Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs

Hey everyone, I thought it would be of great use to you all if I sent over some info regarding warm-ups and cool-downs as it’s not just the main part of your workout that matters. The people who skip the processes before and after a workout may be doing more harm to their bodies than they realize. A warm-up and a cool-down both involve doing exercises at a lower intensity and slower pace. 

Benefits of warm-ups: 

1. Injury Prevention: By loosening up your joints and increasing blood flow to your muscles, warming up helps avoid injuries by reducing the likelihood that your muscles will strain. 

2. Improved Blood Flow – Warming up helps your muscles receive more blood. Your muscles require oxygen to operate, which is carried by your blood.  

3. Quicker Muscle Contraction/Relaxation – Warming up with physical activity raises your body temperature, which in turn, makes muscles function faster and more efficiently. 

Benefits of cool-downs: 

1. Recovery – Following an intense workout, your muscles accumulate lactic acid, which requires time for your body to clear it out. After exercise, cooling down can accelerate your body's recovery.  

2. Reduced DOMS - Although soreness in the muscles is normal following exercise, DOMS is extremely uncomfortable. After exercising, a cool-down can help reduce significant muscle soreness. 

What Happens If You Don’t Properly Warm Up and Cool Down? 

Muscle injuries account for almost 30% of injuries sustained during exercise, and they are easily avoidable by warming up and stretching beforehand. Warming up also enables you to raise your breathing and heart rate gradually to a level appropriate for your workout. Your heart and lungs will be put under needless stress if you begin an intense workout without first warming up. 

Written by - Tom Weaver