Slow Down and Stretch Out

By Martina Navratilova

Everyone wants to avoid sore, stiff muscles. And the way to do that is to stretch before and after exercising, says AARP Health and Fitness Ambassador Martina Navratilova in this video on stretching.

In fact, stretching actually helps restore flexibility lost to stress, inactivity, overtraining or just plain aging, Martina says. To maximize your flexibility, try these hamstring, hip and quad stretches with Martina as she demos them in the video.

And keep in mind these tips while following along:

• Never stretch a cold muscle.
• Breathe evenly and consistently through your nose.
• Don't bounce a stretch.
• Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds.