’s pose, Cat-cow spinal stretch, Standing forward fold, Side-lying quad stretch, Seated twist
3. For weightlifters
Anyone focused on muscle growth and increased strength should consider adding higher-intensity stretches to supplement regular training.
- Example stretches: Deep lunge hip flexor stretch, Pigeon pose for glutes, Wall-assisted chest opener, Elevated calf stretch
4. For pain or stiffness
People dealing with old injuries or daily wear and tear should focus on targeted daily mobility exercises in the areas where they have felt pain. Consult with your doctor and get the all clear after treatment for severe injuries before trying any of the stretches below.
- Low back pain: Knees-to-chest stretch, supine spinal twist
- Neck stiffness: Upper trapezius stretch, chin-to-chest stretch
- Shoulder pain: Doorway pec stretch, cross-body shoulder stretch
- Hip tightness: Figure-four stretch, butterfly stretch
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