STRETCH IT OUT

WHY WARMING UP AND COOLING DOWN ARE A MUST

Is warming up, cooling down and stretching really necessary? The jury is still out when it comes to this area of your training. I believe, however, all three are an important part of any exercise program and here’s why. Warming up increases body temperature and blood flow to muscles, prepares the musculoskeletal system for exercise, reduces the chance of muscle injury, increases the heart rate and respiration rate and improves blood circulation which helps you perform your workout to the best of your ability.

It’s extremely important that we increase the blood flow into the muscles to avoid injury. For this reason, dynamic warm-ups before you work out are the best option. Think of it like activating your muscles – by moving around and getting your muscles warm and ready for action, you will keep yourself strong and injury free.

Doing a dynamic warm up can also help activate your central nervous system, preparing your muscles for a great workout that will produce your best effort.

When your body is properly warmed up, your muscles and joints are ready for maximum flexibility, which means you can perform each exercise with correct form that maximizes results and minimizes risk of injury. The warmup is also a great tool to mentally prepare for a tough workout, not only getting your body ready, but your mind, too. Due to time constraints many exercisers neglect the cool down at the end of a training session. This is a big mistake. After vigorous exercise the body needs time to slow down, making the cool down an important step in aiding recovery both mentally and physically. Cooling down helps reduce waste products (lactic acid), reduces muscle and joint stiffness and improves your recovery time between workouts.

Finally, why stretch?

The main purpose of stretching is to increase flexibility and maintain the muscle balance in your body. Without stretching, muscles will gradually lose their flexibility, leading to a greater risk of injury when you place them under a workload. Stretching can reduce tension by helping to relax the body, promote circulation and can also help with coordination by increasing joint range of motion.

Stretching … my quick tips:

Only stretch to a feeling of tension (never feel pain when stretching). When doing static stretches do them slowly and gently. Always breath through your stretches and hold each stretch for at least 20-30 seconds. If you feel pain or extreme tightness while stretching, STOP the stretch.

Last but not least, remember that muscles work in pairs so you need to stretch both the agonist as well as the antagonist (biceps and triceps or hamstrings and quadriceps) to maintain muscular balance.

Angie Ferguson is an exercise physiologist and Tony Robbins Results Coach from Fort Myers, Florida. She also is a Corrective Biomechanics Specialist, USA Triathlon Advanced Level 2 coach, USA Cycling coach, has a Specialty in Sports Nutrition certification, and a PhD in results! For more training tips, contact her at www.gearedup.biz