Warm up, cool down

Did you know?

It can take 2 days for full recovery from physical activity, depending on how hard you exercise.

Warming up

If you surveyed 100 members of the public, nearly everyone would agree you should ‘warm up’ before a work-out. The question they might find harder to answer is what should a warm up involve?

Generally, it’s a gradual increase in intensity in physical activity. But the important thing is that warm ups should relate to the exercise you are about to do. In other words, they should prepare the same muscles you plan to use and activate the energy systems that you need. For example, if you are planning to go for a run or take part in an active sport, try slowly jogging to warm up muscles and increase the heart rate.

Warming up is not only beneficial for your body, it’s also a great way to mentally prepare for the activity ahead.

Direct physical effects include

• release of adrenaline 
•  increased heart rate
• oxygen travelling in the blood with greater speed
• joints moving more efficiently
• increase of temperature in the muscles and prepares them for stretching.

Another advantage of warming up is that the preparation exercises coat the inside of the joints with lubricating fluid, reducing the wear and tear of exercise and minimising your chances of chronic joint problems later in life. To thoroughly coat the joints, experts recommend you move through a large range of movement.

How to ensure an effective warm up

To make your warm up effective, you need to do movements that increase your heart rate and breathing, and slightly increase the temperature of your muscle tissue. A good indication is warming up to the point where you have raised a light sweat.

If you’re exercising for general fitness, allow 5 to 10 minutes for your pre-exercise warm-up (or slightly longer in cold weather). If you are exercising at a higher level than for general fitness, or have a particular sporting goal in mind, you may need a longer warm up, and one that is designed specifically for your sport.

According to the renowned Mayo Clinic in the US, if you have a tight, or previously injured, muscle, stretch it after you warm up. Stretching can balance your body, promote unrestricted movement and reduce the risk of overstressing or injuring the muscle. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. And remember to keep it gentle. Don't bounce. Sudden or aggressive movements may cause injury.

Try following these options in the order listed:

1. General warm-up
To begin your warm-up do 5 minutes of light (low intensity) physical activity such as walking, jogging on the spot or on a trampoline. Pump your arms or make large but controlled circular movements with your arms to help warm the muscles of your upper body.

2. Sport-specific warm-up
One of the best ways to warm up is to perform the upcoming exercise at a slow pace. This will allow you to simulate at low intensity the movements you are about to perform at higher intensity during your chosen activity. Examples include a few minutes of easy catching practice for cricketers or baseball players, going through the motion of bowling a ball for lawn bowlers, shoulder rolls, side-stepping and slow-paced practice hits for tennis players, or jogging for runners. Sport-specific warm-ups are often designed by a qualified trainer in that sport.

3. Stretching
Any stretching is best performed after your muscles are warm, so only stretch after your general warm-up. Stretching muscles when they are cold may lead to a tear. Static stretching (stretching a muscle and holding it in this position without discomfort for 10-30 seconds) is considered the safest method of stretching.

Perform a light static stretching routine at the end of your warm up by stretching each of the muscle groups you will be using in your chosen activity. A static stretch should be held at the point where you can feel the stretch but do not experience any discomfort.

If you feel discomfort, ease back on the stretch. Remember not to bounce when holding the stretch. Don’t spend so long doing your stretches that your muscles cool down and your heart rate returns to normal. It is better to keep most of your static stretching for after your exercise session, that is, after your cool-down.

Recent studies comparing a warm-up that includes static stretching with a warm-up that does not include static stretching have shown that, although pre-exercise static stretching does improve flexibility, it does not appear to prevent injury during exercise. Apart from static stretching, other methods of stretching include ballistic, dynamic and PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) stretching, each of which is best done under instruction from a qualified fitness instructor or sports coach.

Cooling down

After you’ve taken part in any kind of physical activity, it’s important to spend some time cooling down. Qualified instructors usually allow around 5-10 minutes of recovery time at the end of each class, but when you are exercising on your own, this vital step can be easy to miss.

Cooling down is similar to warming up but works in the opposite direction, involving a gradual, yet continuous, decrease in exercise intensity. For example, if you’ve been running hard, then slow down to an easy jog, then a brisk walk and think about stretching and rehydration.

Why cool down?

The advantages appear to be numerous. Cooling down can: 

• gradually reduce the temperature of your muscles which can help reduce muscle injury, stiffness and soreness, preparing them for the next exercise session, whether it's the next day or in a few days' time
• prevent the dizziness caused by blood pooling in the legs
• allow the byproducts produced during exercise, like lactic acid, to get out of your muscles and into your bloodstream, where they can be transported to the kidneys, liver or lungs for processing
• get your heart rate, blood pressure and breathing to return to normal gradually
• keep you sweating slightly so your body can get itself back to a temperature suited to normal activities.

Two days for full recovery

Although it takes 2 days for full recovery from physical activity, depending on how hard you exercise, it’s the first 3-5 minutes after an activity session that are the most important in getting the recovery processes started. You may see conflicting advice as to whether cooling down prevents post-exercise muscle soreness, also known as delayed-onset muscle soreness.

However, even if cooling down doesn’t prevent this, the other benefits of cooling down mean that you should always make it a part of your exercise session.

Ensuring an effective cool-down

• perform low intensity exercise for a minimum of 5 to 10 minutes
• follow this with a stretching routine.

Cool-down options

Continuing your chosen exercise while gradually slowing its intensity
Gradually slowing down the pace and exertion of your activity over several minutes can seem a natural progression, as well as fulfilling the need to include a cool-down period at the end of your exercise.

Slow jogging or brisk walking
Another option is to jog or walk briskly for a few minutes after your exercise, making sure that this activity is lower in intensity than the exercise you have just performed.

Stretching after your cool-down
The best time to stretch is after your cool-down, as this is when your muscles are still warm and most likely to respond favourably and there is a low risk of injury. Stretching helps relax your muscles and restore them to their resting length, and improve flexibility.

As a guide, allow 10 minutes of post-exercise stretching for every 1 hour of exercise. Make these post-exercise stretches more thorough than your pre-exercise stretches. Ensure that you stretch all the major muscle groups that you have used during your exercise.

Monty Dortkamp, of the Australian Institute of Recreation, recommends focusing on your calves, thighs, hips, lower back, neck and shoulders — or other muscles and joints that you routinely use. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds, 2 to 3 times, and then repeat the stretch on the other side. Expect to feel tension while you're stretching. If it hurts, back off to the point where you don't feel any pain. Relax and breathe freely throughout each stretch.

Looking after your body

If you find fitting regular physical activity into your life a struggle, then time spent on warming up and cooling down can feel like a waste. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, the periods you spend preparing and recovering may be just as important as the exercise itself. Give your body the time it needs to adjust to the demands of your workout.