How to Warm Up/Cool Down When It Comes to Exercise

The few minutes before and after exercising are critical when protecting yourself from injury or over exertion. The 5 to 10 minutes you take warming up or cooling down can make the difference between a beneficial workout or a workout where you injure yourself or put yourself at risk. Read on to learn more.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• 10 minutes before and after your work out
• common sense

How to Warm Up/Cool Down When It Comes to Exercise

1. The reason for the warm up prior to your workout is to ease your body into an intense, active phase. The warm up serves to slowly elevate your heart rate as well as build up oxygen in the body. Your breathing will speed up and bring more oxygen in, at a time when the body is most in need of it. You can warm up by stretching, walking or jogging in place. The warm up is exactly that. It warms your muscles up so that they can perform at optimum efficiency. This will also prevent muscle strains and tears.
2. The cool down period serves the opposite purpose. It takes the body from it's active phase to a normal phase. When you finish exercising, your heart rate is elevated and your body is craving extra oxygen. Once you have finished the vigorous part of your routine, you want your heart rate to slow down gradually. Stretching, walking, swimming or jogging are good ways to allow this to happen. Keep moving. This will allow for a very gradual decrease in your breathing as well. The cool down serves another purpose, as well. As the muscles cool down, they may have a tendency to cramp up. Continual movement after the intense exercising will keep the muscles from cramping. The cool down period will allow for extra oxygen to enter the muscle tissue, thus allowing calories to continue burning after the actual exercise period is over.
3. When you are in your warm up and cool down periods, where a warm up suit if you can. This will keep heat next to the body to warm the muscles up and will prevent heat from escaping during the cooling down process.
4. Always remember to drink adequate amounts of fluid. Water is the best; but Gatorade will give you added nutrients. There are other beverages that offer creatine or vitamins. Be smart and read the labels. Make sure you need what they offer.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a physical before beginning any exercise program.
• Make sure there is someone in the vicinity to help you if you need it.
• Learn to read your own body. You will know when you are ready to begin exercising or are finished cooling down.
• Don't over do. When your body tells you to stop, stop!
• Never work out alone, if you are unfamiliar with equipment or program.
• Always carry water with you.
• Don't try and out do the next guy. Compete against yourself and no one else. It's not worth getting hurt over.