Stretching

This is pretty self explanatory, but stretching is important after muscle exertion as well as following a massage. Muscles can form what are known as contractures, where the cell does not lengthen to its full potential. This happens due to its construction.

Imagine velcro, and how the bottom half has a curly shape and the top part has loops that the bottom part can catch on. Well now imagine that the top part is also curly, and there is only one row of fibers -- one row on top, and one row on the bottom, but that the top and bottom can curl against each other to pull the one end toward the other. Now imagine that as the fibers are curled, instead of uncurling and just letting go, one bottom fiber gets caught on the next top fiber up the line and doesn't release. You have an image of a contraction!

Stretching helps to avoid these nasty things, as well as breaks contractions that have already formed. You get greater range of motion, and a better structural balance when standing at rest.