More Muscle Aches and Pain Topics Stretching—reach for flexibility Injury identification

"Fitness" can be defined in many ways, depending on your goals, your current level of activity, and how much time you have available. A program that includes aerobics, resistance training and stretching will give you the greatest overall health benefits. But, if you can't do it all, don't sweat it! This is the latest health advice: accumulating 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity over the course of a day can add up to significant health benefits. The important thing is to do something, as opposed to nothing.

If you can do more, terrific! The formula above is the minimum. The following sections will help you select activities to build a well-rounded, efficient and safe routine. Before you jump into any fitness activity, though, check "The Basics" for some crucial points that will help you get the gain without the pain.

The basics: principles for pain free fitness

Perhaps the two most important things to remember are: WARM UP FIRST, COOL DOWN LAST. These two crucial steps, with stretching as an integral element in both, will help you improve your health through fitness without suffering unnecessary pain or injury.

Warm up first

What?

1. Two to five minutes of low-level aerobic activity prior to your workout, starting slowly and gradually increasing in intensity.
2. Gentle, static stretching exercises that work the major muscle groups. Click for more stretching guidelines.

Why?

1. Increases your body temperature to literally warm up muscle fibers. Warm muscles, tendons and ligaments are more fluid, so they stretch and contract more easily, which help make them stronger and decrease the risk of injury.
2. Gets the heart pumping faster, which helps increase blood flow to muscles.

Cool down last
What?

1. Two to five minutes of continued mild activity after exercise, gradually decreasing in intensity.
2. Slow stretching exercises to re-stretch the muscles.

Why?

1. Gradually slows down the heart's pumping action to prevent blood from pooling in lower muscles, which reduces blood flow to the heart and brain, which can cause faintness—or worse.
2. Cool-down stretching can also prevent muscle stiffness and soreness by re-stretching muscles that are shortened during exercise.