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Stretch
Stretching and warming up are two different elements of the workout. The ideal is to stretch lightly after you warm-up and more thoroughly after you workout. However, if you only have time to stretch once, do it after your workout, when the blood flow to the muscles is increased and the muscle can respond to the stretch. If you do not have time to stretch before you begin a workout, be sure to carefully warm up before increasing your workload.
After your warm up, gently stretch the muscle groups you will be using during your workout. See flexibility training for specific stretches.
After you workout and cool down, thoroughly stretch the muscle groups you have worked. Those muscles have contracted and tightened during the workout and need a chance to lengthen and relax. Be sure to follow the rules of stretching.
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