Value Village ／ Health
This answer is a draft. It stays unpublished until legal review and source verification are complete.
"Should you stretch before exercise?" is one of the topics on which advice has shifted most in exercise communities everywhere. In Japan, static stretching is a fixture of school PE lessons, and that received wisdom is out of step with current guidance.
| Type | What | When | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dynamic stretching | Arm circles, leg swings, light jumping on the spot — moving the joints while in motion | Before exercise | 5–10 min, until you are warm |
| Static stretching | No bouncing; hold at the point where it feels like a pleasant stretch | After exercise, after a bath, before bed | 20–30 seconds per spot, 2–3 times |
| Radio calisthenics (*rajio taisō*) | Includes dynamic and static elements | Morning, work breaks | About 3 min for No. 1 |
[Verify] Check the passages on flexibility in the 2023 Guide, and the Japan Sport Association's guidance materials.
Pain is a sign the muscle is tensing to defend itself — it is not lengthening. Stop at the point of a pleasant stretch.
Bouncing (ballistic stretching) makes the muscle contract by reflex and causes injury. Dynamic stretching is "moving," not "swinging."
Many studies find that static stretching alone does little to prevent injury; a dynamic warm-up has more support.
Holding your breath tenses the muscles and raises blood pressure. Breathe out slowly as you stretch.
Several studies find that with continued practice, range of motion improves at any age. Doing it after a bath, when the body is warm, is generally described among people living in Japan as the easiest way to keep it up. If you have a condition or an injury, ask a doctor or physiotherapist.
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https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10904750/001171393.pdf
https://www.mext.go.jp/sports/
https://www.japan-sports.or.jp/
⚠️ Editorial note: the source URLs above were identified by search. Our working environment cannot reach go.jp domains, so the contents have not been checked against the text. Verify every source before publication and record who checked it and when.
What we share here are ideas and everyday practices passed down among people living in Japan, together with general information drawn from public sources. They are not official recommendations, and they are not professional instruction. Practices vary between households and regions.
This is general information. Results vary from person to person and depend on your own conditions and surroundings.
Please decide for yourself, using your own judgement, whether any of this suits your situation. We cannot accept responsibility for any damage, loss or injury arising from following this article.
This article is not meant to diagnose or manage any specific medical condition. If you are worried about your health, see a doctor rather than relying on your own judgement.
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