Doing proper stretches -- as little as 10 minutes every other day -- can help you reduce stress and muscle tension, prevent injury and reduce leg cramps. Here are some of the best:

The butterfly. Sitting on the floor, bring the soles of your feet together and gently pull feet toward your groin. While holding your ankles, place elbows on your knees and slowly push them toward the floor.

The hamstring hold. Remain on the floor and extend one leg, toes pointing up. Keeping your back straight, reach for the toes of the extended leg until you feel a slight pull (don't overdo). Repeat with the other leg.

The cramp killer. Standing 2-3 feet from a wall, place your palms against it level with your shoulders. Step forward with one foot, bending the knee and keeping the other leg extended behind you. Lean forward until you feel a gentle tug in the extended leg. Repeat with the other leg.

The sky scraper. With fingers locked together, raise your arms above your head. Keep palms facing upward. Extend arms back and up, feeling the stretch in your shoulders, upper back and arms.

The side slide. Still standing, drop your arms to the sides. Slide one arm down your leg as far as you can until you feel the stretch on the opposite side of your waist. Repeat for the other side.

Start each of these stretches slowly, stopping just when you begin to strain and holding each position for 15-30 seconds. Repeat two to three times. Extra tip: Before you begin stretching, warm up "cold" muscles with 5-10 minutes of light activity such as jumping jacks. You'll make your muscles more flexible and ready for a super stretching session.