I had this argument lately with my boyfriend. I was doing a fitness DVD and they did pre workout stretches whereas I was just walking in place. He noticed and asked why. I tried to explain that you need to warm up by doing a lighter paced activity, not stretches. He disagreed since "they must know better".

What do you think? Should you stretch before, after, or both? Do you even warm up?

I went further and googled it. I found a great article from NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/sp...in&oref=slogin (will have to join but it's free and quick). They say you should do a light jog (40% of your heart rate) and dynamic stretches. Now, I have to google dynamic stretches.

I'm on your side, as is most of the research I've read. I thought that static stretching before a workout had pretty conclusively been linked to HIGHER risk of injuries, and I'm surprised your workout DVD was set up like that!

That's what I was going to say, dynamic stretching, I think that's currently believed to be the best way to prevent injury. (Unless it's changed lately.) I took a running class a few years ago with a track coach who was really up on the latest fitness research, and he gave us a some literature in that area, and that's how he had us warm up. I know some people say to do a warm-up before even dynamic stretches, but I never have.

That said, for most activities, I just do a low-intensity warm-up before and no stretching because I'm lazy. I should get back into the dynamic stretching, I do think it's worthwhile.

For running, I don't do a ton of warming up. I do a few stretches, but gently. I take a short walk (1/4 mile at most), and then start my run. But ... I'm not running hard. If I were, I'd do more of a warmup. Even now, if I walk (briskly) longer before I start my run, the first half mile is not nearly so unpleasant (my first half mile always makes me wonder if I only imagined I'd been running since August ) - but, I put up with it rather than make my work out longer, at least for now.

I also do yoga, which is obviously lots of stretching, and I do warm up first, by doing Sun Salutations, which are also a yoga sequence, with both muscular work and light stretching. Great warmup for early morning yoga, which is when I do it, and is a time my muscles are cold. If for some reason I do yoga in the evening, I'm noticeably more flexible, even without a warmup.

If I ever manage to start doing a resistance workout a couple times a week (resistance bands) in the morning, I plan to use the Sun Salutations for a warmup.

I stretch before anything then I do cardio for 10 minutes before doing weight training.

Per Jillian M's instruction, I do dynamic stretching before and then a light warm up...workout..and static stretches afterwards.

I don't stretch first.

And no, people in a workout video do not necessarily know better than you.

My warm-up is a 5min walk before I start my runs (and a 5min cool-down walk after). I stretch afterwards though. I really doubt stretching before would do much, but doing a light version of the activity you're about to workout with is much more useful.

I just finished taking a PT course and the recommendation is that you warm up on a on a treadmill with a brisk walk for 5-10 minutes then stretch only after the workout. Stretching before the workout could pull a muscle or ligament that is not properly warmed up.