Exercise Like a Pro: Why You Need to Warm Up & Cool Down

At Fit Strong Mama, we’re all about the high intensity workouts that don’t take hours to do at the gym. It my goal to create every fitness routine that we do to be effective & manageable in our everyday lives! Even though our workout time together is only 30 minutes - there are two things that I NEVER skip at any workout: Warm Up & Cool Down.

I’ve worked a variety of jobs in the health and fitness industry, and these two steps are ones that are most often skipped! However, did you know that when you skip a warm up or a cool down that you might be doing more harm to your body that you know? Over 30% of sports injuries and skeletal injuries can be prevented by warming up and stretching. After a workout, if you feel light headed, many times its becasue you skipped a cool down and didn’t give your body and heart to go back to their normal rates.

SO many things are tied to warm ups and cool downs… and that’s why today I’m going to share with you why you need to take the time for these two things, and how they will transform how you feel when you workout!

Benefits of Warming Up:

• Improved Blood Flow — Warming up for 10 minutes with an easygoing activity improves blood flow. Your blood carries the oxygen needed for your muscles to function, so increasing your blood flow is one of the best things you can do to set your muscles up for a workout!

• Improved Oxygen Efficiency — When you do a warm-up exercise, oxygen is released from your blood more readily. When you workout, your muscles demand higher amounts of oxygen, so by doing a warm up, you are preparing your body to make oxygen more available to you!

• Faster Muscle Contraction/Relaxation — Warming up with physical activity raises your body temperature, which helps your muscles perform faster and more efficiently.

• Injury Prevention
  Warming up prevents injuries by loosening your joints, and improving blood flow to your muscles- this means less injuries & safer workouts!

• Mental Preparation
  A side benefit of warming up is that your brain will become focused and as will be in top shape for when you start your workout routine.

Benefits of Cooling Down:

• Recovery
  After intense exercise, lactic acid builds up within your system, and it takes time for your body to clear it out. Cooling down exercises (such as stretches) can aid this process of releasing and removing lactic acid, helping to speed up your body’s recovery post-workout.

• Reducing DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)

  While muscle soreness is to be expected after exercise, a significant amount of DOMS is very uncomfortable, and can prevent you from exercising in the future. A study performed by California State University found that moderate intensity cycling after strength exercise helped to reduce DOMS. Cooling down after exercise helps to alleviate excessive muscle soreness, keeping you more comfortable and allowing your body to bounce back before your next workout.

Benefits found from: https://www.tricitymed.org/2016/12/warming-cooling-important/

I hope that you can now see how important of a step this is…. and even if it takes you a few extra minutes before or after, that you’ll join us for warm up and cool down during your next workout!