Do you warm up before you workout? Do you cool down? I know, me either. I’ve just got into the habit of stretching and no, warming up and cooling down are NOT the same thing as stretching.
This week I was mulling over some guides from Tribesports.com and it’s become apparent that I am going to have to rearrange my routine to include a warm up and cool down. A typical day at the gym for me looks like this: I hop on the treadmill, stretch for a second, then walk for 1.5 miles at 4 mph. Then I either sprint, run or do a mix of jogging and walking on a incline for 2.5 miles. After this I hit the elliptical for 20-40 minutes. Strength training comes next, followed by stretching for probably one minute. I go home.
So technically I do warm up before I begin to run, but the rest? Not so much. And according to the guides on the site I may be robbing myself of of serious benefits.
According to The Importance of Aerobic Warm Up Routines Guide, warm ups like “jogging or light cycling” heat muscles so they can contract more powerfully, making your movements more effective. It also helps your range of motion, which is appealing if you find yourself always feeling stiff and limited when you’re working out. There are other benefits, but I’m not going to tell you them because I think you should read it for yourself.
You may have recalled a year or so ago some studies came out saying that stretching before a workout was bad, because it cools down the muscles, limiting motion. But you don’t want to be just stretching before you workout. You want to practice dynamic stretching. The Benefits of A Warm Up With Dynamic Stretching Guide shows how specific stretches help to prepare your muscles for the task at hand and improves your range of motion.
The How To Cool Down Guide is my favorite, because it shows how cooling down after an intense workout can prevent things like lactid acid build up-something I’m constantly dealing with. The cool down can help the body release waste products and even reduce the type of muscle soreness that can keep you from going to the gym the next day.
So I’ll be trying to add these three things into my routine. Let me know if you warm up, do dynamic stretches or cool down? Do you find any of these things helpful?
I am terrible at warming up and cooling down. I also NEVER stretch. I mean never. I really need to get better about doing these things but I always pass because I don’t want to spend the extra time! These links are something ill consider. Even if I can just do it a little more often, I think it’d make a difference!
That’s me too. My workout is already so long to begin with! But I did sprints yesterday and now I am feeling so so so sore that I’m going to try to do it for at least a minute, because I am really hurting today.
Since I’ve been better at warmups, I’ve suffered fewer aches. I started warming down recently and now I know why I’ve been less sore! Stretching is awesome, especially with a runner’s high! I’ve often neglected all of these, but I plan to be regular going forward!
The difference is crazy, right?
Yes, it’s great! How much better can we get?
I’m bad about this too, as I don’t warm up or cool down enought. Good advice.
Want to hear something funny? The morning this posted I went to the gym-totally in a rush-and didn’t do any of these things and now today I feel like boo. Obviously I made sure to follow these guides today.
I need to stretch more often!
I just tried to stretch a few minutes ago because I was pass out and sleep forever sore from my workout yesterday, and my cat took it as an invitation to rub up against me, get all between my legs and beg for me to pet her. Oy! I guess I better keep the stretch for when I’m at the gym, huh?
Yeah! Lol. Pets, they are so full of themselves and we encourage it. Lol. That’s why I’d like a playmate for Alfie so he can be occupied. Though when he sees me working out, he is cautious to be certain it is a safe zone for him. The clunking of weights on the ground is one warning sign. With working out 2x a day now, I have squeezed in 3 stretch moves especially during hike/jog. We got this!
Good for you!! I’m gonna try to think of that if I attempt to hit the gym tomorrow. We’ll see how hung over I am.
So glad you posted this…I used to never stretch or warm up for my workout because I was pressed for time. Pretty sure that’s why I hurt myself, injured my back and have been out of commission for 3+ months. SO STRETCH!
I hope you’re back in fighting shape soon. More than 3 months? Awful!