Stretching routine: twelve minutes for the whole body, and what to expect

What stretching improves

• Range of motion. In the 2024 meta-analysis by Konrad and colleagues, stretch training produced a moderate improvement over controls. Static and contract-relax stretching, where you tense the muscle briefly before stretching it further, did better than ballistic or dynamic stretching. Women gained more range than men on average.
• Comfort in everyday movement. The NHS describes flexibility as the ability of a joint to move as needed for daily tasks, and lists stretching, yoga, tai chi and Pilates as flexibility activities.

The gain is not specific to stretching. A 2021 meta-analysis by Afonso and colleagues found no difference in range of motion between strength training and stretching. If you already lift through a full range, you are already improving flexibility; stretching adds to it.

What stretching does not do

• Prevent injuries. Lauersen and colleagues pooled 25 trials with 26,610 participants. Stretching had no beneficial effect on injury rates, while strength training reduced sports injuries to less than a third and nearly halved overuse injuries. Behm and colleagues reached a similar conclusion: static and contract-relax stretching had no clear effect on all-cause or overuse injuries.
• Relieve chronic back pain on its own. A 2022 network meta-analysis of 118 trials found that every type of exercise reduced pain in chronic low back pain except stretching. Strength, core work and Pilates did best.
• Last long after one session. The increase in range after a single session typically fades within 30 minutes, according to Behm's review. Lasting change comes from repetition over weeks.

When to stretch around training

Behm and colleagues found that static stretching just before exercise reduced performance by 3.7% on average, more with holds of 60 seconds or longer per muscle group (4.6%) than with shorter ones (1.1%). Dynamic stretching improved performance slightly, by 1.3%. When the warm-up continued with dynamic activity after the stretches, no clear loss of performance was seen.

• Before training: dynamic movements such as leg swings, walking lunges and arm circles. Short static holds are fine if followed by dynamic work.
• After training or in the evening: the static routine below, when performance no longer matters.

A 12-minute routine

Hold each stretch for 30 seconds per side, breathing slowly, then repeat the circuit once. Go to a feeling of mild tension, never pain.

1. Standing calf stretch. Hands on a wall, one leg back with the heel down and the knee straight.
2. Hamstring stretch. One heel on a low step, leg almost straight, hinge forward from the hips with a long back.
3. Kneeling hip flexor stretch. One knee on a cushion, the other foot forward; tuck the pelvis and shift forward.
4. Standing quadriceps stretch. Hold one ankle behind you, knees together, hand on a wall for balance.
5. Figure-four glute stretch. Lying on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee and pull that thigh towards you.
6. Doorway chest stretch. Forearm on the frame at shoulder height, step gently through.

The calculator below gives the length of your own version and checks it against the ACSM figure of 60 seconds per exercise. For a routine aimed at stiff hips and upper back after long days at a desk, see mobility exercises; for a guided class that combines stretching with strength, see yoga.

How often to stretch

The ACSM recommends at least two days a week. A 2018 review by Thomas and colleagues suggested at least five minutes of static stretching per week, spread over five days or more, and found that weekly frequency mattered more than the length of a single session. Konrad's larger analysis did not find that frequency or duration changed the gains significantly. A short routine on most days is a sensible middle ground, and easy to attach to a habit you already have, such as brushing your teeth in the evening or the end of a training session.

Precautions

• Never bounce into a stretch you cannot yet hold comfortably.
• Avoid pain, numbness or tingling: they mean you have gone too far or are pressing on a nerve.
• After an injury or surgery, follow the range of motion your physiotherapist allows.

If a joint is swollen, newly painful or unstable, or stretching brings pain that radiates down an arm or leg, stop and see a doctor or physiotherapist before continuing.

Stretch, then keep the rest of your week on track with Never Skip Club

Stretching works best as a small daily habit attached to a training week you keep. Create your free account, launch a guided strength session in a minute, and finish it with this routine; then start a crew with friends, whose ranking rewards regularity rather than extra sessions. If you want an expert to assess your flexibility and adapt the stretches, find a coach from our network, or sign in if you already have an account.