Wellness

Should You Stretch Before Exercise? What a Major Review Found

September 10, 2026 · 4 min read · Sleep & Recovery

Few topics in fitness have flip-flopped as much as stretching. First it was essential, then it was harmful, now it’s “it depends”. Here’s what the evidence actually says.

The review

In 2016, David Behm and colleagues published a large review in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism on the acute effects of stretching in healthy, active people (Behm et al., 2016). It looked at three types of stretching and how each affected performance, range of motion and injury.

The three types of stretching

Type	What it is	Example
Static	Holding a stretched position	Holding a hamstring stretch for 30 s
Dynamic	Moving through a range of motion with control	Leg swings, walking lunges
PNF	Stretch, contract the muscle, then stretch further	Partner hamstring stretch with a push against resistance

Key findings

Question	What the review found
Does static stretching hurt performance?	Holds under ~60 s per muscle had small, often trivial effects. Longer holds were more likely to reduce strength and power temporarily.
Does dynamic stretching help?	Tended to produce small improvements in performance.
Does stretching increase range of motion?	Yes — all types increased range of motion acutely.
Does stretching prevent injury?	No clear effect on overall injury rates, though there was some evidence of fewer muscle strain injuries in running and sprinting sports.

The authors also noted that when stretching is included in a full warm-up with dynamic activity, any negative effects are largely offset.

The warm-up matters more

A separate systematic review found that warming up improved performance in the majority of the outcomes studied (Fradkin et al., 2010). So the question isn’t really “stretch or not?” — it’s “what does a good warm-up look like?”

What this means for you

Before training:

Focus on a dynamic warm-up: light cardio, leg swings, lunges with rotation, arm circles.
Short static stretches (under 30–60 seconds) are fine if they help you feel ready — just don’t make them the main event.
Finish with ramp-up sets of your first exercise.

After training or on separate days:

This is the best time for longer static stretching if your goal is flexibility.
Regular stretching over weeks is how range of motion improves long-term.

A sample pre-workout routine (8 minutes)

Time	Activity
0–3 min	Light cardio: brisk walk, bike or skipping
3–5 min	Leg swings (10 each way), walking lunges with rotation (6 each side)
5–6 min	Arm circles and band pull-aparts (15)
6–7 min	Optional: 20–30 s static stretch for any tight spot
7–8 min	1–2 light sets of your first exercise

See the full version in the 8-minute warm-up.

A sample post-workout stretch (5 minutes)

Hold each for 30 seconds per side, breathing slowly:

Standing quad stretch
Seated hamstring stretch
Kneeling hip flexor stretch
Doorway chest stretch
Child’s pose

Who might need more stretching?

You…	Consider
Play a sport that needs big ranges (dance, gymnastics, martial arts)	Regular static and dynamic flexibility work
Sprint or play running sports	Dynamic warm-ups; the review found some evidence of fewer strains
Lift weights and want deeper squats	Mobility work for hips and ankles, plus practice in the full range
Sit all day and feel stiff	Short daily mobility sessions

Common mistakes

Long static holds right before maximum-effort lifts or sprints. Save them for later.
Bouncing into static stretches. Ease in gradually.
Stretching into pain. You should feel tension, not sharp pain.
Skipping the warm-up entirely. That’s the bigger problem.

Building flexibility over time

If improving range of motion is your goal, consistency matters more than any single session:

Frequency	Example
3–5 days a week	10 minutes after training or in the evening
2–4 stretches per tight area	Hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, chest
30 s per stretch, 2 rounds	Breathe slowly; ease further on each exhale

Stretching for sport

Sport	Before	After
Running	Dynamic warm-up, strides	Calves, hip flexors, hamstrings
Lifting	Dynamic warm-up, ramp-up sets	Areas that feel tight
Football and court sports	Dynamic warm-up with sprints and changes of direction	Hips, groin, calves
Yoga or dance	Range is the goal, so longer holds are part of training

The review’s finding that long static holds may temporarily reduce strength and power matters most for sports that need maximal effort straight after the warm-up (Behm et al., 2016).

FAQ

Is stretching useless? No — it reliably increases range of motion. It’s just not a magic injury shield.

How long should I hold a stretch for flexibility? Around 30 seconds per stretch, repeated over weeks, is a common and practical approach.

The bottom line

Warm up dynamically, keep any pre-workout static stretches short, and save longer stretching for after training if you want to improve flexibility.

Sources

Behm DG et al. (2016). Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism. doi:10.1139/apnm-2015-0235
Fradkin AJ, Zazryn TR, Smoliga JM (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0

This article is general education for healthy adults, not medical advice. Check with a qualified professional before starting a new exercise or nutrition plan, especially if you have a medical condition. Full disclaimer.