YOU’RE PROBABLY SKIPPING THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS OF YOUR WORKOUT.
A good exercise routine consists of a dedicated schedule to work out targeted muscle groups at a time while giving yourself enough rest to recover.
You’ve probably heard of leg day or core day, these are just some ways to properly spread workouts to ensure you get the maximum results without the risk of injury. While planning weekly workouts, people tend to overlook the most important parts – the warm-up and the cool-down. Familiar concepts, yes, but concepts we don’t always follow. Admit it, you’ve skipped these on more than a few occasions.
You might be pumped to get to the good part but trust us, your body will thank you for doing it the right way.
So, exactly why are they that important?
The adrenaline we get from cardio or strength training gives us the energy we need to power through our workouts. Although warm-ups and cool-downs might seem like optional steps since they don’t require much movement, they serve as the foundation we need to extract the best results from our exercise.
Warming up prepares your body for your workout. Exercising cold muscles lead to injury and just agonizing body pain, so they need to be eased in before any kind of rigorous activity. A good warm-up dilates your blood vessels to ensure oxygen is well supplied to your muscles. Increased body temperature also gives your body optimal flexibility and minimizes stress on your heart. Warming up is a form of self-care so you better make time for it.
Cooling down is just as important as warming up. It helps the body to safely transition to a steady state of rest. After an intense workout, your heart rate will be higher than usual. Your body temperature is also higher and your blood vessels are dilated. If you just suddenly stop, you could faint or feel sick. An active to passively cool down is the most effective way to reduce muscle soreness and improve muscle recovery. It also assists with glycogen re-synthesis which allows for the body to replenish the energy supply used in your workout.
Seem complicated? Not at all. Dedicating anywhere between 5-10 minutes is already an ideal length for a good workout prep and wind-down routine. To create the perfect warm-up and cool-down plan, you just need to remember two things.
2 WAYS TO WARM UP AND COOL DOWN YOUR BODY
- Follow a low-intensity routine. Slow jogging, cycling, or swimming are the most ideal exercises to warm up the body. After a workout, going for a walk or light bodyweight exercises such as lunges or squats help your heart rate to return back to baseline.
- You can use a foam roller or our massage balls for a dynamic stretch. A dynamic stretch involves moving with control back and forth which helps muscles cope with sudden movement and elongation when exercising. By increasing blood flow, you break the knots that formed within the muscle to decrease stiffness and increase range of motion (before a workout) and remove chemical bi-products (after a workout).
It’s that easy! Don’t forget to include these tips on your next workout to help your body prepare and recover in the best possible way.
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This article has not been medically reviewed. We recommend that you talk with your doctor as this is not personal medical advice.
