How long should you hold a stretch?

For held, static stretches, roughly forty seconds per position with slow breathing is a sound default. Work from the top of the body down so you do not have to think about the order.

Newer to stretching, or feeling particularly tight? Drop to twenty or thirty seconds. Want to go deeper? Forty-five to sixty seconds, easing a little further on each exhale.

Give yourself one to three minutes of easy movement first. Marching on the spot, arm swings and a few slow cat-cows are enough to take the edge off before you start holding anything.

Mobility work is a different job. Instead of holding a position, you move slowly through a controlled range, roughly eight to ten slow reps per drill, owning the end of the range rather than bouncing through it.

Active range suits the time before training. Save the longer static holds for afterwards, or for a session of their own.

You want a stretch, never a sharp pain. Ease into each position on the exhale and keep breathing slowly throughout.

If an area is stubborn, add a second round on your tightest two or three spots rather than forcing more depth in the first one.