Should I stretch before or after a workout?

Before a workout, warm up with movement. After a workout, or at another time of day, do your static stretching if you want to. Long holds right before heavy lifting or sprinting aren't useful and can leave you feeling a bit weaker for a short while.

Before: move, don't hold

A good warm-up is a few minutes of easy cardio, then lighter versions of what you're about to do. Before squats, do some bodyweight squats and a couple of lighter sets. Before a run, walk and then jog easily for a few minutes. If you want to do something stretch-like, use dynamic moves such as leg swings, arm circles or walking lunges. There's more on that in how to warm up before lifting.

After: optional, but fine

Stretching after a workout feels nice, and your muscles are warm. It won't prevent soreness and it won't cut your injury risk much, so don't treat it as essential. If you like it, 5 to 10 minutes is plenty.

The real benefit of stretching is flexibility over time. If you want to touch your toes or sit deep in a squat, stretch the tight area for 30 to 60 seconds a few times, several days a week. That works whether it's after training or on a separate evening.

A simple setup

1. 5 minutes of easy movement to get warm
2. Lighter ramp-up sets of your first exercise
3. Train
4. Optional 5 minutes of stretching on whatever feels tight

If a stretch causes sharp pain, tingling or numbness, stop. If it keeps happening, see a doctor or physical therapist.

A warm-up is easier to take seriously when the session matters. In League of Fitness, your lifts and runs sync from Apple Health and count toward a daily 1v1 match, so there's a reason to show up ready instead of rushing in cold.

What about stretching for injury prevention

The evidence here is thin. Strength work, a decent warm-up and not ramping up too fast protect you better than stretching does. If a specific area gets tight and bothers you, stretch it, but don't expect it to do the work of good training habits.