Why is it Important to Cool Down After Exercise?

When undertaking any form of exercise, you have probably been told how important it is to warm up and cool down for a safe exercise routine that won’t cause muscle stiffness or muscle cramping during and after.

If you have not been doing a cool-down routine after exercising, then you really should be thinking about incorporating one into your physical activity to keep yourself fit and injury free.

Today, we will be discussing what a cool down is and what you can do for your cool down to get the maximum benefits.

It is also important to discuss the impact that a warm-up can have on your exercise regime since both do go hand in hand. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, you should know what fitness rules there are to follow for a whole workout that benefits your body and soul

Getting Warmed Up For Your Workout Session

Before we delve into how important it is to cool down after exercise, it is essential that a warm-up is completed beforehand to get your body into an efficient and safe pre-exercise state.

Ahead of starting your exercise session, you will need to do your warm-up, it is best to do it right before so you can seamlessly move into your planned-out workout.

A warm-up will focus on your large muscle groups, e.g. hamstrings. You can adjust it to stretch out parts of your body that will be used during your exercise session if you want to, or you can just do a bog standard one.

Start at a slower pace that gradually increases as you go on. It will get you sweating, but it should not make you feel fatigued or pushed to your limits.

Some Activities For a Warm-Up

• Brisk walk – walk slowly for around 5 to 10 minutes.
• Running (at any pace) – briskly walk for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Swimming – swim slowly, then start to pick up the tempo that will lead you into your main physical activity.

Now that you know how to warm up to get the blood flowing and will help your muscles stop contracting during your workout session, it is now time to look at how you can cool down after exercise.

Cooling Down After Your Exercise Routine

Once you have finished exercising, you probably just want to go and sit or lay down as you may be feeling light-headed, fatigued, and completely done for the day.

You’ll need to steel yourself away from that chair first as a cool down is essential to end your session as it will help prevent injuries as well as improve blood flow just like a warm-up does.

What is Contained in a Cool Down Routine?

Cool downs will help with your recovery after doing any type of exercise.

It will help ease delayed onset muscle soreness, gradually cool body temperature, return muscles to their previous state, prevent venous pooling of the blood in your lower extremities, and it will help bring your heart rate and blood pressure down slowly, as a rapid decline can make you feel very dizzy and experience light headedness.

Blood pooling after exercise will happen if you do not do a cool down to help your muscles stop contracting against your blood vessels.

Exercises To Do

You can walk, jog, do static stretching exercises, or even engage in mindfulness to cool yourself down.

You may want to do a combination of physical cool-down activities as well as mental cool-down activities to get a full workout that will benefit your mind and your body.

Benefits of a Cool Down Routine

There are a lot of benefits when it comes to doing a cool-down, so read on to learn why you should be making it a priority at the end of your workout, as you do not want to experience cramping calf muscles later on in the day because you didn’t think cooling down was important enough for you.

Essential For Recovery

Lactic acid can gather throughout the body after a workout session, especially a strenuous activity that was intense, think HIIT workouts.

To clear this acid, you will want to do some light activity to stop it from building up in your body. You may want to do some slow walking with stretching exercises at the end to get everything you need in.

This will help you recover faster to get you ready for your next workout whether that is later in the day or the next day.

Improves Mental State

Exercise is known to release endorphins which can be carried on with a proper cool down that can bring your body back from feeling exhausted and low after a serious workout.

According to the National Academy of Sports Medicine, when people do a cool down, it provides the body with a smooth transition from exercise to rest which can help them ease back into their previous state, stopping them from feeling achy which can annoy and frustrate them if they feel sore and stiff.

Increases Flexibility

Your muscles will be warm after your exercise, so you will need to use this time to stretch your muscles out helping you improve flexibility which can have a knock-on effect when you are planning on doing any more exercise.

You can bend a lot further than you could before which will then elevate your fitness level helping you advance your routines and trying out different exercises that suit your new fitness goals.

Risks Of Not Doing a Cool Down

If you neglect to incorporate a cool down, there are associated risks. You might not pay much attention to these risks if you believe that the workout you completed doesn’t necessitate a cool down. However, it’s crucial to recognize that every type of exercise requires a proper cool down to prevent injuries. Failure to allocate time for cooling down after your workout may result in issues such as muscle pulls, backaches, muscle soreness, and more, ultimately impacting your overall fitness journey. In extreme cases, seeking relief might involve a visit to a healthcare practitioner or scheduling a massage. To find the best massage place, you can search phrases like “cupping and massage therapy near me” based on your preferences. Nevertheless, prioritizing proper cool down measures is essential to prevent the need for additional interventions entirely

Negative Effects on Your Health

If you have a pre-existing health condition, then not doing a cool-down can make you feel light-headed or you may get blurred vision which can cause you to faint or get sick.

No matter what stage you are at in your workout, if you need to stop suddenly due to feeling unwell, still do your cool down, but instead of serious stretches, focus on light stretching and going for a walk.

Elevates Risk of Injury

This is an obvious one and one that you should know will happen if you do not cool down after you have completed a workout.

Your body needs to cool down to counteract the stress you have put on your muscles and bones. It needs to be able to get you back to your previous state to help with the healing process. Apart from resting at home, you could consider using natural remedies to help you cool down such as taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, as they can help relax muscles and reduce soreness. Alternatively, you could visit a reputed massage therapist nearby. A good massage after an intense workout can promote increased blood flow to the muscles, which can be particularly helpful during the cool-down phase. Similarly, there are various stretching exercises that you can do to reduce muscle tightness and promote flexibility.

Additionally, it is worth nothing that many athletes tend to use intravenous therapy (IV therapy) because it can be a good way to recover from a strenuous workout. This kind of therapy can help you cool down and assist your muscles to recover more quickly, allowing you to bounce back faster after a workout. It’s advisable for bodybuilders and athletes to take advantage of this therapy by consulting with experienced professionals (like the ones at this trusted clinic providing IV therapy in New Albany, IN). By replenishing essential nutrients and fluids directly into the bloodstream, IV therapy supports the body’s natural healing process, allowing athletes to bounce back faster after a workout.

If you continuously do not cool down after your workout, then you are setting yourself up for a bigger injury down the line which can severely impact your health and fitness level if you can’t work out for weeks to months all because you didn’t think cooling down was appropriate for you.

Blood Pooling

Your muscles will stop contracting once you stop working out which will have a negative effect on your heart and your brain.

Your blood needs to pump throughout your body to keep it going, so if you do not allow it to start pumping back up again and instead just let it sit in your lower extremities, then you are causing a serious issue for your health.

Conclusion

So, why is it important to cool down after exercise? For the benefit of your overall health that is why.

You owe it to your body to make sure that it is happy and healthy, and that happens if you follow the correct protocol for keeping it safe when you work out.

If you are new to working out and you need some help with ensuring that you are doing your warm-up and cool-down correctly, then you will want to speak to a fitness expert, or alternatively, you can go on YouTube and check out some fitness videos by professionals who can show you exactly how to do it.

Remember, it is your journey, so do what is right for you and your fitness level, and never push yourself so hard that you end up injuring yourself.