Introduction
When it comes to exercising, warming up and cooling down is essential to performing your best and also avoiding injury. In this guide, we’ll cover the basics of warm-up and cool down as well as the benefits they can provide.
Warm-up is an important part of any exercise and should include dynamic or cardiovascular movements and stretching. This phase is intended to increase your body temperature which is beneficial for your muscles, ligaments and tendons to be more responsive and prepared for physical activity. Cool down involves a gradual lowering of your heart rate, oxygen level, and blood pressure. This can be done through stretching, light walking, or other light exercise.
Aside from preparing the body for physical activity, warm and cool downs offer numerous benefits. Warming up helps to increase your body temperature, activity level and blood flow, reducing muscle tightness and the risk of injury. Cooling down helps to prevent light-headedness and also helps reduce lactic acid build-up – which can leave your muscles feeling sore post-exercise. Additionally, stretching helps to improve flexibility and reduce the chance of injury. So, whether you’re just starting on your fitness journey or you’re a seasoned pro, make sure to warm up and cool down regularly – it’s worth it!
Guidelines for Warm-up
A. Target Heart Rate
Before you begin warming up, it is important to understand what target heart rate you should be aiming for. Generally, during a warm-up you want your heart rate to be increased at a rate that is steady, without reaching your max heart rate. You can calculate your target heart rate per minute by subtracting your age from 220 and then multiplying it by 0.65 to 0.85.
B. Types of Exercises to Incorporate
When warming up, your focus should be on dynamic stretching and low impact exercises that can switch from stretching to cardio. Start by slowly walking around to increase your heart rate and gradually incorporate dynamic stretching – such as leg swings, side to side squats, arm circles, and walking lunges. After a few minutes of dynamic stretching, move into low impact cardio exercises like jogging in place, skipping, and walking lunges.
C. Duration
The duration of your warm-up should range from 5-15 minutes depending on how intense the activity will be. As a rule of thumb, the more vigorous your activity the longer your warm-up time should be. Additionally, monitoring your heart rate can help you determine whether or not you need to go longer.
Guidelines for Cool Down
Now that you’ve completed your workout, it’s time to cool down your body and end your session on the right note. A proper cool down is just as important as a warm up and can help your body stay loose, flexible, and can even help reduce soreness. Here’s a basic guide to help you incorporate a cool down routine into your regimen.
A. Types of Exercises to Incorporate
After working out, it’s important to bring your body’s heart rate and breathing back to a resting state. To do this, focus on stretching and low-impact activities like walking, cycling or slow jogging. Stretches should focus on lengthening your muscles, particularly those you used in your exercise. For best results, try to hold each stretch for at least 15-20 seconds.
B. Duration
Despite the importance of a cool down, there’s no need to spend too much time on this activity. Depending on the intensity of your workout, spend anywhere from 5-15 minutes doing light stretching and cardio. That said, if you’re a beginner or have been taken a long break from exercising, feel free to spend a bit more time. One final tip: use the cool down period as a time for reflection – take the time to think about your workout and acknowledge any progress you’ve made.
Conclusion
Choosing the right warm-up and cool down routine for your workout is an important part of making sure your workouts are effective and safe. When selecting a warm-up or cool down, you’ll want to consider the length of time you have available, the intensity of the workout, the type of exercise you’ll be doing, and whether you’ll be performing a warm-up prior to or a cool down following the workout. You’ll also want to think about what specific exercises you’ll be performing – some exercises require more recovery than others.
Finally, it’s important to remember to stay hydrated before and after exercise, and listen to your body’s needs. The right warm-up and cool down will help to make your workout more effective, and help prevent injuries, so take your time when deciding which exercises you want to include in your routine. With the right warm-up and cool down, you’ll be on your way to a healthier, stronger you!
