We often hear about the importance of warming up before a workout, but what about cool-downs? The benefits of warming up are well-documented, with the most notable being injury prevention. Warm-up exercises help prepare muscles and joints for what lies ahead by gently activating and stretching them.
Most individuals who are serious about fitness will warm up, but only some cool down. Cooldown exercises at the end of a workout can benefit the body and overall exercise performance. They can also influence exercise recovery rates, so read on to find out more.
Enhances Flexibility
Cooldowns involve stretching exercises that can improve flexibility and range of motion in the joints and muscles, reducing the risk of injury and enhancing performance.
Cooldown stretching can strengthen muscles and joints, preparing them for the stresses and strains of future workouts.
It is best to incorporate both active and passive stretching in a cool-down. Passive stretching involves staying in a certain position for some time, while active stretching involves movements that engage one muscle, which helps to activate another.
Enhanced joint and muscle flexibility from cool-down stretching improves exercise performance. However, it can also make everyday activities such as walking and climbing stairs easier.
Promotes Recovery
Cooldowns promote recovery after exercise because they ease tension in muscles and joints, help with circulation, and bring down heart rate and blood pressure to pre-exercise levels. This can aid relaxation and release tension in the muscles.
Cooldowns are also therapeutic mentally as they lower stress levels and help release built-up mental tension.
Improves Circulation
Cooldowns help to regulate blood flow and improve circulation throughout the body. This can aid the removal of by-products, such as lactic acid from the muscles, which can delay muscle recovery and create muscle soreness and cramping.
Adequate cooldowns promote the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to tired muscles via improved blood flow, and this can help speed up recovery and improve muscle health.
Prevents Blood Pooling
Improved circulation from cooldowns is directly linked to the prevention of blood pooling after an intense workout. Blood flow naturally increases throughout the body during any type of activity as blood needs to get to the muscles being activated.
The result can be blood collecting or pooling in one area. Cooldowns can prevent this by improving circulation and relaxing muscles, allowing blood and nutrients to flow freely through the entire body.
Essentially, the purpose of regular cooldowns is to gently and gradually ease your body out of its “activated mode” after a workout. This is especially important for youth athletes, so taking five to ten minutes to cooldown after every exercise session can make a long-term impact.
