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Cooling down (also known as limbering down or warming down) is an important transition, done after intense activity, to allow the body to gradually return to resting or near-resting state. Depending on the intensity of the exercise, cooling down after a workout method such as intense weight lifting can involve a slow
jog or
walk
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults ov ...
.
With lower intensities such as
sit-ups
The sit-up (or curl-up) is an abdominal endurance training exercise to strengthen, tighten and tone the abdominal muscles. It is similar to a crunch (crunches target the rectus abdominis
The rectus abdominis muscle, ( la, straight abdominal) ...
,
stretching
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling ...
can be used. Cooling down allows the
heart rate
Heart rate (or pulse rate) is the frequency of the heartbeat measured by the number of contractions (beats) of the heart per minute (bpm). The heart rate can vary according to the body's physical needs, including the need to absorb oxygen and excr ...
to return to its resting rate. Additionally cooling down may reduce
dizziness
Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness.
Dizziness is a common medical c ...
for professional or serious
athletes
An athlete (also sportsman or sportswoman) is a person who competes in one or more sports that involve physical strength, speed, or endurance.
Athletes may be professionals or amateurs. Most professional athletes have particularly well-develo ...
and vocal performers after strenuous workouts. Studies are currently inconclusive as to whether the process actually reduces
delayed-onset muscle soreness and muscle soreness not caused by
lactate production during intense exercise. Some have shown a weak correlation: however, the majority of recent studies discount the relationship. One study has shown that athletes who perform an appropriate cool-down are less likely to become injured.
Procedure
Cool-downs should involve the following important steps to ensure an effective cool-down. After exercise, a gradual yet continuous decrease in exercise intensity (such as from a hard run to an easy jog to a brisk walk) should be the first step in cooling down the body. Duration can vary for different people, but 3–10 minutes is considered adequate. Stretching, especially static stretching allows the muscles to be elongated and lengthened.
This is the next step athletes should take to cool down.
Rehydration is an essential part of the procedure and should be done either during stretching and light intensity or after these steps. Refueling the body with water and electrolyte-rich drinks, like
sports drink
Sports drinks, also known as electrolyte drinks, are functional beverages whose stated purpose is to help Sportsperson, athletes replace water, electrolytes, and energy before, during and especially after training or competition. There are many ...
s, will keep the body hydrated.
Stretching
Stretching
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling ...
is a very important factor in the procedure of cooling down. Stretching allows the body muscles to build elasticity and repair from
aerobic
Aerobic means "requiring air," in which "air" usually means oxygen.
Aerobic may also refer to
* Aerobic exercise, prolonged exercise of moderate intensity
* Aerobics, a form of aerobic exercise
* Aerobic respiration, the aerobic process of cellu ...
and
anaerobic exercises.
Static stretching is the appropriate form of stretching to aid in the cooling down procedure. It aids in decreasing the body's temperature, removing
lactic acid
Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula . It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natu ...
from the muscles and increasing flexibility.
Each stretch should be held for a minimum of 10–20 seconds and stretched to the point of mild discomfort but not pain.
Each muscle used in mid-high-intensity exercise should then be stretched during the cool-down.
Half-time cooling down
This is a popular process for elite sporting clubs and athletes. It involves using either ice vests, cooling products or manually cooling down the body through gentle light intensity exercise to cool down the body during
half time
In several team sports, matches are played in two halves. Half-time (also written halftime or half time) is the name given to the interval between the two halves of the match. Typically, after half-time, teams swap ends of the field of play in or ...
or breaks in an activity or sport. Half-time cooling down has proven to decrease body temperature and increase aerobic performance. Many sporting groups use cooling down jackets during half-time. Australian elite sporting teams such as those in the
AFL
AFL may refer to:
Sports
* American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues:
** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...
, Olympic teams, military and elite athletes across all sporting fields use cooling down vests to increase performance and gain a competitive advantage over their competition.
Cardiovascular issues, health, and heart rate
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During aerobic exercise,
peripheral veins, particularly those within a muscle, dilate to accommodate the increased blood flow through exercising muscle. The
skeletal-muscle pump
The skeletal-muscle pump is a collection of skeletal muscles that aid the heart in the circulation of blood. It is especially important in increasing venous return to the heart, but may also play a role in arterial blood flow.
General
The skelet ...
assists in returning blood to the heart and maintaining cardiac output. A sudden cessation of strenuous exercise may cause blood to pool in peripheral dilated veins, which may cause
varicose veins
Varicose veins, also known as varicoses, are a medical condition in which superficial veins become enlarged and twisted. These veins typically develop in the legs, just under the skin. Varicose veins usually cause few symptoms. However, some indi ...
. A cool-down period allows a more gradual return to
venous tone. The heart will also need to beat faster to adequately oxygenate the body and maintain
blood pressure
Blood pressure (BP) is the pressure of circulating blood against the walls of blood vessels. Most of this pressure results from the heart pumping blood through the circulatory system. When used without qualification, the term "blood pressure" r ...
.
It has been hypothesized that individuals who are at risk for
cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...
may develop negative cardiovascular outcomes in the event that cool-downs are not completed following bouts of exercise. However, current clinical evidence disputes this. Reviews on the inclusion of exercise-therapy for management of cardiovascular disease have indicated that chronic exercise instead induces positive long-term adaptions for the cardiovascular system that reduce the risk of death and outcomes requiring hospitalization.
Muscular and skeletal injuries have been found to increase when the cool down procedure is neglected. Ankle injuries are one of the most common injuries athletes and participants are at risk of obtaining when the cool down is performed ineffectively or not at all.
Injuries are decreased significantly when the cool down is performed for an adequate amount of time compared to only a short period of time.
See also
*
Warming up
'Warming up' is a part of stretching and preparation for physical exertion or a performance by exercising or practicing gently beforehand, usually undertaken before a performance or practice. Athletes, singers, actors and others warm up before s ...
*
Stretching
Stretching is a form of physical exercise in which a specific muscle or tendon (or muscle group) is deliberately flexed or stretched in order to improve the muscle's felt elasticity and achieve comfortable muscle tone. The result is a feeling ...
References
{{Stretching
Physical exercise
Sports medicine