“Do you cool down after a workout? If not, you are exposing yourself to the danger of an injury, both physical and internal”.
The Importance of Cooling Down After Exercise
Wow, that was a great workout! You pushed yourself further and worked your muscles and stamina hard. What’s more, thanks to your pre-workout warm-up, your muscles were in better shape for the exercise. Great!
Though before you head off for a well-deserved shower and drink, take some time to cool down. Let your blood pressure and breathing rate return to their normal rhythm and stretch your body out. Most people are aware of the benefits of warming up before exercise, but many more skip a post-workout cooldown. Even though the exercise is over, cool down exercises are really important! Setting aside a few minutes at the end of a workout to stretch out your muscles is a very rewarding habit to get into. Let’s look into why that is…
The Benefits of Workout Cool-Downs
Read on to learn about a few more reasons why you shouldn’t skip your post-workout cool-down.
1. It controls your post-workout blood flow
Exercise helps get your blood flowing, so abruptly stopping can actually cause your blood pressure to drop rapidly. When blood pressure drops too quickly, it can cause you to feel light-headed, which is why it is recommended to cool down for about six minutes after you’ve completed a workout. Fainting is also a risk, as this impact on blood flow could cause blood to pool in your lower extremities, which delays its return to your heart and brain. Cool-down exercises also reduce the concentration of lactic acid. Using active recovery to slowly reduce effort, you can actually increase power and endurance during your next round, too. This is exactly why you shouldn’t totally rest between sets during your workout.
2. Lower Your Heart Rate
The most important reason for including a cool-down in your exercise regime is its role in lowering your heart rate. As we discussed in our post on warming up before a workout, as you exercise, your heart rate goes up and your heart pumps more blood around your body to supplement your muscles, which are working harder than usual. When you stop exercising, your heart rate slows and returns to normal. Unfortunately, if this happens too fast it can be very dangerous. Have you ever felt light-headed or dizzy after finishing your workout or getting off the treadmill? Have you ever fainted after exercise?
When exercising and leading an active lifestyle, it’s important to always be aware of the risks of exercise. This is especially true in extreme weather and for those with pre-existing medical conditions. Give your body time to warm up and cool down before and after exercising and avoid drastic drops in your blood pressure.
3. Reducing the build-up of lactic acid and Relax Your Mind
After intense workouts, lactic acid builds up in our bodies which can lead to muscle cramping and stiffness. Cooling down helps speed up the process of releasing the lactic acids in our body and accordingly, your body recovers more quickly.
Exercise benefits the mind as well as the body. In addition to improving overall health, it can be a harbinger of good moods and positive outlooks. Exercise also helps to focus the mind. A five to ten-minute cool down after a workout is an excellent opportunity to look over your body’s accomplishments, your fitness and other goals, and to gauge how you are feeling overall.
It is essential to have these moments of reflection, especially given the non-stop communication channels we are all exposed to on a daily basis. Exercising and especially cooling down provides a rare opportunity for contemplation on the mind and the self while allowing your body to begin its recovery.
4. Increases your flexibility.
The best time to work on your flexibility is when your body is fully warm and you’re breaking a sweat. But instead of hopping off the treadmill and going directly into a toe touch, experts suggest doing some dynamic stretches first. General Stretches
- Buttock Stretch: Lying on your back, cross your right leg over your left thigh. Pull your left thigh towards you until you feel the stretch in your buttocks. Repeat with the other leg.
- Wide Toe Touch: Stand straight up, with your arms out horizontally to your body and your feet wide apart. Lean forward and touch your left hand to your right foot. Repeat on the other side for a good back and leg stretch.
- Arm-Cross Shoulder Stretch: Stand straight up with your feet hip-width apart. Hold your right arm horizontally across your chest, and use your left arm to hold it in place. Switch arms.
Concluding
Make sure to also concentrate on your breathing after a tough workout, to ensure that you are giving your body enough fresh oxygen to aid in the recovery process. Staying hydrated with enough water and electrolytes is also essential, as it will aid in the cool-down process as well as replenish your body with water that it may have lost in the form of perspiration during your workout.
So, although warming up is an extremely important part of the workout process, just remember that cooling down is equally as important! You are doing something very beneficial for your body by exercising it, but don’t forget that it does need some recovery afterwards. Be sure to hydrate, stay cool, and rest!
