When Should I Stretch?
By Bryan Ales
When it comes to preparing your body for movement—whether it’s a workout, a game, or even a physically demanding job—there’s often confusion between warming up and stretching. Both are important, but they serve different purposes and should be used strategically to maximize performance and minimize injury risk.
Let’s break down the difference between the two, and how to apply each effectively.
What is a Warm-Up?
A warm-up is a short, active routine designed to gradually increase your heart rate, blood flow, and muscle temperature. The goal is to prepare your body for movement by activating the muscles and systems you’ll use in your activity. This should generally be targeted toward the workout or activity you’re about to do. For example, if you’re getting ready to hit leg day at the gym you could begin with Glute Bridges, Good Mornings, and Bodyweight Depth Squats; however if you’re getting ready for a sprint workout you would primarily focus on core stability, bilateral hip movements like Lunges, and light plyometrics to fire up the fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Think: light jogging, dynamic movements, joint mobilizations, bodyweight exercises, or movement drills that mimic the activity you’re about to do.
Benefits of a Proper Warm-Up:
A proper warm-up increases your body temperature and improves muscle elasticity, helping your muscles become more pliable and ready for movement. It enhances joint lubrication and overall mobility, allowing for smoother, more efficient motion. Additionally, warming up primes your nervous system for activity, improves coordination and mental focus, and significantly reduces the risk of common injuries like strains, sprains, and joint stress.
What is Stretching?
Stretching focuses on improving flexibility and range of motion by lengthening muscles and connective tissue. It also reduces the communication between the nervous system and the muscles back to a resting state. This prevents those muscles from remaining overly tight and active as we go on about our day. Typically stretching should also be relevant to your workout, alleviating the tension typically built up during intense activity. There are several types of stretching, but the most common are:
Static Stretching (holding a stretch for 20-60 seconds)
Dynamic Stretching (controlled movements through a full range of motion)
PNF Stretching (a more advanced, assisted type of flexibility training)
When and how you stretch matters.
Dynamic stretching is great before a workout—it preps your body with movement-based stretches that also raise your heart rate.
Static stretching is best saved for after your workout, when your muscles are warm. Holding long stretches before a workout can temporarily reduce power and performance.
So, Warm-Up or Stretch First?
Do a dynamic warm-up before your workout. This gets your body ready to move with purpose.
Save static stretching for after your workout or in separate flexibility sessions. That’s when you can focus on recovery, mobility, and increasing flexibility safely.
How to Structure It:
Before Your Workout:
5–10 minutes of light cardio or movement
Add dynamic stretches (leg swings, walking lunges, arm circles)
Incorporate sport- or activity-specific drills
After Your Workout:
5–10 minutes of static stretching
Target the muscles you used the most
Breathe deeply to promote recovery and relaxation
Bottom Line: Warm-Up to Perform, Stretch to Restore
Warm-ups and stretching are not interchangeable—but they’re both crucial. A proper warm-up gets your body ready to perform at its best, while stretching supports flexibility, recovery, and long-term joint health.
At Performance Recovery Wellness, we help you understand how to move smarter, not just harder. Whether you're recovering from injury or striving for peak performance, how you prepare and cool down matters more than most people realize.
Need a personalized warm-up or mobility plan? Let us help you build one that supports your goals from the ground up.
