Before lifting, make a dynamic warm-up and a ramp of progressively heavier warm-up sets your default. Short static stretches, kept under about 60 seconds per muscle, can sit inside that warm-up without a meaningful cost. Long static holds of 60 seconds or more per muscle, done just before heavy lifting, are the version that can cost you strength.
Below, we compare the two using the main reviews and a 2025 expert consensus, then set out a warm-up you can repeat and log.
Should you stretch before lifting?
You do not need to stretch before lifting, but you can. A 2025 expert consensus calls stretching in a warm-up "not essential" yet "a viable option" for a short-term gain in range of motion. If a tight hip or shoulder stops you reaching a good position, brief stretching helps. Otherwise, a general warm-up and warm-up sets are enough.
The two methods are defined precisely in the Delphi consensus by Warneke and colleagues (2025), which gathered 20 international researchers and required at least 80% agreement for each statement.
- Static stretching is a stretch that "elongates soft tissue beyond slack length by holding a joint position where passive resistance, stretch sensation, or discomfort are experienced." A held hamstring or calf stretch is the classic example.
- Dynamic stretching is "the cyclic application of unloaded motion elongating the soft tissue (no external resistance)." Leg swings and arm circles fit this definition, since you move in and out of the stretch without pausing in it.
- Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching combines static stretching with muscle contractions.
Your warm-up sets with the barbell are not dynamic stretching, because they add external load. They are a separate, more specific kind of preparation, which our guide on how many warm-up sets to do covers in detail.
How do static and dynamic stretching compare before lifting?
Dynamic stretching has the better short-term record before lifting. In the review by Behm and colleagues, dynamic stretching averaged a 1.3% performance gain, while static stretching averaged a 3.7% loss. Both increase range of motion for a short time. The table below sets out the main differences.
| Static stretching | Dynamic stretching | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Holding a joint position at the point of stretch | Moving through a stretch repeatedly without a hold or load |
| Average effect straight after (Behm et al., 2016) | -3.7% performance | +1.3% performance |
| Timing and dose | Losses grow with holds of 60 s or more per muscle | Gains seen when done within minutes of the activity |
| Range of motion | Increases it, typically for under 30 minutes | Increases it, typically for under 30 minutes |
| Best use before lifting | Short holds for a specific tight area | General preparation of the joints you will train |
The figures come from the systematic review by Behm and colleagues (2016), which compared static, dynamic and PNF stretching. PNF averaged a 4.4% loss. The authors described all three changes as small to moderate, so neither method is dramatic in either direction.
Testing happened on average 3 to 5 minutes after stretching, and most studies did not include any dynamic activity after the stretch. When studies did add that activity, no clear performance effect was observed. A lifter who stretches, then does several ramping warm-up sets, is closer to that second scenario.
Does static stretching before lifting reduce strength?
Long static stretches reduce strength, while short ones barely do. The dose is the deciding factor. Reviews agree that holds under about 30 to 45 seconds per muscle have little or no effect, and that losses become likely once a muscle is held for 60 seconds or more just before the effort.
Three large reviews point the same way:
- Simic and colleagues (2013) pooled 104 studies in a meta-analysis of pre-exercise static stretching. Strength fell 5.4% on average, power 1.9% and explosive performance 2.0%. The losses were smallest with stretches of 45 seconds or less and larger in isometric tests than in dynamic ones.
- Kay and Blazevich (2012) reviewed 106 studies in a systematic review of acute static stretch. They found clear evidence that stretches under 30 seconds had no detrimental effect and that 30 to 45 seconds had no significant effect. Significant losses were likely with 60 seconds or more.
- Warneke and Lohmann (2024) reanalysed the field with only controlled trials in a multilevel meta-analysis of 83 studies covering 2,012 participants. They found a small maximal-strength loss overall (effect size -0.21), but a large one (effect size -0.84) for bouts of 60 seconds or more, compared with passive controls.
| Static stretch per muscle | What the reviews found | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Under 30 s | No detrimental effect (pooled -1.1%) | Kay and Blazevich, 2012 |
| 30 to 45 s | No significant effect (pooled -1.9%) | Kay and Blazevich, 2012 |
| 45 s or less | Smallest negative effects | Simic et al., 2013 |
| Under 60 s in total | -1.1% performance | Behm et al., 2016 |
| 60 s or more in total | -4.6% performance | Behm et al., 2016 |
| 60 s or more per bout | Large strength loss (effect size -0.84) | Warneke and Lohmann, 2024 |
Two caveats keep this in proportion. Warneke and Lohmann found that static stretching did not harm athletic performance in general, and jumping improved slightly in adults (effect size 0.15). Their strength losses were confirmed mainly in tests of isolated muscles, such as leg extensions or calf raises. A barbell squat is a different task.
The closest lifting-specific study is small. In Gergley's 2013 trial, 17 moderately trained men aged 18 to 24 tested their 1RM squat after two warm-ups on different days. One used leg extensions, leg curls and barbell squats. The other added passive static stretching of the lower body. With the stretching, 1RM fell 8.36% and the men rated their lower-body stability 22.68% lower. Gergley called the routine "intensive stretching", and the abstract does not give the stretch durations, so treat it as evidence against long stretching sessions, not against any stretch at all.
What does the 2025 expert consensus recommend?
The 2025 consensus recommends against long static stretches before maximal efforts, and accepts short ones inside a dynamic warm-up. Its panel of 20 researchers reached 95% agreement on that statement. For a short-term range-of-motion boost, it suggests at least two bouts of 5 to 30 seconds per stretch.
The key recommendation from Warneke and colleagues (2025) reads:
"The panel does not recommend prolonged (>60 s per muscle) static stretching prior to maximal or explosive contractions in isolated muscle groups (meaning static calf stretching should be avoided prior to maximal strength efforts). However, short-duration static stretching incorporated into a dynamic warm-up and dynamic stretching do not cause such impairments." (Warneke et al., 2025)
The panel added three points that matter for a lifter's warm-up:
- Range of motion is the main reason to stretch acutely. If you stretch to reach a position, the panel suggests at least two bouts of 5 to 30 seconds. That falls well under the 60-second line.
- Stretching is one option among several. The panel lists foam rolling, cycling, jogging and eccentric resistance training as alternatives with similar short-term effects on range of motion.
- Lifting through a full range builds range too. Over months, full-range resistance training improved range of motion to at least a similar degree as stretching, in the studies the panel cited. Our article on full range of motion versus partial reps covers the strength and size side of that choice.
Does stretching before lifting prevent injury?
The evidence does not show that stretching prevents injury. A meta-analysis of 25 randomised trials found no benefit from stretching programmes, while strength training produced the largest reduction of any method tested. The 2025 consensus likewise does not recommend stretching for injury prevention in general.
In the meta-analysis by Lauersen, Bertelsen and Andersen (2014), the trials covered 26,610 participants and 3,464 injuries. Stretching had a relative risk of 0.963, with a confidence interval of 0.846 to 1.095. Because that interval spans 1, the result is no clear effect. Strength training had a relative risk of 0.315, which the authors summarised as reducing sports injuries to less than one-third.
Behm and colleagues reached a similar view for the warm-up itself. Static and PNF stretching had no clear effect on all-cause or overuse injuries, and there were no data on dynamic stretching. The consensus panel noted a possible effect on muscle injuries, potentially at the expense of other injury types such as bone or joint injuries, and stopped short of a general recommendation.
For a lifter, the lifting itself, progressed sensibly, is the stronger protective habit. Persistent pain needs a physiotherapist or doctor, not extra stretches.
Does stretching before every session slow long-term strength gains?
It might, slightly, if the stretching is long and done right before training. A 2023 meta-analysis found that adding stretching to resistance training had no significant overall effect on strength gains, but stretching placed before the sessions had a small negative effect. Separating the two looks like the safer arrangement.
Thomas and colleagues (2023) pooled 35 studies with 1,179 people. The stretching programmes used about four sets of about one minute, three to four days a week. That is a long hold by the standards of the acute research above.
- Stretching added to resistance training: no significant effect overall (effect size -0.15, 17 comparisons).
- Stretching done before resistance training sessions: a small negative effect (effect size -0.43, 7 comparisons).
- The authors' suggestion: stretching in sessions separate from resistance training "might be a strategy to not hinder strength development."
Seven comparisons is a thin base, so treat this as a caution. If you want to improve flexibility over the long term, the consensus favours static or PNF stretching for 2 to 3 sets of 30 to 120 seconds, done daily. Put that work at the end of a session, on rest days or before bed, not directly before your heaviest sets.
Do not expect post-workout stretching to speed recovery either. The consensus panel, with 100% agreement but low confidence in the evidence, did not recommend stretching as a recovery routine. Our guide on whether you should train sore muscles explains what soreness does and does not tell you.
What should a warm-up before lifting look like?
A good warm-up before lifting raises your temperature, moves the joints you are about to load, and then rehearses the lift with lighter weights. Add short static stretches only for a specific area that limits your position. The sequence below follows the research, while the timings are practical suggestions.
| Step | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. General warm-up | 3 to 5 minutes of easy cycling, rowing or walking | Practical suggestion; the consensus lists cycling and jogging as alternatives to stretching |
| 2. Dynamic stretching | 5 to 10 controlled reps each of leg swings, arm circles or hip openers for the joints you will train | Dynamic stretching averaged +1.3% performance (Behm et al., 2016) |
| 3. Optional short static stretch | Two bouts of 5 to 30 s for one tight area, such as calves before squats | The consensus suggests this for acute range of motion |
| 4. Warm-up sets | A ramp of lighter sets on your first lift, with falling reps | Rehearses the movement under load before your working sets |
| 5. Working sets | Begin your planned sets | Lift as programmed |
Step 4 is the one that matters most for strength. The IronLedger warm-up calculator builds a ramp of plate-friendly jumps from your first working weight, with reps falling from 10 to 5 to singles. Four warm-up sets is its default, and it is the same ramp the IronLedger app suggests before a working set.
Two adjustments are worth making. Machine and isolation exercises usually need fewer warm-up sets than a heavy barbell lift, as the warm-up sets guide explains. And the more you add to steps 1 to 3, the longer the session runs, so check the total against our guide on how long a workout should last. If you train several lifts, the order of exercises in your workout also decides where the fuller warm-up belongs.
How do you keep your warm-up consistent in IronLedger?
Keep the warm-up the same from session to session, and note it whenever it changes. That way, a weak top set can be traced to its cause, such as a longer stretch, a rushed ramp or a cold gym, rather than read as lost strength. IronLedger is a free strength training app for iOS that records each set with enough detail to do this.
On the product page, the features that help here are:
- Per-set records. Each set stores load, reps and effort as RPE in half steps or as RIR, plus an optional free-text note that stays in your history. Our guide to logging RPE in a workout tracker explains how to rate effort consistently.
- Notes for warm-up changes. IronLedger has no stretching timer or duration field, so use the note on your first working set. Something like "skipped bike, long calf stretch" is enough to explain an outlier later.
- A suggested warm-up ramp. The app suggests the same plate-friendly ramp as the warm-up calculator, so your warm-up sets look the same each session.
- Estimated 1RM and personal records. IronLedger estimates 1RM with the Epley formula and records PRs from what you logged. Our guide to the estimated one-rep max explains how far to trust that number.
- Per-lift trends. The progress page shows estimated 1RM trends, PR history and tonnage for each lift, with no cutoff on your history.
If you test a warm-up change, change one thing at a time and give it a few sessions.
What mistakes should you avoid when stretching before lifting?
Most mistakes come from holding stretches too long, stretching for reasons the evidence does not support, or skipping the warm-up sets. Keep stretches short and specific, let lighter sets do the main preparation, and keep the routine stable.
- Holding static stretches for a minute or more right before heavy sets. That is the dose linked with clear strength losses.
- Stretching instead of doing warm-up sets. Stretching is optional, but the ramp of lighter sets is your rehearsal for the lift.
- Stretching to prevent injury or cure soreness. The evidence supports neither use.
- Putting long flexibility work directly before lifting. If you want long-term flexibility, train it separately from your heaviest sessions.
- Changing the warm-up without noting it. An unexplained dip in your log can then look like lost strength.
Frequently asked questions
Stretching before lifting is optional. A 2025 expert consensus calls it "not essential" but a viable way to gain short-term range of motion. A general warm-up plus progressively heavier warm-up sets is the more important preparation.
Sources and references
- Warneke et al., Practical recommendations on stretching exercise: a Delphi consensus statement: definitions and expert recommendations (J Sport Health Sci, 2025).
- Behm et al., Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence: static -3.7%, dynamic +1.3% (Appl Physiol Nutr Metab, 2016).
- Simic et al., Does pre-exercise static stretching inhibit maximal muscular performance?: strength -5.4% across 104 studies (Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2013).
- Kay and Blazevich, Effect of acute static stretch on maximal muscle performance: no significant effect under 45 s (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2012).
- Warneke and Lohmann, Revisiting the stretch-induced force deficit: large loss at 60 s or more per bout (J Sport Health Sci, 2024).
- Gergley, Acute effect of passive static stretching on lower-body strength: squat 1RM fell 8.36% (J Strength Cond Res, 2013).
- Lauersen et al., The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: no injury benefit from stretching (Br J Sports Med, 2014).
- Thomas et al., Does stretching training influence muscular strength?: stretching before sessions blunted gains (J Strength Cond Res, 2023).
- IronLedger product page: per-set RPE and RIR, notes, estimated 1RM and personal records.
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