You might be less likely to injure yourself

The scientific evidence on this one is iffy, but incorporating stretching into your warm-up—never try to stretch cold muscles—might help your body get ready for exercise as well as switch your brain into "workout mode.Stretching can't totally eliminate injury, but it could certainly help from a mindset perspective by getting you more focused so you're less likely to make an ouch-inducing misstep. Try a few minutes of dynamic stretching, like arm circles and lunges, before you really get going.