Four Reasons You Should Cool-down After Exercising
Have you been stiff after a workout and wonder why your body hurts to move? Have your muscles been extremely tight or you feel light headed after a high intense workout? Well, most likely it is due to not cooling down properly after your workouts. Below are a few key tips to help you understand why cooling down is important.
Cool-Down
At the end of each exercise session, it is highly recommended that you cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. This is especially important after high-intensity exercise that contains an anaerobic component (for example, very high-resistance training). The purpose of cooling down is to allow your heart rate and breathing to return to normal. Listed below are a few reasons why you should cool down after each workout.
1 . Allows heart rate to normalize and slows down your breathing. If you’ve ever had a panic attack or passed out, you know how fast your heart rate can trigger your body to act in negative ways. The importance of bringing your heart rate back down is to avoid passing out or having that lightheaded effect.
2. Self-reflection. After you workout, take the time as you stretch the muscles you just used and reflect on your workout. Many of us go to the gym, workout, and leave. Take time to recognize all the strenuous exercises you put on your body and give it thanks but tending to the major muscles used.
3. Anaerobic exercise results in lactic acid accumulation in the bloodstream and muscles, which can contribute to DOMS. A cool-down period comprised of light aerobic activity will help remove the lactic acid. Also, subsequent to a cool-down period, the muscle soreness that usually follows heavy exercise is minimized or eliminated.
4. A cool-down helps the body return to resting rates. Give your heart some help with light aerobic cool-down activities. The cool-down should also contain stretching exercises specific to the preceding exercise session.
Hope this sheds some knowledge and light on why we take cooling down extremely important and you should too! Comment below if you cool down after your workouts or plan to in the future!