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Best cool-down stretches after strength training: 7 to finish with

Ten minutes. Breathing down, range back, session closed.

By Susmit Jalan, coach at Online Fitness Worldwide.

Last set done. Don't reach for the phone yet. Ten minutes left.

First, be clear on what a cool-down does. A review of the research found an active cool-down does not reliably cut muscle soreness or prevent injuries. It does bring heart rate and breathing back toward rest faster, and clears lactate from the blood sooner.[1]

Stretching won't stop soreness either. A Cochrane review of 12 trials found stretching after exercise cut next-day soreness by about 1 point on a 100-point scale.[3] Not something you would feel.

So why do it? Your muscles are warm, and ACSM says that is when flexibility work works best.[2] The range-of-motion work gets done while you are already on the mat. And the session ends calm.

The 7 best cool-down stretches after strength training

  1. Easy walk or slow cycling, 3 to 5 minutes

    Why
    Bring the system down first. Compared with stopping dead, an active cool-down speeds the recovery of heart rate and breathing.[1]
    How
    Walk around the room, march gently on the spot, or spin an easy bike. Breathe through the nose if you can. You should be able to talk in full sentences.
    Dose
    3 to 5 minutes, easy. Talking pace.

  2. Lying hamstring stretch with a towel

    Why
    After squats, hinges and lunges, the back of the thighs has done a lot of work. Lying down keeps the lower back supported.
    How
    Lie on your back. Loop a towel or band around one foot. Raise that leg toward the ceiling until you feel a pull behind the thigh. The other knee bent, foot flat. Hips stay down.
    Dose
    2 to 4 holds of 10 to 30 seconds each leg, about 60 seconds in total.[2]

  3. Standing quad stretch, one hand on a wall

    Why
    The front of the thighs, after squats and lunges. Holding a wall keeps it a stretch, not a balance test.
    How
    Stand tall, one hand on a wall. Bend one knee and hold that ankle behind you. Knees side by side. Tuck the tailbone a little, so the pull is at the front of the thigh, not in the lower back. Can't reach? Rest the foot on a chair behind you.
    Dose
    2 to 4 holds of 10 to 30 seconds each leg.[2]

  4. Figure-four glute stretch, lying down

    Why
    Glutes and the outside of the hip, after hinges and step-ups.
    How
    Lie on your back, knees bent. Cross one ankle over the other knee. Hold behind the lower thigh and draw it toward your chest until the crossed hip stretches. Head and shoulders stay down. Had a hip replacement? Ask your surgeon or physio before this one.
    Dose
    2 to 4 holds of 10 to 30 seconds each side.[2]

  5. Calf stretch against a wall

    Why
    The calves work on every squat, lunge and carry. Two knee positions reach both main calf muscles.
    How
    Hands on a wall. One foot back, heel down, back knee straight. Lean in until you feel the calf. Then bend the back knee a little, heel still down, to move the stretch lower.
    Dose
    1 to 2 holds of 15 to 30 seconds in each position, each leg.[2]

  6. Doorway chest stretch

    Why
    Chest and the front of the shoulders, after push-ups and presses. A gentle stretch, not a crank on the joint.
    How
    Stand in a doorway. Forearms on the frame, elbows a little below shoulder height. Step one foot through until you feel a stretch across the chest. Ribs down. Pain at the front of the shoulder? Lower the elbows or step back.
    Dose
    2 to 4 holds of 10 to 30 seconds.[2]

  7. Child's pose with slow breathing

    Why
    Lats and upper back, after rows. And a quiet minute before you get up and go back to your day.
    How
    Kneel, big toes together, knees apart. Sit back toward your heels and walk your hands forward. Forehead on the floor or a cushion. Breathe slowly into your back. Knees complain? Put a pillow between heels and hips.
    Dose
    About 60 seconds. Slow breaths.

How long to hold, and how often?

Hold: 10 to 30 seconds for most adults. For older adults, 30 to 60 seconds may help more.[2]

Total: about 60 seconds per stretch, split into 2 to 4 holds.[2]

How hard: to tightness or slight discomfort. Never pain.[2]

How often: 2 to 3 days a week works. Daily gives the biggest gains in range.[2] Stretching after each strength session gets you to 2 or 3.

Long holds belong at the end. In a review, static stretching of 60 seconds or more per muscle right before testing cut performance by about 4.6%. Under 60 seconds, by about 1.1%.[4] That is why the long holds sit in the cool-down, not before your heavy sets.

The lifts do mobility work too. A review of 11 trials found strength training improved range of motion about as much as stretching did. The studies varied a lot.[5]

A sample 10-minute cool-down

Sample only. Not a prescription. Adjust it to your body and to the session you just did.

  • Minutes 0 to 3: easy walk or slow bike.
  • Minutes 3 to 5: lying hamstring stretch, 2 holds of 30 seconds each leg.
  • Minutes 5 to 6: figure-four glute stretch, 30 seconds each side.
  • Minutes 6 to 7: standing quad stretch, 30 seconds each leg.
  • Minutes 7 to 8: calf stretch, straight knee then bent knee, each leg.
  • Minutes 8 to 9: doorway chest stretch, 2 holds of 30 seconds.
  • Minutes 9 to 10: child's pose, slow breathing.

Want it coached live?

In Iron Hour the cool-down starts at minute 50. 60 minutes, 1:1. Set-up at minute 0. Warm-up from minute 4. The primary lift starts at minute 14. Accessories at 28.

The stretches are picked for what you just trained. Squat day: more hips and thighs. Press day: more chest and shoulders.

Coming back after time off? Return is 45 minutes, 12 alternate-day sessions a month. Lean Reset is 20 sessions a month, 1:1. Open Floor is a small group.

Coached live on Google Meet, Zoom or FaceTime. In Hindi or English. On IST. Not sure yet? Start with a 30-minute consultation. It is a conversation, not training. Booking holds a time. The fee is agreed directly.

See the programsAsk on WhatsApp

Before you start

General information, not medical advice. ACSM's screening model says: if you are inactive, have no symptoms and no known heart, metabolic or kidney disease, you can start light to moderate exercise without medical clearance and build up gradually. If you have one of those conditions, or symptoms such as chest pain, unusual breathlessness or dizziness, get medical clearance first.[6] Stretch to mild tension only. Stop if you feel sharp pain, numbness or tingling. After joint surgery or an injury, use the positions your surgeon or physio gives you. Get advice first if you are pregnant or have recently given birth.

ASCA Level 1 (strength and conditioning) and ACE (anatomy and biomechanics). These are credentials held by the coach. Neither body endorses this business or this article.

Sources

  1. [1] Van Hooren B, Peake JM. Do we need a cool-down after exercise? A narrative review of the psychophysiological effects and the effects on performance, injuries and the long-term adaptive response. Sports Med. 2018;48(7):1575–1595. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0916-2
  2. [2] Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults (ACSM position stand). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334–1359. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb
  3. [3] Herbert RD, de Noronha M, Kamper SJ. Stretching to prevent or reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(7):CD004577. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004577.pub3
  4. [4] Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD, McHugh M. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016;41(1):1–11. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0235
  5. [5] Afonso J, Ramirez-Campillo R, Moscão J, et al. Strength training versus stretching for improving range of motion: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2021;9(4):427. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9040427
  6. [6] Riebe D, Franklin BA, Thompson PD, et al. Updating ACSM's recommendations for exercise preparticipation health screening. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2015;47(11):2473–2479. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000664