Warming Up and Cooling Down

Posted on August 12, 2008

Warming up and cooling down are important parts of physical activity. Here are some tips from the American College of Sports Medicine:

Warm-Up

The warm-up should include low-intensity, large-muscle group activity specific to the exercise to be performed. A warm-up of 5-10 minutes is usually adequate and can be followed by stretching. A good warm-up can help prevent injuries and other complications. Here’s what a good warm-up can do:

1. Increase muscle temperature.

2. Increase muscle blood flow.

3. Increase ease of dissociation of oxygen from hemoglobin.

4. Increase muscle enzyme activity.

5. Increase elasticity of muscle and connective tissue.

6. Decrease muscle viscosity.

Cool-Down

The cool-down should also includes large-muscle-group activity done for 5-10 minutes. It should be done in the low-moderate intensity range. Here’s what cooling down properly can do for your body:

1. Enhance blood return to heart.

2. Enhance body’s ability to transport metabolic byproducts away from muscle.

3. Allows for gradual return of heart rate and blood pressure to pre-exercise levels.

4. Good time to stretch and work on flexibility as muscle and connective tissue are more pliable.¹

Always make sure you plan time to warm-up and cool-down. Have fun!

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