Total Workout: Stretch

Gotta lay the groundwork before you can build the temple, and anybody who takes his or her workout seriously knows that warming up and stretching out is key to maximizing potential and minimizing injury. Start it out easy, as Q-Tip urges you to "Wait Up," before heading off our Stretch Basics to the steady, motivational propulsions of Fabolous' "Breathe," the keep-it-going funk of Shop Boyz's "Party Like a Rock Star," and the shake-it-loose beats of Swollen Members' "Too Hot." Keep those muscles supple, with Next Steps.

OK, you've warmed up nice and easy till you're feeling good and loose. Here's where you kick it up ever so slightly, hooking onto the beats of Kelis' "Milkshake" and letting them sink you even deeper into the stretch. Feels good, right? Keep going. From the ultra-cool of Oakenfold's "Starry Eyed Surprise" to the in-the-club bounce of Ludacris & Bobby V.'s "Pimpin' All Over the World," we've got riffs and rhythms to carry you all the way. If you don't want to do yourself an injury, you'll need the stretch support of our Deep Cuts.

Whoever thought that stretching meant time to rest is seriously delusional. Ask anyone doing time in a Bikram studio — stretching is as mentally stimulating as any workout. So get those hammies loose to Metallica's steady grinder "Turn the Page," the wah-wah soul of Lewis Taylor's "Positively Beautiful," the gently rippling soundscape of Sting's "Fields of Gold," and a languid, laid-back electric-guitar mix of John Mayer's "Daughters."

Talk about essential: stretching out may be the easiest part of your total workout to totally phase out, but skipping the stretch means missing out on a world of bodily benefits. Whether you're looking to ramp up your workout, scale back on the risk of injury, increase your balance and flexibility, or simply get off to the pure physical pleasure of elongating muscles, a good stretch — always preceded by a gentle warm-up — is the way to get going. To keep it going? Look no further than the motivational sounds of our Total Workout: Stretch Essentials.