The Importance of Warm-Up and Cool-Down Exercise Routines

When looking for ways to perfect your workout routine, the two most overlooked components are your warm-up and cool-down exercises. Taking a few extra minutes to warm up and cool down can dramatically improve your overall performance. These exercises are designed to easily work your body in and out of an intense gym sesh – protecting your cardiovascular system, regulating blood flow, and protecting your muscles from unwanted injuries. 

We’re here to walk you through the importance of warming-up and cooling-down exercises, so you can adjust your workout routine to meet your body’s needs.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WARMING UP BEFORE EXERCISING

Before you jump into a 3-mile run or leg day, you need to prep your body for intense physical activity. Warm-up exercises should be 5-10 minutes of light to moderate activity. These exercises should focus on helping you slowly increase your heart rate and preparing your muscles for your workout.

These 5-10 minutes you set aside for yourself are crucial to your cardiovascular health, flexibility, and muscles – setting you up for success throughout your workout. 

Here are some of the benefits of warming up:

• Slowly increases blood flow and heart rate to help deliver nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles
• Stretches and light aerobic activity can help prime your muscles for intense workouts
• Increase body temperature, improving your skeletal muscle performance and metabolic functions
• Heightens focus and mental clarity 

If you’re opting to skip those quick 5-10 minutes because you’re in a hurry or you’re pumped up and ready to go — you could be missing out on all these benefits of warming up. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF COOLING DOWN

Once you’ve finally finished all your sets, sprints, or sessions — it’s time to cool down and relax. While you may feel tempted to grab your stuff and head back home, these last 5-10 minutes you set aside for yourself are important for your gym success. 

Cool-down exercises help you gradually slow your breathing and heart rate back to normal. Without this step, you may feel lightheadedness, which can take a toll on your body if you aren’t careful. 

Here are some of the benefits of cooling down that you can look forward to:

• Helps remove the lactic acid and other metabolic waste products from your body, which will help your muscles recover quicker
• Eliminates waste build-up in your muscles
• Decreases muscle fatigue and swelling
• Improves range of motion
• Lowers your risk of developing workout-related injuries 
• Helps relax your mind and body after an intense workout

HOW TO WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN AFTER A WORKOUT

For the best results, take at least 5-10 minutes to warm up before your workout. Whether it’s a quick walk, jumping jacks, or stretches – these small exercises challenge the muscles in your body and prepare you for an intense workout session.

You may decide to adjust your workouts depending on the activities you have planned for the day. For example, if you’re going for a long run, you may want to focus on stretching to reduce your risk of injury. 

Once you’ve completed your workout, it’s time to relax your mind and start your cool-down session.

Experience the ultimate cool-down at The Tank, exclusively at EōS Fitness. The Tank has everything you need to recover from an intense workout session complete with professional grade stretch tables, Hypervolt percussion massagers for that perfect touch of relaxation and Normatec compression boots to get you back in the game faster. 

Let’s take a closer look at our go-to warm-up and cool-down exercises: 

WARM-UP EXERCISES

JUMPING JACKS

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Step your right foot forward and bend your right knee above your right ankle so your left knee drops toward the floor behind you. 
3. Jump back to the starting position and repeat. 
4. Do this for about 30 seconds. 

LUNGES

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Step your right foot forward and bend your right knee above your right ankle so your left knee drops toward the floor behind you. 
3. Push into your right foot and raise your body up and back in order to return to the starting position. 
4. Repeat this on the left side. 
5. Alternate until you’ve done 10 reps on each side.     

BODYWEIGHT SQUATS

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
2. Drop your hips down and push your glutes back while keeping your back flat.
3. Push into your feet and raise your glutes back up to return to the starting position. 

MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart, hips parallel to the floor, and core engaged so your body forms a straight line from shoulders to hips to heels. 
2. Bring your right knee to your chest. 
3. In a single motion, switch legs, bringing your left leg into your chest while extending your right leg behind you, in a single-legged plank. 
4. Repeat this for 30 seconds. 

COOL-DOWN EXERCISES

CHILD’S POSE

1. Start in a tabletop position, on your knees and palms.
2. Send your hips backward and your arms forward, palms on the ground. 
3. Sink back until your chest is on your knees.
4. Hold this pose for 10-20 seconds. 

HIP FLEXOR STRETCH

1. Start on one knee. 
2. Push your hips forward while keeping your chest upright. 
3. Hold this position for about 20 seconds.  
4. Switch sides and repeat the above steps.

PIGEON POSE

1. Start on the floor. 
2. Kick one leg back behind you and bend the other in front of you so the side of your knee and shin on the front leg rest on the floor.  
3. The side of your knee and shin on the front leg should be in contact with the floor. 
4. Lean over your bent leg. 
5. Hold this pose for about 15 seconds. 
6. Alternate sides and repeat. 

TRAPEZIUS STRETCH

1. Sit or stand with good posture, keeping your spine straight and shoulders relaxed.
2. Place one hand on the opposite side of your head, above your ear.
3. Gently pull your head down towards your shoulder, tilting it to the side.
4. Hold the stretch for about 10 seconds.
5. Switch sides and repeat the stretch on the other side.

WARM-UP AND COOL-DOWN FOR OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE & RECOVERY 

Now that you know the importance of warming up and cooling down — you’re ready to take your workouts to the next level. Every time you get ready to hit the gym, go on a run, or shoot hoops with your friends at an EōS Fitness near you – you should always make time to warm up and cool down. 

A brief, 10-minute workout can dramatically lower your risk of injury and muscle strain, improve flexibility, and acclimate your muscles to a more rigorous exercise that’s to come. Cooling down provides similar benefits, with the added precaution of gradually lowering your heart rate and breathing into a resting state. 

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