Warm Up, Cool Down

Warm Up, Cool Down

The warm-up at the beginning of a workout and the cool-down afterward
have a couple of things in common. Both involve relatively gentle movements and some stretching. The purpose of both the warm-up and the cool-down is to enhance flexibility, minimize discomfort, and even prevent injury. The warm-up specifically prepares the muscular system for the harder work to come. It helps you loosen up before your aerobic workout to get the blood flowing and to loosen your muscles for the upcoming exercises. The cool-down allows your body to relax, to discard some of the waste products and lactic acid you might have accumulated, and to return to a resting state after you are finished. Begin your workout with a couple of deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. If you are planning to walk or run, do a few hundred yards at a slower walk or a gentle jog. Start an aerobics routine with a few minutes of light, dance-like motions to bring your heart-rate up slowly and gradually. This warm-up period is vital in increasing the blood flow to your muscles, which in turn makes muscles and connective tissue more elastic. Before you rev into your routine, do a few gentle calf, hamstring, and hip flexor stretches to limber up.
The cool-down routine is similar, but in reverse—slowing the pace from your aerobic walk, run, or choreographed routine—to enable your heart rate to return to fewer than 100 beats per minute. Soon, your breathing and heart rates will return to normal. Your post-aerobic stretches can be stronger, because muscles are more elastic after a workout than before. Done over time, these stretches help lengthen the muscles and make you more flexible.