Hi, I want to talk about the benefits of warming-up and cooling down.
You should already know the why and wherefore of warming up and cooling down, but just in case you don't, or need some reminding. (Yes, I'm talking to you with the pulled muscle, and you laid on the mortuary slab, tut, why won't you listen)?
Warming up is the most important part of any exercise. Especially if you have been unfit or not trained or done even light exercise for a while, then it is a critical factor in your survival. Putting even a light strain on your body if you are unfit can result in a heart attack or stroke.
A lot of people I see at the gym, mistake stretching exercises for a warm-up routine. Doh!
YOU DON'T STRETCH BEFORE YOU WARM UP!
Warming up, is about moving about, even in small movements at first. Walk at a steady pace and swing your arms type of exercise. After about two and a half minutes of this, pick up the pace to a slight bouncing jog and bring your arms up higher or into boxing stance and gently punch the air. (Don't over-stretch and over-reach).
If you cannot keep this level of activity up at a steady pace, without puffing and panting like a boar stuck in a hole, then you can label yourself as unfit! You need to slow down gradually and then stop until you can get some more lighter exercise under your belt. (Like, just walking daily and easting healthily, (or less) over a three month period. Then try again, get professional help in the gym via a professional trainer).
You cannot claim to be 'into' keeping fit, if you don't exercise at least three times a week for about at least an hour each session. Even then, you only just qualify! Sorry about that! (You'll get little respect from me).
I exercise daily, roughly one hour or sometimes more. And I am not doing it for any sport, or rhyme or reason, except to keep my general level of fitness. Warm-up and cool down is actually what you do most of during an exercise session and should be in proportion to the actual maximum sustained load workout.
The fitter you are, perhaps, you might be able to cope with shorter warm-up and cool-down routines. Sporting athletes could perhaps easily be sat with a resting heart rate one minute and then get up and sprint a half mile, sit down and be back at a resting heart rate within a few minutes. That's called being fit!
If you are not a sporting athlete, doing this same activity to prove some macho psychological point could end up with you occupying a slab at your local mortuary. I'm not joking!
After exercise, when your muscles are warm and supple, that's when you stretch. As you are doing your cooling off and slowing down exercises, you stretch out. This stretching extends the active radius of scope of your muscles.
After exercise, when your muscles are warm
and supple, that's when you stretch!
Coming out of your exercise session slowly allows your heart to reduce its workload gradually and blood supply and delivery to muscles slows, so as not to cause blood collecting in muscles and under skin, resulting in lactose build-up and cramps.
There is a lot more rhyme and reason to the benefits of warming up and cooling down, like if done correctly, it can improve and extend the effectiveness of the whole exercise routine. Conversely, if not done, or done incorrectly, then you could just be wasting you time and risking injury.
By far the biggest benefit of doing warm-up's and cool-down's correctly and for long enough. Not only increases the effects of the whole exercise routine, but also greatly reduces the risk of sustaining injury. Sometimes the injury is not visible or felt immediately.
In a standard one hour routine for me at the age of 47, I warm-up for 15 to 20 minutes, push my maximum heart rate of 140 to 157 (I aim for a constant 150 bpm +/- 10), for 15 to 20 minutes and them cool-down for 15 to 20 minutes. This is a safe and accepted routine that was developed by professional athletes, in both cycle and rowing sports. (And I have been doing it for many years - daily - without a single injury)!
Do not attempt anything like this, if you have not been prepared and had consistent exercise working toward this level. It takes time and patience to get to this point and whilst your macho BS can push you to that level, you may end up paying the price for it by way of physical injury or worse!
But, please 'Warm-Up' and 'Cool-Down' correctly and for long enough! Stretching before warming up can tear and rupture muscles, not stretching after cool-down can cause muscle stiffness and cramps as well as reduced effectiveness of the whole exercise session.
AndyGold,
TAGS:- Warm-Up, Cool-Down, Stretching, Exercise, Exercising, Fitness, Health, Fitness and Health,
