Should I warm up cool down and stretch for a strength training workout?

Should I warm up cool down and stretch for a strength training workout?

John Spencer Ellis (Author, TV Show Host, Trainer and CEO, National Exercise & Sports Trainers Association) gives expert video advice on: How do I design a strength training program?; How often each should I train each muscle group?; How much weight should I use when I train? and more...

There is certainly an appropriate preparatory phase before you work out with weights, and then following the weight-training session as well. As a general rule, you just want to get your body warmer, your core temperature. It's going to make your body more pliable. Then you can do some general movements to get the fluid in your joints active, and it's called the Synovial fluid, and it's basically the lubricant, the WD4, if you will, for your joints. And so you need to make it warm, get the lubrication going, and then start out with a lighter weight. And then fairly quickly you can progress up to the heavier weight that you're ready for that day. Then after you've done your workout, whatever it is that you're going to do, then you can do your general cool down and some more static, relaxed stretching afterwards, because then it's okay if the muscles are a little more placid afterwards, because they don't have to be active, because you're done with your workout.