Staying flexible is an important part of fitness but only some people stretch long enough and hard enough to ensure maximum range of motion of the joints. If you're not stretching properly before and after your workout, you are putting yourself at risk for injury, soreness and poor recovery. Stretching is such a simple activity, but it's often overlooked. Here are some important tips for stretching properly so you can make the most of each and every fitness routine:

1. Start slowly and gradually build up tension. One of the biggest mistakes of stretching before and after a workout is jumping right into the most challenging position. You need to gradually build up tension so that your tendons and muscles can adjust to the shift in position. Do a halfway stretch, hold for a few seconds, relax your muscles, then go all the way. This is a much more effective way to maximize the effects of the stretch.

2. Hold your stretch long enough. You need to hold most stretches for about 10 to 15 seconds. Any less, and your muscles won't be challenged enough. Doing more really won't do anything positive or negative, so just count the seconds in your head as you perform the stretch.

3. Pay attention to what you're feeling. Pushing yourself to the point of pain isn't going to benefit you in any way. Make sure you're not hurting yourself when you're performing a new stretch. Pay attention to how your body feels. Too much tension or pressure in a certain area may trigger a pain response which means it's not the right position for you.

4. Breathe deeply. You need the oxygen to flow throughout your body as your blood pressure increases slightly as you move through your stretching motions. Make sure you are taking deep breaths throughout the process.

5. Drink plenty of water. Fill up a water bottle with some chilled H20 so you're not at risk for dehydration before and after your workout. Drinking a few sips of water between each stretching position is a simple formula for staying hydrated.

Stretching is an important part of any workout routine, but there are some things you need to keep in mind to make sure you're performing the stretches right. Use these five tips to make sure you're keeping those muscles and joints in great shape.

Pull ups are one of the best exercises to increase upper body strength. Although pull ups have simple directions, they are not the easiest exercise to perform. Beginners may not be able to even do a pull up and have to do other exercises to build upper body strength first. To do any kind of pull up, you will need a pull up bar or some sort of strong bar that will support your weight and allow you to hang free from it. You may also want to wear gloves so you do not get blisters.

Here is how to do a basic pull up:

1. Stand below the pull up bar and grasp the bar in an overhead grip so that your knuckles are facing towards you. Your arms should be slightly wider than shoulder-length apart.

2. Hang from the bar with your arms straight and your legs straight. If the bar is not high enough, you may have to bend your legs backwards at the knee.

3. Pull yourself up towards the bar as you bend your elbows. Raise yourself high enough so at least your chin goes above the pull up bar. Be sure to keep your legs completely still and your stomach contracted.

4. Lower back down in a controlled manner so that your arms are straight again. Repeat the steps.

There are a couple of different variations of this exercise that you can do. Some may be more difficult while others will just focus on working specific muscles.

A wide grip pull up is done when you move your grip as wide as possible while still being comfortable. This variation focuses more on the upper back and rear shoulder muscles.

A jumping pull up is used by some beginners to gain some upper body strength. This variation involves squatting down and using your legs as well as your arms to propel yourself up over the bar.

You can also choose to add weights to your pull ups in the form of a weighted belt or a free weight held in between your legs.

Pull ups are a good exercise to add to your strength training routine, as this one simple move can work all the muscles of the upper body. This can save you time on your workouts.

New Year's resolutions have been made. You're determined to keep up with your commitment to fitness but are you really, really ready to keep up with that gym routine? Finding time to go to the gym can be one of the biggest challenges to better fitness, especially when you're just getting started. Even spending 30 minutes at the gym requires planning - add in the time to get dressed for the workout, drive to the gym, shower and getting back to your regular routine - the whole fiasco can easily take a few hours or more.

So how do you keep up with your fitness resolution this year? Here are some simple strategies for logging in more gym time in 2009:

1. Head out first thing in the morning. Scheduling a trip to the gym first thing means you can focus on just getting there, working out and showering for the day as usual. This can save you extra driving time and hassles in the middle of the day and gives you the chance to kick off the day with a healthy start!

2. Eat a small meal before you go. Fuel up with a small snack to keep blood sugar levels stable and give you the energy boost you need to finish the workout. Choose something packed with protein and a few carbs.

3. Enlist a workout buddy. When someone else is holding you accountable for clocking in at the gym, you're much more likely to go. Work out with a friend or family member to motivate you when the going gets rough.

4. Keep track of your success. Use a workout chart to map out your plan for the week and mark off what you get accomplished; this is a powerful self-motivation strategy.

5. Extend your lunch hour. If you're not able to go to the gym before or after work, request an extended lunch so you can get your mid-afternoon fix and then make up the time later in the week.

And don't forget to drink water all day long. Dehydration can cause fatigue and make it hard for muscles to recover after an intensive workout; pick up a water bottle and sip on water throughout the day to keep your body healthy and strong for your new fitness regimen.

Exercises for your arms and back will become easier if you also focus on your shoulders, building strength and flexibility.

Without strong shoulder muscles, it can be difficult to properly execute even normal, everyday movements, let alone sports or other athletic activities. When your shoulders are flexible and strong, you'll have an easier time with things like lifting, pushing and pulling.

Shoulder exercises should involve all of the muscles associated with your shoulders, including the anterior deltoids, the lateral deltoids, the posterior deltoids and the supraspinatus (rotary cuff). These muscles work in unison to provide your shoulders with maximum elasticity.

One of the most popular shoulder exercises is the shoulder press, which can be executed either with dumbbells or with a barbell. Hold the bar(s) so that your hands are slightly shoulder-width apart in an overhand grip. Starting with the bar(s) at chest level, push up until your arms are nearly straight overhead, then lower them slowly again to chest height.

In a variation of the shoulder press exercise, hold a barbell behind your neck, then raise the bar slowly until your arms are nearly straight, lowering again. This focuses more on the anterior deltoids and should not be attempted without a spotter.

If you'd like to focus on the lateral deltoids, you might try the upright row in your regimen of shoulder exercises. With this movement, grasp a barbell or two dumbbells in an overhand grip, with your hands approximately shoulder-width apart. Then lift your hands until they are tucked just underneath your chin, and lower slowly back to waist-height. Your wrists will flex into a "puppy dog" position on the upswing of this movement.

And finally, for your rotary cuff, this shoulder exercise can be done either lying down or standing up, using one dumbbell at a time. When lying on your side, rest your head on your bottom hand, elbow extended above your head, and separate your legs so that the top ankle is about one foot behind the bottom ankle. Hold a dumbbell even with your hip, then slowly raise it until your hand is above your head. Lower slowly. For best results, concentrate on bringing your hand slightly behind your head on the upswing.

These shoulder exercises should make your more limber and supple in other exercises, and will increase both strength and flexibility.