Static stretching exercises, in which you're not moving around at all but are simply elongating a particular muscle or group of muscles, do have a place in your training program, but their value and proper usage are often misunderstood.

It's probably best to place your static stretches at the end of your workout as part of the cool-down, not at the beginning of a training session. Static exercises help bring your body back toward a state of rest and recovery and allow you to relax and lengthen the muscles that you have put under stress during your workout.

Placing static stretches at the beginning of a training session, on the other hand, tends to interrupt the natural flow of an optimal warm-up and fails to prepare you fully for the dynamic movements that follow.

Improve your workouts – and your competitive efforts
Dynamic Mobility exercises warm you up, stretch you out and keep you moving as you make the transition from resting to highenergy activity. You'll feel a sense of warmth and relaxation in your muscles – and perspire lightly by the end of your five- to seven-minute warm-up period.

Dynamic Mobility exercises work on joints from your neck to your toes - and if you're wondering why you should attempt to expand the mobility of your neck and shoulders when the 'prime movers' during your workout are probably your legs, wonder no more.

Your whole body functions as a unit - a 'chain' of interrelated parts. For example, if your shoulders are stiff, you won't have a quick, fluid arm swing when you are running. If you don't have proper arm swing, your legs will slow down and so will your performance.

Mobility training should be carried out before every workout. It has a cumulative effect over an extended period of time. After about four weeks or so, you should notice appreciable gains in your mobility, flexibility and ability to move smoothly during your training sessions. Best of all, you'll also notice an appreciable improvement in your workouts – and your competitive efforts!