WARM UP & COOL DOWN
WARM UP
It is extremely important to gradually increase your body temperature
before any type of strenuous physical activity. Warm ups should involve
your entire body, should last about 30 minutes (including stretching) and
include exercises similar to the exercises or activity you will be performing.
Always include your stretching program toward the end of your warm up.
An example of a warm up exercise:
-
light stretching
-
light jogging - regular or in place
-
light calisthenics - a few jumping jacks, squats etc.
-
low level sports - skaters could skate slowly, swimmers could swim slowly
etc.
-
full stretching
If you get too tired during warm ups, you should do less strenuous warm
up exercises. During a good warm up, you should not sweat, but, be very
close to sweating.
COOL
DOWN
After exercise or strenuous physical activity, it is important to decrease
your body temperature gradually till your normal body temperature is reached.
It is just as important to include your stretching program during the cool
down process to reduce soreness in your muscles the following day.
An example of a cool down exercise:
-
full stretch
-
brisk walking for about 5 minutes
-
slow walking for about 5 minutes
Always drink plenty of water BEFORE
and AFTER any exercise or practice session.
copyright ©2008 Bill Demers/amateur-sports.com
ALL rights reserved.
Do NOT down load any portion of this web site without written or verbal
permission from Bill Demers
or the
webmaster.
However, you may print individual pages for your own personal or non profit
use.
