How to stretch before workouts

A big mistake many people make is trying to stretch their muscles first thing in a workout, before anything else. You simply cannot stretch safely or effectively without first warming up your muscles and increasing the blood flow. Here is the simple, proven way to prepare your body for a workout:

1. Do a light warmup for 5-10 minutes. Fast-walk, jog, bike, jump rope... even old-fashioned jumping jacks make great warmup exercises.

2. Stretch every major muscle group thoroughly -- especially the ones you're about to work. Try to hold each stretch for 45-60 seconds. DO NOT overstretch -- you should never feel sharp pain!

3. Do some light stretching between sets to keep your muscles loose and your joints flexible.

More good info:

How to Stretch
Top Ten Reasons to Stretch