Stretching is a great way of cooling down after exercise as it helps to relieve the build up of lactic acid in your muscles and helps you to avoid injury from over exertion and suddenly stopping exercise.
If you have been running or using a treadmill for example then ensure that you start a cool down by gradually slowing the pace you are traveling at and decreasing incline if possible. This way you end the actual specific exercises in a good way and prepare yourself well for stretches.
Find a good place to stretch, on mats if you are in a sports or fitness center or just somewhere flat if outside or at home without a mat available. If possible you want to have access to a wall in order to be able to do some of the following stretches.
Arm Stretch
Stretch your arms overhead and bring one down to rest on the opposite shoulder. Rest the hand of your other arm on the elbow of raised arm. Move the hand on your shoulder down so it is more in line with your spine and then twist the other arm up around your back from the bottom and try to interlink the fingers of both hands together. Use them as resistance to each other and feel the stretch.
Wall Stretch
Have your palm, inner elbow and shoulder against a wall, with your arm out behind you parallel to the floor. Stretch your body around away from the wall while maintaining contact. You should feel the muscles in your arm and chest stretch. Repeat this on the other side and raise and lower the arm on the wall a little to target different areas.
Leg Stretch
Lie on your back and extend one leg upwards. Grab hold of your leg with both hands interlocked around it just below the knee. Keeping it straight, pull it towards your torso as far as possible. Hold and gradually return the leg to starting position. The other leg should be bent with the foot flat on the floor as you do this.
Foot Grab
Simply stand on one leg with one foot raised up behind you. Hold this foot where laces are or would be and pull the leg slightly towards your bottom without strain. Feel the tension and release to alternate legs.
Toe Grab
Sit on the floor with your legs bent to the sides and the soles of your feet together, close to your body. Hold your feet with both hands and slowly lean forwards over them as far as possible whilst remaining comfortable. Get your chest as close to the floor as possible, hold and raise again.
Each stretch should be held for at least 20 seconds and be repeated twice if necessary. Try and slow your breathing at the same time and let your heart rate naturally decrease. After stretching, shake out each limb. By doing stretches such as this, combined with some of your own if you know any, you should avoid a lot of muscle pain following exercise.
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