Exercises and workouts keep us healthy and active. Whether we workout to reduce weight, lose fat, gain muscle, gain strength, or maintain the physique we have it is important to cool our body down afterward. Before you would leave the gym do some cooldown exercises or moves. Don’t take off the shirt, but you can remove any hoodie and sweatshirt on top.
What are cooldown exercises?
Light exercises, which help reduce strain on the muscle, make blood flow better and prevent muscle cramps, dizziness, and blood pooling, are called cooldown exercises. Performing cooldown exercises after you work out or had run is still good even if it does not provide all the benefits you wish for.
#1 Walking
Irrespective of the type of workout you do slow-paced walk after the workout is one of the best ways to cool yourself down. Running sure might have made your tracksuit damp with sweat but you have to cool yourself down before taking it off. Just walk slowly enjoying the breeze.
#2 Stretching
If you are a runner focus on leg stretches. Don’t forget upper body stretch especially after a hard gym session.
#3 Runner stretches
• Hamstring stretches – Tight hamstring can cause back pain which is common among runners. Hamstring stretch loosens up your hamstring muscles. While doing so you should feel the stretch in hamstrings.
• Calf stretches – Stretching the calves is also a good cooldown exercise for runners. Include this into your stretch routine even if you don’t feel any strain or stiffness in the calves.
• Glute stretches – This will release the tension in glute muscles caused by running. Glute stretches also help relieve back pain, specifically the lower back. They also help to improve your range of motion and flexibility.
• Groin stretches – If you are a runner this one is a must. Groin stretches help improve range of motion and help with the pain.
#4 Chest stretches
Don’t take off your shirt and jogger pants yet because stretching is not over. Chest stretch is good after every type of workout. Chest muscles help maintain your posture. Lacing fingers at the lower back with straight arms and looking up is a popular chest stretch.
#5 Arms stretches
Stretching the arms is a good cooldown technique. It includes making the shoulder and bicep muscles loosened up. Try two or three different arm stretches to make sure you work on every muscle. Did you know it is also a good warm-up technique?
#6 Core stretches
Core stretches are often ignored but it is one of the great cooldown stretches. Keeping your core strong is very important and core stretches make sure of it. So, start doing core stretches after your workout routine. Balancing the body on hands and knees and arching like a cat, then tucking the back in, arching on the opposite side is a popular core stretch. This one also stretches the back making it a two-in-one.
#7 Cross-body stretch
Cross-body stretch works on the lower back and oblique muscles. It helps strengthen the core and back muscles as well and gives you relief from back pain. Laying on your back raise one knee to the chest and rotate it so that your lower back rates with it. Keep the upper body flat on shoulders resisting lower body rotation. Repeat this with the other leg.
#8 Jumping jacks
Jumping jacks is an effective exercise for cooling the body down and keeping the blood flow well. Opening and closing your legs as you do jumps works on legs, glutes, arms, and back. With this exercise, you are working on pretty much every muscle.
#9 Jogging
A light jog is a good way of cooling the body down and keeping the blood flowing. If you are outdoors, jog lightly and enjoy the view. For indoors in place jogging or treadmills are the two available options.
#10 Yoga
Trying out different yoga poses cools down the body like no other exercise. Complex stretches and breathing techniques also help clear the mind.
#11 Cold therapy
Cold therapy after a workout is clearly not for the weak. It helps with muscle cramps and recovery, reduces inflammation, and boosts blood circulation. Many athletes and celebrities go for this technique. Stepping into the Cryo chamber and ice batch are the methods. Few regular Cryo sessions can be painful for the body and bank account. The ice bath is a cheaper solution and you can do it at home.
#12 A massage
This is not an exercise but more than effective to wick off the stress from exercise and workout. Massage release muscle tension and blood pool and make the body and mind fresh. However, it is not recommended that you go straight to a massage salon after your workout session. Instead, do some cooldown exercises and then think of getting a massage. Or you can have it over the weekend.
#13 Rolling foam
Rolling foam is like a self-massage. It helps you loosen up those muscles that you cannot reach easily. It works by applying pressure on the sore area. Put the foam on the floor, put your sore muscle on the foam and roll it with that part applying with body weight.
#14 The bottom line
Above mentioned tactics, exercises stretches, and routines are the ones we thought are best for cooling the body down after exercise. The goal is to perfect body transition from workout state to rest and prevent things like blood pooling, cramps, muscle soreness, and have good workout results.
Frequently Asked Questions
It should be around 10 mins with a progressively reducing rate to bring down your heart rate and blood pressure. A cooldown session is equally important to your running and workout session to bring back your body to normal.
Stretching helps to reduce muscle soreness and injury so it must after a workout. Regarding when it is best to do after the workout as your body will be warmed up and your mind will be relaxed that you have finished your workout. Stretching will help your blood vessel to expand, which will allow more blood to flow in your feet and legs.