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Recovery and breathing

How a stretching session is built

30 to 45 seconds of hold depending on your level, both sides for one-sided stretches, areas that alternate between upper and lower body, and a session that fits your time: the rules of the stretching session.

3 min read Updated October 9, 2026

Contents
  1. The principle
  2. The Azetta method
  3. Why this choice
  4. Limits
  5. What you set in the app
  6. References

The principle

An effective stretching session holds each position long enough, doesn't forget the other side, and covers the areas that need it without going over the planned time. Azetta builds it from your duration, your level, the chosen area (or the muscles you want to target), your equipment and your injuries, from among 63 static stretches.

The Azetta method

Hold time

Level Default hold
Beginner 30 s
Intermediate 40 s
Advanced 45 s

Between two stretches, 10 s of transition; for a one-sided stretch, 5 s to switch sides. The session starts with 10 s of preparation.

One-sided stretch = 2 × hold + 5 sStretch for both sides at once = 1 × hold

The areas

  • Whole body
  • Upper body: neck, shoulders, chest, arms, upper back
  • Lower body: hips, adductors, quads, hamstrings, calves
  • Back and hips: upper and lower back, hips, adductors
  • Neck and shoulders: neck, shoulders, chest

You can also choose muscles: stretches that have them as their primary muscle come first, then those that work them as secondary muscles.

Choosing the stretches

  • The app takes one region at a time, alternating between upper and lower body, in this order: hamstrings, upper back, hips, shoulders, quads, lower back, calves, chest, adductors, neck, arms.
  • It adds stretches as long as the session fits your duration (+20 s tolerance), with at least 2 stretches.
  • If the area is small, it does another pass, up to 3 passes.
  • The final order goes from head to toe.
  • Ruled out: stretches above your level (except intermediate), those needing equipment you don't have (ball, bench, resistance band) and those not recommended for your injury (knee, back, shoulder).

Energy

A stretching session counts a MET of 2.3 (light stretching) for calories and adds 10 ml of water per minute to your hydration goal.

Why this choice

  • In healthy adults, holding a static stretch for 30 seconds proved as effective as 60 seconds for gaining flexibility: hence holds of 30 to 45 s.
  • Reviews on stretching show that static stretches of less than 60 s per muscle group have little negative effect on performance, and improve range of motion.
  • Alternating upper and lower body and stretching both sides gives a balanced session even when it is short.

Limits

  • Static stretches only: no PNF (contract-relax), no dynamic mobility, no foam roller and no partner stretches.
  • No measurement of your flexibility and no tracking of range of motion.
  • A stretch should not hurt: sharp pain is a signal to stop.

References

  1. Bandy WD, Irion JM, Briggler M. The effect of time and frequency of static stretching on flexibility of the hamstring muscles. Physical Therapy, 1997;77(10):1090-1096.
  2. Behm DG, Blazevich AJ, Kay AD, McHugh M. Acute effects of muscle stretching on physical performance, range of motion, and injury incidence in healthy active individuals: a systematic review. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 2016;41(1):1-11.

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