Warm Up & Cool Down
Warm Up & Cool Down
Warming up before and cooling down before exercise is an essential part of exercise session. Whilst time spent warming up and cooling down may seem like time that could be better spent actually exercising this is certainly not the case.
Warm Up
Warm up exercises let the body to prepare for exercise by increasing blood flow to the muscles allowing them loosen up. Not only can this help to maximise the benefits of exercise it can also help to prevent against injury.
The main arrears that a warm up should cover are:
- Jogging to increase the body’s temperature
- Dynamic stretches to reduce muscle stiffness
- Specific stretches of the muscles that will be used during exercise
Cool Down
The process of cooling down after exercise is just as important as warming up. Cooling down:
- Allows the body to dissipate waste products such as lactic acid generated during exercise
- Reduces the chances of blood pools occurring in the areas where blood supply has been concentrated on during exercise which may cause light-headedness, sudden shortness of breath, weakness and cramps.
- Reduces the amount of adrenaline in the blood
- Allows heart rate to gradually return to a state of rest.
Whilst warm up and cooling down does not guarantee injuries will not occur during exercise it can significantly reduces the chances if carried out properly.
If injuries do occur during exercise Allsport Medical can supply sports first aid kits and first aid supplies including Cold Therapy, Heat Therapy, Tapes and Bandages.
The information provided in this article is for guidance purposes only and should not be used in place of proper training.
www.allsportmedical.co.uk