“When we do dynamic stretching, we aren’t holding that stretch but we’re moving up and down or in and out,” says Kaoutar Hannach, personal trainer and functional exercise coach.

Moves like these are best done first thing in the morning or before working out, as they increase the blood flow into muscles, get the synovial fluid moving around the joints and help our body ease into movement.

Static stretching, on the other hand, is all about improving flexibility and releasing tension. This is the sort of stretching you might associate with yoga classes, such as lying in pigeon pose for a significant period of time.

But static stretching is also crucial to do after exercising “as it can release stress, reduce muscle tightness and, after elongating muscles during training, it restores them back to their original resting length, which is crucial for flexibility,” says Kaoutar.

While static stretching might feel like you’re getting the best release, it shouldn’t really ever be done before training. “Post-workout, your muscles are warm and most likely to respond to the stretches, so there’s a lower risk of injury. But pre-workout, your body is not prepared for deep stretching,” Kaoutar explains.

Stretching: what is the difference between dynamic and static stretches?