Your exercise experience will be more enjoyable if you warm up and allow your body to cool down as you move. At the start of your workout, your muscles are cold. They may be tight from previous training. To prevent injuries, you want to warm up those muscles and get your heart rate up. Once you’ve completed your workout, you’ll want to slow your heart rate and stretch while your muscles cool down to avoid stiffness or cramps.
Benefits of a good warm-up
Warming up allows your muscles to be fully supplied with oxygen. During your warm-up, your blood vessels expand and your body can transport oxygen to those muscles more efficiently. Getting your lungs in the loop helps you build new muscle tissue at the peak of your workout.
A good warm-up also protects your joints. The ligaments and tendons that form the joints in your joints need to be fully oxygenated. Your warm-up is an ideal time to check in on joints that may be sore from a previous activity. As you work on the joint during your warm-up, that pain may decrease.
A sore joint may benefit from a light stretch at the end of your warm-up. You may also need to adjust the intensity of your workout to avoid damage to a painful joint. By stretching your body a little at the end of your warm-up, you can avoid straining a sore muscle or joint.
How to warm up
Think of your warm-up as the junior varsity activity of your training. If you run during your workout, walk for two minutes and do some light jogging for the next eight minutes for a brisk 10-minute warm-up. As you walk, wave your arms. After a light jog, stop and do 10 wall planks. Then do it
some giant swings to completely loosen up your shoulders.
For those who lift weights as part of their training, it is important to start with a core warm-up. For example, you can choose to cycle to the gym. A slow cycle of easy pedaling will:
- Warm up your leg muscles
- Loosen your knees
- Work on your ankles
- Engage your core
Even on an electric bike you can strengthen your core with a gentle ride. Once you hit the gym, you’re ready to warm up your upper body. In addition to waving your arms as you walk or jog, you can also grab a basketball and bounce the ball against the wall to get your hands and arms moving. Looking at a racket and hitting a tennis ball off the wall for a few minutes is a great way to warm up your entire body.
body, including your heart. Jumping jacks can also warm up your entire body before lifting.
Once you’re warm, stretch. Those who lift weights should get into the habit of doing some deep chest stretches. It’s also a good idea to stretch your upper back before lifting. If you target
specific muscle groups on specific days, making sure those muscles get the most thorough warm-up.
Warming up is more important as you get older
A tough workout can lead to soreness for young muscles that haven’t had a chance to warm up. Older athletes can suffer serious damage including muscle strain, ligament damage and tendon tears if they don’t start with a warm-up.
For older athletes, starting with a gentle version of an action may be the best choice. For example, a great warm-up for pickleball involves short movements from side to side to warm up ankles, knees and hips. Gentle arm movements get your wrists, elbows and shoulders ready to play.
As you move back and forth, it’s also a good idea to do some bodyweight lunges or squats and stretch your lower back. Any sport that involves twisting and reaching can be hard on your spine. Building a strong core with lunges can help, but mini-lunges can loosen the muscles along the spine to prevent tears or strains.
Stay warm as soon as you get warm
If you prefer to exercise outdoors, it’s crucial that you stay warm once you’ve warmed up. Maybe you like to play pick-up basketball. If you’re spending some time on the couch, stretch while you wait. Get the blood flowing to those warmed up muscles.
Likewise, it’s a good idea to layer your clothes. Runners who go outside during the coldest winter months may choose not to wear a jacket and wear fleece leggings under wind pants and jacket. As your run progresses, you can choose to unzip the top layer so perspiration can cool your skin.
Hydrate during your warm-up, workout and cool-down
Staying hydrated is key to health in general and healthy exercise in particular. When you are dehydrated, your…
muscles can cramp. You may lose your flexibility over time and have difficulty stretching severe cramps.
Dehydration can also increase the risk of soreness after a workout. Delayed onset muscle soreness, or
DOMS, can quickly derail your training goals. Proper hydration, combined with proper cool-downs and thorough stretching, can help you stick to your training plan over time.
When you exercise in cold weather or in a cool pool, it can be difficult to notice that you need water. Make it a habit to carry a water bottle and drink regularly to avoid the dangers of dehydration.
Cool down effectively
Your cool-down routine is just as important as your warm-up, especially if your workout routine is intense. Cool down with a buddy if possible. The ability to talk is a good indicator of your slowing heart rate and breathing. If you can’t talk, you’re not ready to fully cool down.
Hydrate as you cool down. Some prefer a protein drink, but water is also effective. You may also choose to drink something that provides electrolyte replacement.
As you cool down, continue to use your muscles. For example, you can continue swinging your arms as you walk or jog. If you’re on a track, you may choose to stop and stretch your quads, calves, and hamstrings before continuing your circuit. Let your muscles loosen and relax as you go.
Take a deep breath
Deep breathing, also called belly breathing, is crucial for effective training and cooling down. To breathe properly, you need to relax the rectus abdominis, or the large muscle that runs from your ribs to the top of your pelvis. As it relaxes, your abdomen expands while the diaphragm contracts, giving your lungs plenty of air and space.
Many people have difficulty with abdominal breathing. They may notice that their stomach tightens when they inhale
and that their shoulders rise or their chest swells. Learning to release the rectus abdominis takes practice.
If you notice that your stomach contracts when you take deep breaths, try the following exercise:
Before you exercise, lie flat on your bed or on the floor. Place a book over your belly button. Slowly take a deep breath through your nose and let the book rise to the ceiling. As you exhale, let the book fall towards your spine. Practice expanding your abdomen as you inhale, rather than contracting it. If you’re a swimmer, you can also practice this in the pool as part of your cool-down.
Breathe as you stretch
The last step of a good cool down is to breathe deeply as you stretch. Don’t rush the stretching process; If you need to cut back on your workout due to time constraints, shorten the high-intensity portion of your workout.
Flexibility and stretching should never hurt. Get into the habit of static stretching; that is, extend to the
The muscle will feel tight and hold the position for 30 seconds to get the best benefit from the stretch. Count and practice your breathing as you stretch.
Be prepared to get on the floor for some stretching exercises. Take your time and move slowly, especially if you’re recovering from an overexertion or other injury. Make sure you stretch across the body as well. For example, if you suffer from shin splints and have a lot of calf pain, you can reduce it by switching to the traditional quadriceps stretch.
Stand an arm’s length from the wall and brace yourself with your left hand. With your right hand, pull the right foot toward your buttocks to stretch the quadriceps and front of the right calf. The higher your foot and the further from your buttocks, the more intense the stretch. Now switch hands, but continue to stretch by grabbing the right foot. Don’t go for height; You may be putting too much pressure on the knee. Instead, feel the deep stretch in the front of the right calf.
Consider getting in the pool
Cooling off in the pool, especially if you’re not a swimmer, may seem like an extra or unnecessary step. However, if you’re recovering from an injury or just have some wear and tear on your joints, a dip in the pool can make a big difference.
Being in the water takes the pressure off your joints. It will also take pressure off your spine. If you have a back injury or suffer from back pain, you will find that simple stretches along the wall of the pool are much less painful. You’ll enjoy a deeper stretch without discomfort.
Getting in the pool can also soothe your cardiovascular system. Panting in the pool is quite hard. Getting into deep water and walking or jogging in the pool can help reduce the intensity of your workout and take the strain off your joints.
If your workout is tough enough to cause a serious increase in your body temperature, getting in the water can help lower it. Take your water bottle to the water’s edge and continue drinking while you walk, jog slowly, or stretch. Stretch your body as you cool it down and work your way to the short end of the pool, stretching your upper body as you go.