Warming up and cooling down greatly reduces the likelihood of injury. However, it is unlikely that you will consider this before strenuous gardening or dog walking!
Exercise sessions or periods of activity should always commence with a warm up period.
| This is because: This means: - Oxygen supply to muscles is increased
- Muscles are less tense
- Heart, lungs and other organs are prepared for a period of activity i.e. it gets your blood pumping
|
In theory, anything that increases body temperature can be useful for a warm-up period. During warm-up, you also prepare yourself mentally for a period of activity.
If you are following specific exercises, a short period (5 10 minutes) of low-intensity aerobic activity, such as walking, is a good way to warm up the whole body. Any activity that gently increases cardiovascular output should be considered.
Muscles and joints should only be stretched or rotated after core temperature and blood flow have been increased through some aerobic activity. Slow gentle stretches, starting with the upper and lower back, followed by the lower body and limbs, help warm the muscles up further.
Cooling down
A cooling-down period after exercise is as important as warming up, and should not be avoided. Again, cooling down after gardening may not be considered, but may be helpful.
The purpose of cooling down is to minimise muscle fatigue and soreness. Pain felt in muscles after exercise is caused by the production of lactic acid during activity. Cooling down assists the body in the removal of this by-product, hence reducing pain and discomfort.
Simply stretching muscles is not a legitimate way to cool down but it can form part of the process. The cool-down period is similar to the warm-up and should include gentle aerobic exercise as well as stretching.
Between 5 and 10 minutes of low-intensity exercise should be carried out at the end of your activity, such as walking. This assists in slowing heart rate, removing by-products from the muscles, and cooling core temperature.
After this short period, muscles should be gently stretched. This reduces the cramping or the tight feeling sometimes experienced, and improves flexibility.
If you are sore the day after exercise, some gentle warm-up and cool-down exercises can help alleviate any discomfort, as lactic acid will still be present in the muscles.
Did you know that a massage is a brilliant way to cool down tired muscles after exercise?
02/06/2009