That's a bit of a stretch

Stretching is usually done in one of three ways:

1 - In a Yoga session, where they are performed with precision and purpose;

2 - Before and/or after a workout, when they are done as more of an afterthought;

3 - Not at all.

Save for the first way, stretching is something most people kind of do (or don't do) because they think they're supposed to. It loosens you up before exercising, and it helps ease muscle tension caused by a workout. But does it really do those things?

There's plenty of research that suggests stretching doesn't do anything in the way of preventing injury. What's more, some studies even show that pre-exercise stretching can reduce strength and power during a workout. Does that mean that we are just wasting our time?

Not entirely. Just as there's plenty of evidence suggesting that stretching is worthless, there's also plenty that demonstrate the myriad benefits. Most recently, the National Institute of Health released the results of a study showing that stretching and strength training twice a week may help reduce the risk of exercise-related injury by as much as 45 percent.

So, until we know for sure whether all that reaching, twisting, and contorting is either good or bad for us, I guess it's a personal judgment call. If it works for you -- great. Keep doing it. If you hate it, well, it seems as though you can safely do without it. Well, depending on which study you believe, that is.