Working out on a regular basis is a great way to maintain and improve health. However, it is important to have a good stretching routine in place. Just five minutes of stretching before a workout can help your body become more flexible and reduce the risk of injury.

Stretching before exercise gradually increases blood flow into your muscles to ensure your tissues will have enough oxygen supply.Your core body temperature increases and prepares you for more intense activities.

Stretching helps to loosen your muscles tendons, joint capsules, ligaments, and other tissues before your workout. This increases pliability and range of motion during high-intensity training.

As your muscles and ligaments become more flexible, your risk of muscle strains, ligament sprains, joint damage, and other painful sports injuries decreases.

Tight muscles after a workout are more prone to injury. Stretching for a few moments will help loosen up your muscles and reduce post-workout muscular soreness.

After a long workout session, your heart is still racing and your body is pumping out cortisol to deal with the stress of exercise. At that moment rushing for the car isn’t your best move. Instead, you should add just a few minutes of stretching as part of your cool down & gradual relaxation practice, allowing your body to naturally transition to its resting state.

5 minutes of stretching before and after a workout can double the benefit of your 1-hour gym session. However, be mindful to wear the correct clothing when stretching.  Wear high-quality activewear to make yourself more comfortable while training and stretching. For our female gym-goers, seamless high waist leggings and scrunch leggings are the best choices for running, stretching, yoga, and even weight training. These provide the best support and maximum compression while complimenting your shape& you can easily pair these with almost any sportswear including tank tops, sports bras, lightweight t-shirts, or hoodies.

So doesn’t matter what exercise routine you are following, make sure to stretch before and after a workout. Stretching for a few minutes in comfortable activewear will make your exercise session much more easier and effective.