Stretching

To improve flexibility

To aid mobility for a session about to be undertaken

To help in the prevention of injuries

To speed rehabilitation of the body after injury

Stretching can be performed as a session on its own in order to improve mobility. This is an aspect of training which is often neglected by athletes. Good mobility can help prevent injury. More commonly stretching will precede training sessions with the aim being to prepare the muscles for activity and reduce the risk of prevent injury. To do this current scientific evidence says we should do dynamic stretches. Athletes now are finding benefit in stretching post-training as this returns muscles to their original state, removing "knots" formed through hard exercise and reducing injury risk in future sessions.

Stand alone static stretching sessions can be particularly useful in easier periods of training and when training is restricted by injury or illness, since it gives a sense of achievement on a purposeful activity whilst expending very little energy.