Warm up & Cool Down Tips
Warm Up Tips: The goal of warming up is to help you prepare your body, mentally & physically for exercise.
Start with light cardio (5-10 minutes)
Jumprope, brisk walk, jogging or cycling are perfect.
Dynamic Stretching (NOT STATIC)
Leg swings, arm circles, walking lunges, hip openers and squats are perfect.
Warming up specific to a wrorkout:
If you are lifting weights: Do as previous mentioned but also start with lighter weights before you get into the main workout. Running? Do high-knees, butt kicks, or A-skips.
Playing sports? Include sport specific drills.
Activate core muscle groups
Keep it Short and Simple
5-10 is plenty for a good warm up.
Cool Down Tips: The goal of cooling down is to bring your body back to baseline and kickstart recovery.
Light Movement (5-10 minutes)
Slow waking, cycling, or easy movement to gradually lower heart rate.
Static Stretching (Hold for 20-30 seconds each)
Focus on hamstrings, quads, calves, chest, shoulders, and hips. Static stretching will help improve flexibility and reduce muscle tightness.
Deep Breathing
Deep breathing will slow the nervous system & promote relaxation.
Try box breathing or inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, then exhale for 4.
Hydrate and Refuel
Cool-down isn’t just physical-drink water and get some post-workout nutrition in to help recovery.
