When you’re tight on time, it’s easy to want to jump directly into your workout to make the most of your efforts. But if you’re skipping out on the warm up and cool down that should bookend every exercise session, you’re making a big fitness mistake!
Always start your workouts with a warm up to prevent injury. You should plan to do between 5 and 10 minutes of easy activity to get started. A warm up can be anything that gets your blood flowing and your muscles moving, such as walking.
Really, almost any activity will do for a warm up so long as it’s not too vigorous starting out. There is one exception, though. Have you seen people stretching intensely to prep before they hit the treadmill? Studies are showing that stretching before a workout is not only unnecessary, it could cause injury because your muscles, ligaments and joints aren’t ready (warm enough) to handle the tension.
We suggest that the best warm up is a mild version of the activity you’re already planning to do. Walk and lightly jog before a run, do a little light cycling before taking on a spinning class or power pedaling up a hill outside, or start slow with your elliptical and stair climbing workout.
After you’re done with the main workout you have planned, don’t forget to cool down. You should never just come to a full stop after a hard exercise session. It’s not necessary to spend 20 minutes on a cool down, but you’ll definitely want to give yourself at least 5 minutes to let your heart rate ease back down after a hard workout and to keep the blood from pooling in your arms and legs.
A cool down is also the perfect time for that quick stretch because your muscles are ready to elongate, which means less risk of injury from muscle strain and tearing.
Still have questions about how to make your workout the most effective it can be? Try taking a fitness class at Murray Park Center! Whether you choose Zumba, spinning or yoga, our instructors will be happy to walk you through a complete workout including the warm up and cool down. We’re happy to help you reach your fitness goals. Come and see us!