Great number of people gets into stretching through exercise as remedy for work shortened muscles. Many using stretching for exercise. Some stretching superficially others do thorough. One stretches only muscles others does joints even if they have no chance to improve joint flexibility, by genetic reason.

Stretching is not coming ease for everyone. Need to keep trying but never overdoing to the extend of discomfort, certainly not to pain.

Since there are so many stretches and they are quite time consuming, I suggest to learn the basics and do it properly.
Do superficial after worm up, before and do through after recovered from every exercise you do.

The very basic and most important stretches are for the calf, hamstring and lower back by bending over with bent knees, slowly straiten up alternately one by one and all together leaning into it more and more.

General rules.
Before stretching mind and body has to bee in a total relaxation. Stretch long and only once. Forced and multiple stretch tightens muscle further.

Slowly ease bodyweight over a posture controlling upper body weight with arms at all times approaching to the point where movement getting some restriction.

That restriction is not pain, not discomfort or any sensation at all. It is a balanced situation where the upper body stopped moving that noticeable anymore. That is when the muscle relay start to stretch out relaxes and let the upper body weight slowly does the job.

The time need to be spend on a single stretch is depend on, age, body fat, muscle mass, level of tightness, angle of starting position from the extreme end. Starting position considered to bee the posture what the body automatically assumes before stretching starts.

In the beginning, need to spend about 3 - 5 minutes on a single stretch. Later when the starting position becomes the extreme will be enough to spend only 10 seconds on one stretch.

Best literature: - Stretching - from BOB ANDERSON Shelter Publication Inc.

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