Whether you are a fitness pro are a total newbie, stretching should be an essential part of your fitness routine. Stretches come in many different shapes and forms, but the easiest way to make a distinction between them is to separate them into two groups—dynamic and static stretches.
Dynamic Stretching
Dynamic stretches are active movements that put your body through a full range of motions. Their main purpose is to prepare your joints and muscles for performance, especially before athletic events.
Dynamic stretches can prepare you for the activity you’re about to perform by mimicking its movements, but they can also be a part of your warm-up. You can do them before weightlifting and doing cardio to get your body warmed up, thus reducing the risk of pain and injury.
Static Stretching
Static stretches can have a similar effect on your body when it comes to recovery and injury prevention, but they’re best performed as a part of your cool-down. Just as their name suggests, static stretches aren’t focused on the movement. While performing exercises that fall under this category, you’re supposed to hold a single position for a certain period of time, ranging anywhere between 20 to 45 seconds.
