Are you supposed to stretch before, or after a workout?

It is better to stretch after a workout, when your muscles are warmed up from a good work out. Before a workout, you need to make sure you do at least a five minute warm up. Yes, stretching often helps to reduce muscle soreness.

Yeah really long and deep stretches are great for after working out, but you can also do dynamic stretches before working out that aim at warming up the hips and shoulders for any type of exercise. I like to do a little dynamic stretch to open up the hips, and then relieve the stress with nice deep stretches after working out. Really gives me that calm and relaxed feeling that I really love.

HI mark, Starrm is correct. I usually do stretching exercises before and after every physical activities to prevent cramps and sore muscles afterwards. In our swimming class, we usually perform the regular routine of stretching out of the water before plunging in and after the workout. Touching the toes, sit ups, push ups, jogging in place are just a few routines we do before and after every swimming routine.

I was told to stretch muscles before work out and after work out. Stretching before work out prevents you from muscle strains and sprains. FOr the same reasons like you said, stretching after work out (or cooling down) is also needed.

The correct answer is both. You should do dynamic stretches, or stretches involving fluid motion to help warm-up and loosen up prior to your work out. After your workout, it's best to perform static stretches, or ones involving reaching and holding a position or stretching a muscle in a still position. This does indeed help to break up and release the lactic acid build up in muscle tissues.