How to cool down and stretch after a workout
Cool down by slowing to an easy walk or gentle movement for a few minutes until your breathing settles. Then, while your muscles are warm, stretch the main areas you used: calves against a wall, the fronts and backs of the thighs, hips and chest. Ease into each stretch until you feel mild tension, never pain, and hold still while breathing slowly for about half a minute.
Why it matters: A few easy minutes and gentle stretches help you leave a session calm and feeling looser, not stiff.
Steps
- Slow to an easy walk or gentle movement for three to five minutes.
- Wait until your breathing is close to normal before you stretch.
- Stretch your calves with your hands on a wall and one leg back, heel down.
- Stretch the front of your thigh standing by a wall, holding your ankle behind you.
- Stretch the back of your thigh with one heel on a low step and a hinge forward from the hips.
- Open your chest with a forearm on a door frame and a gentle turn away.
- Hold each at mild tension for about half a minute, breathing slowly, without bouncing.
Stop and call a professional if
- a stretch causes sharp pain, tingling or numbness: stop and see your clinician or a physical therapist
- you feel lightheaded or faint after stopping: sit or lie down, and call your local emergency number, 911 in the US, if it does not pass quickly
- you are pregnant, gave birth in the last year, or have a heart, joint, bone or pelvic floor condition: ask your clinician or a physical therapist which movements suit you first
- you feel chest pain or pressure, faintness or breathlessness far beyond the effort: stop and call your local emergency number, 911 in the US
Common mistakes
- Stopping suddenly from hard effort and standing still.
- Bouncing to go deeper.
- Pulling a stretch into pain.
Teach this to someone
A one page sheet for showing a friend, a teenager or a parent: what to say, what to show, and one question to check it landed.
Teach: How to cool down and stretch after a workout
What to say
Cool down by slowing to an easy walk or gentle movement for a few minutes until your breathing settles. Then, while your muscles are warm, stretch the main areas you used: calves against a wall, the fronts and backs of the thighs, hips and chest. Ease into each stretch until you feel mild tension, never pain, and hold still while breathing slowly for about half a minute.
What to show
- Slow to an easy walk or gentle movement for three to five minutes.
- Wait until your breathing is close to normal before you stretch.
- Stretch your calves with your hands on a wall and one leg back, heel down.
- Stretch the front of your thigh standing by a wall, holding your ankle behind you.
- Stretch the back of your thigh with one heel on a low step and a hinge forward from the hips.
- Open your chest with a forearm on a door frame and a gentle turn away.
- Hold each at mild tension for about half a minute, breathing slowly, without bouncing.
Where it stops
Stop and call a professional if a stretch causes sharp pain, tingling or numbness: stop and see your clinician or a physical therapist.
Check question
When is the best time for longer still stretches?
Answer: After the session, while muscles are warm. Warm muscles stretch more comfortably.
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Related skills
Sources
- US national physical activity guidelines for adults, 2nd edition, 2018. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
- Certified exercise professional guidance on movement form, 2025. Reviewed September 28, 2026.
Written in our own words from the sources above. It is general information, not advice for your situation; where a professional, your doctor or your lease says something different, follow them.
Last reviewed . First published .