I am pretty sure in the exercise world there are more philosophies on stretching than any other topic.  My take is just adding another version to the pile.  But this version comes from a look at bodily functions, the benefits to and beyond exercise but mostly…what you might actually do.  A famous medical consultant, when asked, “what is the best exercise to do” responded with “the one you will do.”  I would add to that “safely” and say the same goes for stretching.  The stretching that you will do, safely, is the best.

It is important that stretching is done in a fashion that is in your best interest, but it has to be done in order for it to help.  Many personal trainers discourage stretching before exercise because it has been realized that stretching puts your muscles at their weakest point for several hours afterwards.  But warm ups that get your joint moving, blood circulating are a different thing.  The type of warm ups let your body know “we are about to really get moving” (but don’t necessarily stretch out any muscles) are always a good thing i.e. a brisk, arm swinging walk before your start running. 

Is stretching helpful after exercise?  It would be if we had the time to do it properly and carefully. Stretching works well if aided by a personal trainer or with partner who ensures it is done carefully and take is taken.  The pitfall of stretching right after a workout is that people have a tendency to rush through their “after workout” stretch.  There is a lot to get done and we are just happy that we put in the workout.  The other thing that happens with a rushed stretch is muscles can get over extended and cause more injury than not having stretched at all.

You also have to consider the exercise you are doing, where you are and what is your best option to stretch properly.  The more extensive your muscle use, i.e. you can really feel tightness in one muscle; it may be valuable to gently start stretching that muscle right after use.  But, if you are working out in the cold or extreme heat, you may have difficulty assessing what level of stretch is good for you.   You may be better to wait until conditions return closer to normal temperatures and start working on it. 

The main factor that gets forgotten in all of the philosophies of stretching is that we need to stretch every day for our health.  Whether you are exercising or not, you are experiencing muscle tension in your daily life.  It happens slowly over time so you do not notice it like you would after a workout, but it can be much more damaging. Daily, gentle stretching in the evening will do a world of good, over time.

Lets not forget about a good stretch in the morning.  You know how good it feels to wake up and stretch your arms over your head.  Why stop there?  Your whole body needs to wake up.  Stretching in the morning is a natural boost to your system and should feel as such.  It speeds up your circulatory system and increases the blood and oxygen circulation so that it gets to vital systems in your body.  It will give you more energy to start your day.  

Overnight your body has been working as efficiently as possible to remove any toxins from your body.  These may be from what you have eaten, environmental toxins or other exposures.  Every day without fail you have ingested and absorbed toxins that must be removed.  By getting up and stretching you speed up and encourage the process of eliminating those toxins.  They will travel through your system much faster and be less likely to sit in your body.  This will improve that healthy feeling and start your day off better than ever. 

Stretching is not complicated.  Move what feels tight, slowly and gently until you feel a mild stretch.  Rotate your body in different directions and you will quickly realize what needs to be stretched and what feels good to stretch. For a particular area of discomfort or a sore muscle, you can increase the frequency of your stretches.  Do them while watching TV, at work or another time when you can hold a light stretch.

With some guidance, stretching becomes a personal decision.  It is most important to remember to hold the stretch at the point where you just start to feel it.  Do not push your stretch past the point where you first notice a pull.  It is better to hold a light stretch for a longer period of time than to push it further.  Holding a stretch for 30–45 seconds is ideal and repeating it 2-3 times is a good guideline to start with.

The right type of stretching is dependent on so many variables such as: your development, the exercise, environment, experience, injuries, time, etc.   Hence why there seem to be so many philosophies. The philosophy that does hold true through most versions is that there are monumental health benefits to be discovered from stretching.  You will just have to start to find out for yourself.  The stretches you do (safely) will be the only ones that help.