Warming Up& Cooling Down

Dr. Michael P. Gillespie

Why Warm Up?Warming up prior to any physical activity

prepares the body and mind for more strenuous activity.

It increases the bodies core temperature, while also increasing the muscle temperature.

Increasing the muscle temperature makes them loose and pliable.

Why Warm Up?An effective warm-up increases both the heart

rate and the respiratory rate.

This increases blood flow, which in turn increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles.

This helps to prepare the muscles, tendons, and joints for more strenuous activity.

Warming UpIt is not absolutely necessary to warm up prior

to stretching, but it isn’t a bad idea.

You can avoid injury if you stretch comfortably regardless of whether or not you warm up first.

Warm up by doing the activity (such as running or cycling) that you are about to do, but at a lower intensity. Then Stretch

Warming UpWalking and jogging are a good basic warm-up

for many activities.They will increase your blood temperature and

raise total body temperature to provide an effective warm-up.

Stretching and InjuryYou can get hurt stretching if you:

Are in too much of a hurry (not relaxed).You push too far, too soon (overstretching a cold

muscle).You are not paying attention to the feeling of the

stretch.

You will not get hurt stretching if you stretch correctly.

Warming UpStretching is NOT warming up; however, it is a

very important part of warming up.

Warming up involves raising your body temperature by one or two degrees Celsius (1.4 to 2.8 degrees Fahrenheit).

Phases of warm-up:1. General warm-up.2. Stretching.3. Sport-specific activity.4. Dynamic stretching.

General Warm-upThe general warm up should consist of a light

physical activity.Walking, jogging, easy swimming, stationary bike,

skipping, or easy aerobics.

Both the intensity and duration of the general warm-up should be governed by the fitness level of the participating athlete.

General Warm-upThe correct general warm-up for the average

person should take about 5-10 minutes and result in a light sweat.

The aim of general warm-up is simply to elevate the heart rate and respiratory rate.

This increases the blood flow and assists in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles.

The increase in muscle temperature allows for a more effective static stretch.

Static StretchingStatic stretching should involve all of the major

muscle groups and last for about 5-10 minutes.

Static stretching is performed by placing the body into a position whereby the muscle or group of muscles to be stretched is under tension.

Both the opposing group and the muscles to be stretched are relaxed.

Static StretchingSlowly and cautiously the body is moved to

increase the tension of the muscle or group of muscles to be stretched.

At this point, the position is held or maintained to allow the muscles and tendons to lengthen.

Static stretching is performed early in the warm-up and should always be followed by sports specific drills and dynamic stretching.

The general warm-up and static stretching are the foundation for a complete warm-up.

The should both be completed properly before moving onto the next two elements.

This will allow for the more specific and rigorous activities of the sports specific warm-up and dynamic stretching.

Sport Specific Warm-upDuring this part of the warm-up, the athlete is

specifically preparing the body for the demands of his/her particular sport.

More vigorous activity is employed during this part of the warm-up.

The activities should reflect the types of movements and actions which will be required during the sporting event.

Dynamic StretchingThis form of stretching carries with it a high risk

of injury if used incorrectly.

This type of stretching should only be used under the supervision of a professional sports coach or trainer.

Dynamic stretching is more for muscular conditioning than flexibility.

It should only be utilized by individuals with a high level of general flexibility.

Dynamic StretchingDynamic stretching involves a controlled, soft

bounce or swinging motion to force a particular body part past its usual range of motion.

The force of the bounce or swing is gradually increased, but should never become radical or uncontrolled.

Keep the dynamic stretches specific to the athletes sport.

Warming UpA proper warm-up does more than just loosen

stiff muscles. It can improve performance.

An improper warm-up, or no warm-up at all, can greatly increase your risk of injury.

Warming UpActive stretches and isometric stretches should

NOT be part of your warm-up.

The goals of warm-up are “an increased awareness, improved elasticity and contractibility of muscles, and a greater efficiency of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems” (Kurz).

Active stretches and Isometric stretches do not help you to achieve this objective. They cause the muscles to become too tired to perform the athletic activity for which you are preparing the body.

General Warm-UpGeneral warm-up consists of the following

activities. Joint rotations.Aerobic activity.

Joint RotationsThe general warm-up should begin with joint-

rotations, starting either from your toes and working your way up, or from your fingers and working your way down.

This facilitates joint motion by lubricating the synovial joint with synovial fluid.

You should perform circular movements both clockwise and counter-clockwise, until the joint seems to move smoothly.

Order of Joint Rotations 1. Fingers and knuckles

2. Wrists

3. Elbows

4. Shoulders

5. Neck

6. Trunk / waist

You can reverse the order if you care to do so.

7. Hips

8. Legs

9. Knees

10. Ankles

11. Toes

Aerobic ActivityAfter you have performed the joint rotations,

you should engage in at least five minutes of aerobic activity such as jogging, jumping rope, or any other activity that will cause a similar increase in your cardiovascular output.

The purpose of this is to raise your core body temperature and to get your blood flowing.

Increased blood flow in the muscles improves muscle performance and reduces the likelihood of injury.

Why Cool Down?The primary reason to cool down is to promote

recovery and return the body to a pre exercise or pre work out level.

When performed properly, the cool down will assist the body in the repair process.

A proper cool down will reduce “post exercise soreness”.

Why Cool Down?A proper cool down keeps the blood circulating,

which in turn prevents blood pooling.

This helps to remove waste products from the muscles.

It also brings oxygen and nutrients that the muscles, tendons, and ligaments need for repair.

Cooling DownYou should cool down after exercise by doing a

scaled-down version of the main workout.

Get your heart rate back down to a resting rate.

Key Parts of an Effective Cool Down

1. Gentle Exercise

2. Stretching

3. Re-fuel

All three elements must work together to properly repair and replenish the body.

Professional Cool Down Routine

10-15 minutes of easy exercise that resembles the type of exercise done during the workout.

Deep breathing to oxygenate the system.

20-30 minutes of stretching. Static stretching and PNF stretching.

Re-fuel with both fluids and food. Restore your electrolytes. Choose easily digestible food such as fruit.

Amateur Cool Down Routine

3-5 minutes of easy exercise that resembles the type of exercise done during the workout.

Deep breathing to oxygenate the system.

5-10 minutes of stretching. Static stretching and PNF stretching.

Re-fuel with both fluids and food. Restore your electrolytes. Choose easily digestible food such as fruit.

Stretching BenefitsStretching will improve your athletic

performance and help you to stay injury free.

It will help you quickly recover from workouts.