Stretching is an important and oft neglected part of a workout. Not stretching enough can cause a lot of damage since your muscles get exerted during a workout. Experts say that not only does stretching correctly improve your flexibility, it also ensures that your exercise regime is more effective.

Instead of focusing just on cardio or resistance training, keep a few minutes aside just to stretch, both before and after your workout session. Stretching for about five to 10 minutes before exercising warms your body up for the impending workout. Here are a few things that you should keep in mind… Make sure that you’re relaxed while stretching. When you’re mentally stressed, it will reflect on your body as well, making it tight and unresponsive.

This, in turn, will make stretching rather painful. Be aware of your breathing – take deep breaths and never hold your breath while stretching. Start slowly, and increase the intensity gradually. You don’t want to pull a muscle in the very first week. As you stretch, feel the pull in your muscles and hold the position for at least 15 to 20 seconds.

As time passes, your body will get used to the stretching and you will become more flexible and will be able to challenge your body further. When you stretch, don’t move or bounce. You could end up overstretching the muscle and injuring yourself. While a little bit of pain is considered normal during stretching, if the pain gets intense, stop immediately. It could mean that you have overstretched a muscle.

Benefits of stretching include:

Lowers the risk of injury Improves posture and flexibility Lowers the chances of soreness in muscles.