Stretching is an important part of any workout routine but contrary to popular belief Cindy Ross of Bodies by Cindy says stretching should not be the very first thing you do in a workout.
"A lot of times people think they need to stretch first thing before they do an exercise," Cindy says, "and that's not true, that's a myth."
Cindy says warming up muscles a bit before stretching is the best way to prevent pulls and tears.
"You want to do a light warm-up, a jog or brisk walk, or jump roping for about five minutes get your heart rate up," she says. "Then you want to take your muscles into a nice deep stretch."
The stretching should be easy. Cindy suggests focusing on the major muscle groups, like quads, hamstrings, core and upper body. It doesn't need to take more than five minutes. Then, go on with your full workout. Save the more involved stretching for afterwards.
"Usually after a workout it's more of a relaxing stretch," Cindy says. "You can lay on the floor and do a whole variety of stretches."
