The Ideal Stretching Routine - Harvard Health

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/ January 9, 2025 Share Share this page to Facebook Share this page to X Share this page via Email Copy this page to clipboard Print This Page Click to Print

We often think of exercise in terms of cardio and strength, but stretching is a crucial—and often overlooked—component of a complete fitness routine. While it may not get your heart racing or leave your muscles burning, consistent stretching can make a noticeable difference in how your body feels and moves each day.

Whether you’re an avid exerciser or simply looking to move more comfortably in daily life, making time to stretch can be transformative.

Stretching is an underrated but important part of daily physical activity. Along with improved flexibility, stretching can lead to many health benefits including :

• Increased range of motion in joints
• Enhanced circulation
• Reduced muscle stiffness and tension
• Improved physical performance
• Injury prevention
• Improved posture
• Stress relief

These benefits make stretching an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Knowing stretching basics such as how often should you stretch; how long should you hold a stretch; and how many times you should do each stretch will ensure you are getting the most out of your routine and reaping the full benefits of flexibility, mobility, and injury prevention.

A panel of experts convened by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) reviewed a wide range of studies to help answer these questions. Based on the evidence, the panel agreed that:

• Healthy adults should do flexibility exercises (stretches, yoga, or tai chi) for all major muscle-tendon groups—neck, shoulders, chest, trunk, lower back, hips, legs, and ankles—at least two to three times a week.
• For optimal results, you should spend a total of 60 seconds on each stretching exercise. So, if you can hold a particular stretch for 15 seconds, repeating it three more times would be ideal. If you can hold the stretch for 20 seconds, two more repetitions would do the trick.

Incorporating regular stretching into your daily or weekly routine doesn’t require a lot of time, but the rewards can be significant. Whether you stretch first thing in the morning, after a workout, or as a relaxing way to unwind in the evening, you’ll be supporting your body’s flexibility, comfort, and resilience. Make stretching a habit, and you’ll likely notice improvements in how you move, feel, and handle the demands of everyday life.

A regular stretching routine is a simple yet powerful addition to your daily self-care. To learn more about improving your flexibility, read Stretching, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School.

Image: © Martinan/Getty Images

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Stretching: Stretches for the whole body to improve flexibility and reduce pain

Stretching is an excellent thing you can do for your health. These simple yet effective moves can help you limber up for sports, improve your balance and prevent falls, increase your flexibility, and even help relieve arthritis, back, and knee pain. Whether you're an armchair athlete or a sports enthusiast, this Special Health Report, Stretching: Stretches for the whole body to improve flexibility and reduce pain, from the experts at Harvard Medical School will show you how to create effective stretching routines that meet your needs and ability.

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