Optimizing your workout performance involves more than the exercises you do, the weights you choose, and the intensity you move at: It often starts with an effective warm-up and concludes with a proper cool-down.
By focusing your warm-up on recruiting and engaging the muscles you’re going to be working, you can improve your ability to perform for and endure the length of the workout. After the session, when muscle fibers are tense and exhausted, an effective cool-down can loosen your body, calm your nervous system, and set you up for success the next time you train.
Targeted stretching is a method of muscle recruitment that can be beneficial in both a warm-up and cool-down routine, particularly around a strength-training regimen. Think of classic adages that may apply to your exercise efforts, like “put your back into it” or “lift with your legs”: Once you identify the specific muscles you’re aiming to engage, targeted stretching beforehand can help you prepare the necessary muscle groups for work.
And because you’re creating muscular contractions, which shorten your muscles while you’re strength training, targeted stretching post-workout can help those same muscles slowly lengthen and relax. This can result in less soreness and improved recovery.
These are some of my go-to targeted stretches to do when warming up and cooling down around a strength workout.
Warm-Up Stretches
1. Scarecrow Rows
This stretch is all about activating the muscles of the rotator cuff and getting them ready to support any upper-body movement. It’s especially useful for pulling exercises, shoulder mobility drills, or overhead work.
- Start in a comfortable seated or standing position with your arms extended out in front of you at shoulder height. Form a fist with your hands.
- Pull both elbows back as far as you can, keeping your chest lifted.
- Keep your elbows in place as you raise your forearms toward the ceiling. Hold for a second, keeping your hands stationary as you squeeze your shoulder blades together and down.
- Relax your back, then rotate your forearms back down, and slowly extend your arms forward again.
- Repeat this sequence three to five times.
2. Hamstring Squats With a Twist
The hamstrings are key to many lower-body exercises, but a lot of people struggle to use them effectively. This stretch recruits the hamstrings, glutes, and low back to get them working as a team. This sequence is great for getting more out of plyometric exercises or improving your range of motion for squats and lunges.
- Start in a standing position, then step one foot forward. Straighten the front leg and lift your toes while keeping your heel firmly on the ground.
- Bending only your back leg, lower into a quarter squat, stopping to hold your position once you feel a good stretch in your front leg’s hamstring.
- Maintaining the squat position, slowly turn the toes of your front foot to the outside, feeling the stretch move into your outer thigh. Hold for a few seconds then turn your toes back to center.
- Rise out of your squat to return to the starting position.
- Repeat three to five times on each side.
3. Split Stance Torso Twists
The obliques, abs, and spinal muscles are critical stabilizers, supporting almost every exercise. This stretch helps ensure your core functions in tangent with the rest of your body to support both the upper body and legs.
- Start in a split-squat position with one foot in front of the other and knees slightly bent. Lift onto the toes of your rear foot while keeping your front foot flat on the ground.
- Bring your hands together with your arms bent at 90 degrees in front of your chest.
- Slowly turn your torso to one side, keeping your hips as stationary as possible; you should feel a twisting sensation in your sides.
- Return to center before twisting to the other side. Continue to keep your hips stationary as you twist and feel the stretch.
- Repeat three to five times on each side before switching your front foot and repeating the sequence.
Cool-Down Stretches
1. Modified Child’s Pose
This stretch targets the entire length of the back and is one of the best ways to bring balance to your neck and shoulders after upper-body-focused training. The modification here is keeping your hips high, which engages the upper body and keeps the pressure off your hips and knees.
- Start in a tabletop position with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Walk both hands forward as far as you can, keeping your hips in a stationary position.
- Slowly lower your chest, shoulders, and forehead toward the floor, taking your time as you move through any difficult spots or tightness.
- Once you’ve found the stretch, begin to draw your shoulder blades down your back. It helps to imagine them sliding into your back pockets.
- Hold for five to 10 seconds.
- Come out of the stretch, starting from the lower back. Lift your hips, then round your back as you rise and return to the starting position.
- Repeat up to three times.
2. Windshield Wipers
The lower back is key to effective hip mobility. This version of a windshield wipers stretch creates movement in the spine and pelvis to better recruit the quadratus lumborum (a deep muscle in the lower back) and spinal erectors for improved mobility.
- Start by lying down on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet on the floor.
- Turn both legs to one side, bringing your knees toward the floor. Keep your upper body and head flat on the ground and outstretch both arms to your sides.
- Imagine your top knee touching the heel or toes of the opposite foot. Settle in as you begin to feel the stretch traveling through the lower back, outer hip, and outer thigh.
- Hold for five to 10 seconds.
- Come out of the stretch by moving from the lower back to return to the starting position. Think about the hips connecting to the ground and the knees following their lead.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Repeat up to three times on each side.
3. Seated Side Bends
The obliques help create stability for both your upper and lower body. This stretch helps them bend and extend at the same time, teaching the two sides of your obliques to work as a team. Side bends are effective after core-focused workouts but really shine on training days that involve heavy loads in seated, standing, or squatting positions.
- Start in a comfortable seated position with your legs crisscrossed.
- Place one hand on the floor beside you slightly behind your hip. Raise your other arm high in the air.
- Reach your lifted arm toward the opposite side, moving slowly and feeling the opening in your side body. Imagine one side lengthening as the other side crunches.
- Hold for five to 10 seconds.
- Come back to center, imagining your hips being pinned down as your upper body stacks back into alignment.
- Switch arms and repeat on the opposite side.
- Repeat up to three times on each side.
