Regular stretching helps increase your range of motion in the joints, improves blood circulation and posture and alleviates muscular tension throughout the body, he tells. In addition, it enhances your athletic performance and may reduce the risk of injury, notes the fitness expert.

massage the muscles being stretched inhale and push the stretch until it hurts lean into the stretch as you exhale place ice on your muscles before stretching.

However it’s also possible to over-stretch, with the resulting risk of muscle, tendon or ligament damage. Also, too much flexibility – hypermobility – can be detrimental in itself.

As long as you’re not overdoing it, the more regularly you stretch, the better it is for your body. It’s better to stretch for a short time every day or almost every day instead of stretching for a longer time a few times per week. Do a 20- to 30-minute session at least three times per week.

You hold your stretches too long (or not long enough). Not holding a stretch long enough can render it ineffective, but too long can actually make you stiffer, putting you at risk of injury. The sweet spot falls between 15 and 60 seconds, depending on your level of flexibility and the stretch.

Consistency. The best approach to getting your splits is to be consistent with your training. We recommend starting with at least two 30 min classes a week and giving your body 2-3 days to recover between sessions.

You can stretch as a part of your warm up every day. However you should, stretch for deeper flexibility every other day or even less frequently.

You should work up a light sweat to maximize your flexibility training and become flexible faster. Do some body-weight movements before your weightlifting, cardio workout or stretching session, such as squats, lunges, push-ups, side lunges, or jumping jacks. Do 3 sets of each movement and 20-30 reps per set.

Studies also strongly support the benefits of regular stretching and mobility training in order to improve flexibility and minimize any loss of range of motion—at any age. It’s never too late to start making improvements in your flexibility. And the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see progress!

Perform a straddle stretch.

1. Keep your legs out and your knees straight.
2. Bend your upper body towards the floor.
3. Breathe deeply and relax your muscles more with each breath.
4. Roll back up to sitting straight up and gently bounce in your legs to a butterfly position.
5. Repeat this stretch 3 to 5 times.