Many people know the importance of warming up, but the cool-down process after exercise is just as important. The purpose of these cool-down exercises is to allow the body to gradually return to a calm state after Stretching Exercises, while also reducing muscle soreness.
For example, after running, you should not stop and sit down immediately, but walk slowly with a relaxed pace until your breathing returns to normal, and then do some muscle Stretching Exercises.
These types of muscle Stretching Exercises are very helpful in preventing muscle soreness. The muscles to be stretched are mainly those that have just been exercised, because these muscles are tight after exercise, and they will relax after stretching, thus preventing post-exercise muscle soreness.
Therefore, after exercising, it is best not to rest immediately. Remember to do some follow-up exercises, or at least stretch your tendons and allow your body to slowly return to a calm state.
Be careful to prevent muscle soreness after exercise
Have you ever experienced muscle soreness after not stretching your muscles for a long time, especially after engaging in strenuous exercise? The more intense the exercise, the more severe the pain in the relevant muscle groups. Strangely, the soreness doesn’t appear immediately during exercise, but rather a day or two later.
The causes of this type of pain are not fully understood, and many scientists are still researching this phenomenon. The most widely accepted theory is the “microtrauma” theory, which means that during exercise, due to the lack of flexibility of tendons and their inability to adapt to the tension generated by the intense contraction of muscles, countless tiny tissue tears occur. In addition to pain, there may also be a feeling of swelling and heat, which are signs of damage to active tissues and acute inflammation.
How can I relieve the pain?
- Try applying a cold compress to the sore area for 15 to 20 minutes, and then stretch the relevant muscle groups.
- Many studies have shown that this type of soreness can be prevented. The first step is to stretch various muscle groups more during warm-up to increase their flexibility.
- After exercise, you should stretch your muscles and tendons. If you find that your muscles are stiff, you can apply a cold compress.
- The most basic method is to gradually increase the amount of exercise. This can not only avoid soreness afterwards, but also avoid various problems caused by excessive exercise.
Warming up makes you healthier
Regardless of the intensity of the exercise, insufficient warm-up can lead to various degrees of sports injuries and even long-term consequences. Therefore, neither professional athletes nor sports enthusiasts should neglect the importance of warm-up exercises.
There is no single “correct” way to warm up, but some basic principles can be used as a reference. Warming up can be divided into three steps:
- First, get each joint moving; the range of motion can be quite large. We can start with the head and neck, and then continue to the upper limbs, waist, and lower limbs.
- The second step is tendon stretching, which primarily increases flexibility and range of motion, reducing the risk of injury. In addition, tendon stretching can alleviate muscle soreness after exercise, which is especially important for office workers who don’t exercise regularly.
- The final step in warming up is to improve cardiovascular function. Running and practicing basic sports movements can enhance the function of the heart and lungs, putting the body into “battle mode.” This also allows for efficient blood circulation and accelerates gas exchange in the lungs, reducing the chances of cellular hypoxia and shortness of breath.
How long should we spend warming up? Generally speaking, it’s enough to break a light sweat and have a slightly faster heartbeat and breathing.
