Static stretching is a process which you stretch and lengthen your muscles before exercise, most fitness professionals would agree that this practice of static stretching is not a great way to warm up before your fitness session.
Over the years fitness health professionals have conducted plenty of research into static stretching to find little rewards. Still nothing has been set in stone to guarantee static stretching prevents injury.
Static stretching normally allows the muscles to cool down whilst performing the stretch, which is not great especially when your training outside. You can find this demotivating after completing 10 second stretch's on 15 different muscle part's.
The best way to warm up has to be Dynamic or ballistic stretching, these stretches are incorperated into the exercise movement. For example, if you choose to stretch your shoulders, you would complete the arm circle exercise to ease the tension, it's important to start small and slow and gradually increase movement and speed, after completing 10 reps of most warm up exercise's.
During the long period of static stretching the body will aim to return to normal resting rate, this will in turn lose the benefits from the warm up session prior the stretch. Often if you use static stretching in cold weather you increase the risk injuring yourself.
Try to keep it active, its important that you maintain motivation to keep your muscles warm throughout the warm up.
