Performing a series of bad stretches before starting a home exercise program such as p90x is just as bad if not worse than doing none at all. These exercises are absolutely necessary to achieve your personal fitness goals in a healthy way. Without performing these movements at the right time, you risk seriously harming yourself. In order to be an effective stretch, the movement needs to satisfy certain requirements.

Level Of Risk

The most important element to consider when selecting a stretch is risk. Even if the movement satisfies the other requirements, if it is risky, it is best to leave out of your home exercise program. So what constitutes risky? Twisting your body can unintentionally hurt another part of your body that may seem unrelated to the movement. The stretch could also put strain on the joints or on the disks in your back. Lastly, a dangerous movement can also pull or damage ligaments. In other words, you injure yourself before starting your personal fitness routine.

Muscle Isolation

The goal of the stretch has to be met. This means that the movement should only work on the exact muscle you intend it to. This eliminates the resistance exerted from other muscles to give your target muscles all the benefit. You will notice that you can increase the intensity of the stretch and have better overall control of the movement itself.

Maximum Advantage

Stretches should be performed easily, but they should also be effective in preparing your body for the p90x workout routine. This means you are in full control of the speed at which the stretch occurs and to what extent the targeted muscles are stretched.

All of this should require the least amount of force to achieve the maximum results. It makes it easier to eliminate the resistance of other muscles and maximizes the results. In fact, some bad movements can become a good stretch just by adjusting your body position for leverage and gaining the most for your personal fitness level.

Length Of Time

This is where stretching requirements become a little less definite. Some experts recommend that you hold the position for a minute or more. Other sources say ten seconds is more than enough. Studies have shown that a length of fifteen seconds is enough for a hamstring, but no one knows for sure if the same is true of other muscles.

The general consensus seems to be that the youngest exercise fans whose bones are growing should hold their stretch for ten seconds or less. Others can hold the movement for around twenty seconds for the best results.

Stretching consistently throughout the movements is important for overall personal fitness. Some people count their time out loud and others don't -- just so long as it is consistent. A common suggestion is to include between two and five repetitions with at least 15 seconds between. If these movements are performed consistently before and after your p9ox exercises, you will not only find your chance of injury significantly decreases, but the home exercise program also becomes more consistent.