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The Facts About Warming Up and Cooling Down

Many people don’t consider a warm-up before a workout or a cool-down afterwards to be completely necessary. Are they wrong? Get the most out of your pre- and post-workout routine with these tips from Cooper Fitness Center .
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The key to your pre-exercise warm-up routine

When warming up before exercise a dynamic warm-up is key, rather than static stretching, which should be done post-exercise.

A dynamic warm-up should be done to prepare for an aerobic/cardio workout or strength training. The purpose of a dynamic warm-up is to:

  • Raise the body temperature
  • Get blood flowing
  • Increase breathing and heart rate
  • Increase range of motion through the joints and ligaments
  • Recruit muscles that will be used for exercise

A dynamic warm-up preps the body before doing more intense activity. Listen to your body, and if something is tight and needs extra attention, give that area more focus before moving into your exercise routine.

Exercise-specific warm-ups

The stretches and dynamic movements should be geared toward your sport or exercise routine. For example, runners should focus on lower body, hip flexors, hamstrings, quads and core, with less of an emphasis on upper body, arms, etc. However, someone who is preparing for a strength workout should think more about preparing for movement patterns and different ranges of motions they’ll perform during exercise, such as squats and push-ups. In addition, they focus on getting large muscle groups warm, joints loose and stabilizing the core.

The purpose of warming up is to stimulate the cardiovascular and neuromuscular systems while activating metabolic pathways (how the body responds to exercise with energy). A warm-up should last approximately eight to 15 minutes, depending on the type of exercise you are about to do. If you are short on time, pick a few quick exercises for your warm-up, such as a slow jog with dynamic stretches.

Pointers for your post-workout cool-down

The goal of the post-workout cool-down is to bring the body back to a resting level. Failure to do so could result in blood pooling, which can cause lightheadedness. You can bring the heart rate down with light exercise and static stretching, which works to lengthen the muscles, reduce risk of injury and prevent muscles from getting sore and tight after exercise. A post-workout cool down is just as important as doing a warm-up.

A proper cool-down should take five to 10 minutes, depending on the workout you just completed. During your cool-down, gradually decrease resistance and intensity in order to bring your body back to a resting level.

Taking the time to properly warm up before and cool down after exercise not only helps reduce your risk of injury, it can also improve your performance as it allows the body to move more freely and increases range of motion in joints and muscles. Consider your pre-exercise warm-up and post-workout cool-down an integral part of your overall fitness routine.

For more information about professional fitness training at Cooper Fitness Center, visit cooperfitnesscenter.com or call 972.233.4832 .