You can follow these steps towards stretching:
1)Always warm up first
When you stretch without warming up, you can pull a muscle. All you need to do is walk up and down, spot jog or pump your arms for five minutes.

2)Hold it for 30 seconds
There is really no point stretching if it?s all over in no time. The point of any stretch is holding it for a while. If you?ve working a problem area, hold it for at least 30 seconds.

3)Don?t bounce about
Be gentle on yourself and on your muscles. Jerking up or bouncing between movements can cause you to tear a muscle. When it heals, you will be more prone to pain in that area.

4)If it hurts you?ve doing it wrong
But don?t let that stop you from stretching. You?ve either stretched too far or too fast. Just back off a bit to where you don?t feel pain.

5)Breathe
Count your breaths if you must but don?t hold your breath.

6)Stretch both sides
Make sure the movement is equal on both sides of the body to maintain the equilibrium.