The Importance of the Warm-Up and Cool-Down With Your Workout

If you exercise regularly, you know a quality workout consists not only of the exercise itself, but also the warmup and cool down for it to be the most effective. Yet too often we skip these steps because we just want to finish the workout. However, the warmup and cool down will make your workout more effective by preparing your body for what’s to come and letting it wrap up properly.

• Benefits of each. Warming up your muscles before exercising allows them to work better by increasing the blood flow, meaning less muscle stiffness and reduced risk of injury. In other words, it prepares your body for challenges. Similarly, cooling down and stretching after a workout, also helps prevent injury and allows your heart rate and breathing to slowly return to resting levels. A slow cool down also helps prevent lactic acid buildup (a waste product) and helps lower your blood pressure gradually (a quick drop can lead to dizziness and even fainting).  Also foam rollers are useful to stretch out muscles before and after a workout.
• The warmup. A 5-10 minute warmup is all you need (a higher intensity workout means a longer warmup). With a strength training workout, do some easy cardio that warms up all the muscles at once such as walking on a treadmill, easy pedaling on a stationary bike or a slow jog. You might also focus on specific muscle groups depending on your workout, doing a set of reps with no weight to practice good form before adding the weight. Warm up for cardio similarly, starting at a slow pace and them gradually increasing speed and intensity.
• The cool down. First, avoid a complete stop – this adds to that blood pressure drop and lactic acid buildup, which can get painful. Wrap up with easy cardio (5-10 minutes), decreasing the intensity from your workout. End with gentle, slow stretching to increase flexibility and lower injury risk. Remember to breathe into the stretch and avoid bouncing, holding each stretch for 15-30 seconds. Consider shoulder and hip rolls, as well as chin drops. Stretching should not hurt – if it does, go into it more easily, and take deep breaths.

Warming up and cooling down are essential parts of a workout, so make sure to do both to get the most benefits from your workout. Look for our wellness tips, from Medical Professionals.