When it comes to working out it is easy for many people to put stretching off. However, stretching is very important to do before and after every workout to prevent injury, improve muscle balance, and increase blod flow to muscles reducing soreness. To stretch effectively it is very important to never stretch cold muscles before a workout, but to warm them up first. Warm up your muscles with 3-5 minutes of cardiovascular activity and then stretch properly. Hold stretches with mild tension but not to the point that you experience pain. Remember to also stretch properly after every workout!