The Value of Warming Up and Cooling Down Routines

As a smart exerciser, you must know the importance of warming up and cooling down routines. Each has its own benefits, and must be practiced before and after an exercise or training session. Muscle stiffness, pain and fatigue can be greatly avoided or minimised if you allow yourself to warm up and cool down properly. Not doing so could lead to very serious consequences, such injuries and accidents.

Warming up is, of course, something that must be done prior to any actual physical activity (e.g. exercise, game, or training). Ideally, it should last for at least an hour of performing a mix of stretches, jogs, drills, and runs. Stretching will reduce muscle stiffness, jogging will increase body temperature, drills will prepare you for competition, and running will awaken your senses. As for stretching, opt for dynamic routines rather than static ones to benefit from reduced muscle stiffness.

Aside from that, warm-ups help increase speed of muscle contraction and relaxation. They also facilitate oxygen distribution, nerve transmission, muscle metabolism, and blood flow. Warmed muscles have lower viscous resistance, and thus, allows for better movement. More importantly, warming up will help you become mentally alert and focused on the challenge or activity ahead.

Cooling down should typically last for about 30 minutes doing jogging, walking and stretching. Unlike warm-ups, static exercises are more apt for cool-down routines since they relax, realign and re-establish the muscles. When done the right way, cooling down will aid in the dissipation of waste products like lactic acid, reduce the likelihood of dizziness or fainting, lower the adrenaline level in the blood and allow the heart rate to normalise.