Don’t skip your cool down!
Too many people bolt at the end of their workout because they think the important work is done. We disagree. Cooling down after your workout is definitely important.
According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine (N.A.S.M.), a cool-down provides the body with a smooth transition from exercise back to a steady-state of rest.
“The overarching goal of a cool-down,” N.A.S.M. says, “is to reduce heart and breathing rates, gradually cool body temperature, return muscles to their optimal length-tension relationships, prevent venous pooling of blood in the lower extremities, which may cause dizziness or possible fainting, and restore physiologic systems close to baseline.”
Why It’s Important To Cool Down After Exercise
The proposed benefits of a cool-down are:
- Reduce heart and breathing rates
- Gradually cool body temperature
- Return muscles to their optimal length-tension relationships
- Prevent venous pooling of blood in the lower extremities
- Restore physiologic systems close to baseline
This is also a really great time to work on your flexibility since your muscles are quite warm. Flexibility is one of the most misunderstood aspects of fitness.
What Is Flexibility?
Flexibility describes the ability of soft tissue (muscles, tendons, etc.) to allow for movement in pain-free, full ranges of motion. Flexibility, or stretching, is key to removing movement restrictions that impair performance and lead to injury.
Hopefully, we have convinced you to do at the very least a short cool-down after your workout!
See our follow along cool down and flexibility circuit below…
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