Stretching Exercises increase flexibility

It should increase the range of movement in the joints and muscles and prevent muscle soreness, while lengthening the muscle again after use.

All stretches should be performed after the muscles are warmed up . You should ease into the stretch, it shouldn't be painful. You should feel a pull in the muscle and should not bounce. You should feel relaxed and breath normally all the way through this part of the class.

The choice of stretches should reflect the exercise you conducted in your class.

To increase flexibility the stretches done after an aerobic class should be developmental stretches and should be held for 10-30 seconds. As the tension eases you should try to stretch a little further to promote an increase in flexibility. Some of the stretches that you should do are:

Neck

Shoulders

Arms

Chest

Abs

Back

Glutes

Inner Thigh

Hamstrings

Quads

Calf

Ankles

Take a look at the stretching exercises here.

A period of relaxation can be performed at the end of a class allowing sufficient time to ensure that the heart rate recovers adequately by the end of the cooldown period. This should take between 5-10 minutes.

How to warm up

Reasons for warming up before exercising.