No matter what type of workout you perform, how busy your schedule is, or how long you perform an exercise, you mustn’t skip warm-ups before your workout and cool-downs after your workout.
Surprisingly, many people decide not to do warm-ups before working their core and consider it fine to skip their cool-downs after jogging on a treadmill. This is not because they hate doing warm-ups or cool-downs but simply because they want to save their time. After all, only the main part of the workout counts, right? Unfortunately, people who skip warm-ups and cool-downs and only focus on the main part of their workout do more harm to their bodies than they realize.
Let’s explore the science of warm-ups and cool-downs and why they matter so much.
The Warm-up
When you warm up, your body temperature rises, blood vessels widen, and heart rate increases, enhancing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the muscles. During a warm-up, the slowly increasing heart rate and blood flow to the muscles help reduce muscle soreness and protect against injury.
The increased temperature also speeds the conduction of nerve signals from the brain to muscles, accelerates metabolic reactions that fuel muscle contraction, and improves movement efficiency.
For a light physical activity, it’s recommended to warm-up for at least 10 minutes. Light aerobic exercises and dynamic stretching movements are perfect for a warm-up routine. Squats, lunges, arm swings, jogging on the spot, walking up and down stairs, or fast-paced walking and side-stepping are simple examples of warm-ups.
The Cool-Downs
Cool-downs are all about your and your body’s recovery after the main part of the workout. It allows your body to gradually adjust back to the resting, pre-workout state.
Cool-downs gradually lower your heart rate and blood pressure and allow your muscles to relax slowly back from their tense state. Cool-downs, especially stretching, flush waste products (such as lactic acid formed during intense exercise) from the body, reducing muscle soreness.
To cool-down after an exercise, you can simply reduce the intensity of the exercises you’ve been doing. For instance, turn a run into a jog, jog into a walk, or fast swim into easy swim. An effective cool-down also incorporates stretching exercises to relax muscles of the body and improve range of motion.
Benefits of Warm-ups and Cool-downs
Warm-ups and cool-downs are beneficial for numerous reasons. They can:
- Improve your performance. Warm-ups increase heart rate and blood flow and stimulate the nervous system, improving your overall performance.
- Reduced Risk of Injury. Warm-up and cool-down routines are crucial for transitioning the body safely between rest and activity and back to rest again, playing a significant role in reducing the risk of injuries.
- Reduce Stress on the Cardiovascular System. Warm-ups and cool-downs in your exercise routine prepare your cardiovascular system for the demands of exercise and help it recover safely afterward, reducing stress on the heart and blood vessels.
Gym Workout in San Antonio, TX
Whether you want to improve your endurance, lose fat mass, build muscle mass, develop strength, or boost your metabolism, our coaches at Train FitClub have you covered. Our trainer works with our members to develop an individualized gym workout plan, which also includes warm-up and cool-down exercises to help you safely achieve your fitness goal.
To know more about us or to arrange your visit, call our friendly staff today at (210) 560-3044 or use our convenient contact form.