How to use the online timer
Ten minutes of stretching is the amount most people will actually repeat, which makes it more valuable than the thirty minutes nobody does twice. It fits at the end of a session while the muscles are still warm, or in the evening in front of something on a screen, and it needs no equipment beyond enough floor to lie down on.
Divide the ten minutes deliberately rather than drifting through it: four or five positions, held long enough to matter, with the count marking the changes. Holds of thirty to sixty seconds do more than a handful of quick pulls. The countdown runs inside this browser tab, so leave the page open on the floor beside you and let the sound do the counting.
Stretch to the point of mild tension rather than pain, breathe out into the position instead of holding your breath, and stop pushing when the muscle stops giving. Progress here is measured in weeks and is very easy to lose, so ten minutes four times a week is worth considerably more than an hour once a fortnight, whatever the hour felt like at the time.
Common questions
How long should I hold each position?
Thirty to sixty seconds does more than a series of quick pulls. Four or five positions fill ten minutes comfortably, and holding fewer for longer beats rushing through a list of eight.
Should stretching hurt?
No. Mild tension is the aim, and pain is a signal to back off. Breathe out into the position rather than holding your breath, and stop pushing once the muscle stops giving.
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