• Don’t stretch to the point where breathing is strained
• Stretching should never be painful (Refer Stretch Pain Scale)
• Stretch only when muscles are warm
• Hold the stretch in a comfortable position
• Stretch before and after (and even during) an extended period of exercise
• Concentrate on relaxing the area being stretched
• Flexibility training should be regular - at least 3 times a week
• PREGNANT women should only do flexibility training UNDER SUPERVISION

The correct speed of movement is just as critical for strengthening exercises as it is for stretching to get the best results and to get them safely.

In the positive phase of any exercise, each increment of movement must be achieved by muscular contraction and NOT by any momentum incorrectly generated in an earlier part of the movement. This cannot be overemphasized and is second only to the importance of form.

Don’t make the movements too slow either. As a general rule:

• Positive contractions should take about 2 - 3 seconds to complete &,
• Negatives about twice as long
• Don’t pause too long either in the extended OR contracted phase of a movement

Good form refers to precision of movement and involves:

1. Correct positioning BEFORE commencing the movement
2. Controlled action (that doesn’t use gravity or momentum to complete the movement)

Whether we’re talking about stretching, strengthening, weight-training or playing sport, good form is the most significant determinant of improving performance and avoiding injury. No amount of repetitions (reps) or sets of reps can compensate for executing an exercise or movement incorrectly.

Also see speed of movements

When standing, the overall balance of the body should be where the feet evenly support the body when they are placed directly under the hip joints. The placement of the body’s weight should be evenly distributed over the 3 points that form a triangle on the feet. That is:

There should be no pressure forward on the toes or backward on the heel. By also placing pressure on the outside edge of the foot, you may feel as if you’re creating an arch where the arch should be. Try to maintain this tripod position whenever standing and especially when lifting.