While working out in the gym, I have noticed that many exercisers tend to skip two very important parts of their workout. It is crucial that exercisers starts with a warm-up and ends with a cool-down. As a fitness educator, I educate my clients of why they should include warm-ups and cool-downs in their workouts.
Warm up before vigorous exercise is crucial. Warm-up prepares the heart muscle and circulatory system. When you start physical activity, blood flow is not immediately available to the heart and muscles. A proper warm-up decreases the risk of irregular heartbeats associated with poor coronary circulation. A proper warm-up also improve performance, since it minimizes the premature formation of lactic acid at the start of physical activity. In addition, warming up raises the temperature of the body. For each degree of temperature elevation, the metabolic rate of the cells increases by about 13 percent.
Another reason is warming up helps prevents injuries. Muscle elasticity and the flexibility of the tendons and ligaments are increased. Synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints, is released during easy activity. In general, warm up prepares the body for the increased demand of intense exercise.
Warm-ups activities are movement activities. Stretching is not a warm-up exercise because it does not raise the body temperature. In fact, an exerciser can tear cold muscles by stretching them.
General warm-up involves calisthenics, stretching, and general body movements such as slow jog followed by a light streth.Warm up for about 5-10 minutes depending on the person's fitness level followed by some light stretching.
Specific warm-up, on the other hand, provides a skill rehearsal for the actual activity. Swinging a golf club, throwing a baseball or football are examples of specific warm-up.
I have been working out in a health club setting for almost 10 years. In my experience, I hardly seen anyone do a cool-down activity. Cool down is also as important as a warm-up. After a heavy work-out, it is important to spend 5-10 minutes in a cool down stage. A cool down after the workout is important to promote an effective recovery from physical activity. Some of the benefits of a cool down are listed below:
1. The opposite of a warm-up. Respiration, body temperature,and heart rate are gradually returned to normal, preventing an irregular beat the may be life threatening.
2. During the cool-down stage, the legs help return the blood to your heart. Muscle in the legs acts as a pump to bring blood back to the heart. Suddenly stopping cardiovascular activity causes blood to pool in the legs instead of circulating to the brain. Not enough supply of blood in the brain can cause dizziness or light-headedness.
4. Cool-down can help increase a person's flexibility.
5. Active cool-down also speeds lactate removal from the blood.
There are two parts of a cool-down. First, a person does a light cardiovascular activity such as walking to lower the heart rate, body temperature, etc. Then, static stretching should be followed. Exercisers should stretch all the major muscle groups for at least 10-30 seconds. The stretch should feel a slight discomfort but not feel pain. Stretching at the end of the cool-down can help increase flexibility without causing injury.
Add a warm-up and cool-down to your current exercise regimen and see the difference.
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.
Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.
Do you ever wonder how to shrink the fat on... Read More
The world of weight loss and fitness is certainly vast,... Read More
It seems like everyone is concerned about putting on the... Read More
If you lead an active lifestyle and you want to... Read More
Do you find yourself setting a New Year's Resolution (every... Read More
It is estimated that about 80 percent of the population... Read More
If You are already fitness walking several times a week... Read More
Back exercises are often prescribed effectively as an alternative to... Read More
Strength training after fifty is no longer for those people... Read More
Are there flat tummy exercises that are the best for... Read More
In a previous article, I mentioned the weight loss mantra... Read More
For most of us we live in a black and... Read More
4. Ideas, goals and dreams have a shelf life. The... Read More
So you've begun an exercise program to get in shape... Read More
Walking for exercise is a purposeful, brisk walk specifically designed... Read More
"Exercise is good for you!" If you had a dollar... Read More
The number one reason people say they do not exercise... Read More
Having your own home gym with free weights is not... Read More
Are You Destined to Sit on the Couch?If someone mentions... Read More
It's surprisingly common - you're exercising, everything's fine, and then... Read More
Getting America's children to exercise has never been more difficult... Read More
Can't seem to get the energy or motivation to exercise?... Read More
One of the fundamental principles of exercise prescription, specifically resistance... Read More
How many times has this happened to you?>> You psych... Read More
A Japanese study found that if you exercise at night... Read More
Writing is a strenuous creative activity, and like physical activity... Read More
If you have always used free weights, then switch it... Read More
The Tour De France, arguably may be the hardest sport... Read More
Strength training after fifty is no longer for those people... Read More
Success is what you are prepared to make of yourself... Read More
Are there flat tummy exercises that are the best for... Read More
When the trampoline was invented by a young boy intrigued... Read More
It is thought that moderate exercise, such as speed walking,... Read More
Are you in an exercise rut? Do you want to... Read More
Caring for your body is the most important thing you... Read More
Do you need some beginner's strength training 'how to' information?... Read More
Welcome to article number 4 in our series "Bodybuilding Sins... Read More
Most of the physical fitness trainers, and coaches agree that... Read More
It seems like everyone is concerned about putting on the... Read More
People with arthritis should exercise ? but they need to... Read More
Many people dismiss the cool down as a waste of... Read More
It is a common misconception that aerobic exercise tones/firms muscles.... Read More
Five points to consider when you want to fit fitness... Read More
The key to getting those sexy abdominals lies mainly on... Read More
Do you find yourself setting a New Year's Resolution (every... Read More
You would never build a house without a site plan,... Read More
Author, H. Besser, in his book, "Perseverance: How To Develop... Read More
Health and nutrition experts continually advise us that the more... Read More
1. Begin Looking at Exercise Differently. Think of exercise as... Read More
Hopefully, if you read my last article I got you... Read More
Exercise & Fitness Exercise & Fitness |
|
| العاب | منتديات هيدى | الزاوية الحمراء | |
|
Pharaohs products egypt products Egypt shopping Shopping in Egypt sho Egypt Bazaar Pharaohs Shoping Center Egypt Pharaohs |