We have all heard how important it is to warm-up before
we begin physical activity, and how equally essential it
is too cool-down gradually after completing an exercise
session. Have you ever wondered why you should sandwich
every workout between a few minutes of warming-up and a
few minutes of cooling-down?
The main reason for warming-up is to prepare your body
for more physical demanding activity that is to follow.
A progressive warm-up begins an adaptation process in
both your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems,
which reduces the risk of premature physical overload
and traumatic injuries. For example, as you warm-up your
heart rate and systolic blood pressure gradually
increase to accommodate the demands of higher activity
levels. In addition, your blood vessels open up and
previously closed capillary levels are activated to
enhance blood flow to the working muscles. As your body
temperature increases, muscles, connective tissues and
joint structures warm-up for more efficient function.
Of course, the mental aspects associated with warming up
should not be discounted. A standard pre-exercise
warm-up procedure puts you into the proper mindset for a
productive workout. Without an appropriate warm-up
routine, you may find it difficult to begin your
training sessions at the right intensity for a safe and
sustained workout. That is, you may start too fast or
too slow and never seem to hit your desired stride.
The reasons for including a cool-down segment in your
exercise session are even more compelling. Certainly,
cooling down provides a smooth transition period between
your activity state and your resting state, in much the
same way as the warm-up. Even more important, however,
is the cool-down's effect on blood circulation and heart
recovery. Consider that during a 30-minute jogging or
cycling session your heart is circulating large
quantities of blood throughout your body, and especially
to the large muscles of the legs that are doing most of
the work. If you simply stop exercising, the heart keeps
pumping blood to the legs, but the muscles are no longer
moving in rhythmic patterns that facilitated blood
return back to the heart. As a result, blood tends to
accumulate in the legs and an insufficient blood return
causes the heart to work harder in an attempt to force
more blood through the system.
A secondary outcome of blood pooling is a feeling of
lightheadedness or even fainting due to inadequate
blood-oxygen supply to the brain. Fortunately, by
continuing to move after you cross the finish line you
can maintain normal circulation and avoid these
potentially harmful consequences. Even slow walking
provides the piston-like pumping action in your leg
muscles that squeezes blood through the one-way valves
in your veins back to the heart.
So instead of suddenly stopping your exercise, slow down
gradually and keep moving for at least five minutes
after your training period. Of course, a harder workout
requires a longer cool-down, that is, it takes more time
to transition back to rest from a fast 30-minute run
than from a slow 30-minute walk.
As you near the end of your cool-down, you may conclude
with a few gentle and relaxing stretching exercises. It
is generally recommended to perform your stretches when
your body is fully warmed up and most flexible. This
makes the cool-down the perfect place for your
stretching routines. It also assists in leaving your
workout feeling invigorated rather than exhausted.
Suggested Warm-Up and Cool-Down Routines
There is no specific formula for determining the optimum
warm-up and cool-down protocols. Basically, this depends
on a variety of factors, including your age, physical
ability, the type of exercise activity and the level of
training intensity.
Generally speaking, your warm-up and cool-down programs
should be longer if you are older, less physically fit,
or if you are exercising at a more challenging training
level. For example, an older beginning exerciser may
divide a 20-minute workout into about seven minutes of
warm-up activity, seven minutes of actual training, and
seven minutes of cool-down activity. As another
comparison, a 30-minute walking workout may be safely
sandwiched between a five-minute warm-up and a
five-minute cool-down, whereas a 30-minute fast-paced
stairclimbing session may require a seven minute warm-up
and a 10-minute cool-down for best results.
My suggestion for an effective warm-up is to begin with
some abdominal exercises such as trunk curls, and
twisting trunk curls for the important midsection (core)
muscles. These may be followed by some half-squats or
chair squats that address the large quadriceps,
hamstrings and gluteal muscles of the hips and thighs.
Next, perform a few standing exercises such as trunk
bends and turns, shoulder rotations and gentle neck
stretches. Then do at least a couple minutes of the
workout exercise (walking, cycling, stairclimbing, etc.)
at a very slow pace, gradually progressing towards your
desired training intensity.
After completing your workout, please, move immediately
into your cool-down phase. Your first step is to
continue the training exercise for a few more minutes,
while continuously slowing the pace to an almost
effortless exertion level. When your heart rate has
returned within 20 beats of resting (typically 80 to 90
beats per minute), you may perform a few walking
stretches followed by a few standing stretches. Finish
with some seated stretches, such as the Figure A
stretch, and some supine stretches, such as the Letter T
stretch.
Although warming up and cooling down add a little time
to each training session, you will find that it is time
well spent and time that enhances both your workout
performance and your recovery ability. Warming-up and
cooling-down may also make the difference between
intermittent physical problems and injury-free exercise
experiences.
Wayne
L. Westcott, Ph.D.
is fitness director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy,
Massachusetts, and strength training consultant for
IDEA, the American Council on Exercise, the
International Fitness Institute, and the YMCA of the
USA. Dr. Westcott is the author of the college textbook
Strength Fitness, and the professional textbook Be
Strong.
More
Books from Dr. Westcott
CEC:
Current Strength Training Research
by Dr. Westcott
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
