Warm Ups & Cool Downs

Welcome to 5.14 Fitness,




To start off with I am going to put some rumours to rest; people have been wondering why I did not post a Daily Diary post yesterday as it is a Sunday. Well the answer to that is, I am going to post a Daily Diary every other week and at the end of a month. So why is it called Daily Diary? It is because it is a diary styled piece that informs you of how things went over the days since the last Daily Diary.


This post will be on warm ups and cool downs- the importance of each and how it helps us.

Warm Ups  

There are 3 stages  of a warm up, each consists of doing something different, and each has its own reasons and purpose. Most people think going for a quick run consists of an ample warm up. Wrong! This is only part of what makes a proper warm up. Other ideas include five minutes of stretching or some a practise of skills; again these are only parts of what your warm up should consist of.


Pulse Raising Activity


This is the phase that normally consists of running up and down for a few moments, it is a basic  activity that helps prepare muscles by getting them active. Here are the benefits of a pulse raising activity.

1. Increases heart rate, which makes your blood pump faster and gets your body prepared for heavy movement.
2. Increases oxygen supply to muscles, they are getting more oxygen which is what they need to be able to produce energy and move.
3. Increases muscle temperature, muscles are warm and more flexible, ready to move and easier to use than colder more rigid muscles

Stretching


This phase is designed to get muscles moving and ready to go. A variety of static and dynamic are best as it helps muscles get used to moving you are not constantly staying still, which allows your heart rate to drop back down.

1. Increases flexibility of muscles and tendons, allows you to gain further movement and reach which is likely to help in the activity.
2. Increases muscle mobility and elasticity which reduces chance of an injury, as muscles are warmer more flexible and more pliable it is less likely that they are going to get injured.

Mental Preparation Through Skill


This is the final phase and the one that gets you in the correct frame of mind and focus for the task ahead you are able to do what you need to do straight away.

1. Prepare psychologically, you are able to know what needs to be done and you are in the zone and focused on achieving it
2. Practise skills to be used, you are able to get straight on with the activity without taking as much time to practise or adjust to the situation to find your best form.

Cool Downs

Similar to the warm up the cool down has many benefits, a cool down is performed after an activity whereas a warm up is down before. The cool down, consists of basic and gentle exercise that helps the body return to its previous sate and helps reduce the risk of damage. Here are the benefits:

1. Pays back oxygen debt, helps you catch your breath and allows muscles to regain all the oxygen that they need,
2. Decreased heart rate naturally, your heart rate will gradually slow as you work down and recover, reduces strain on heart and any chance of having a heart related problem.
3. Removes lactic acid from the muscles , a poison that is produced in the body when muscles make energy with a lack of oxygen, the muscles are damaged by lactic acid but it is removed by the presence of oxygen in the muscles.
4. Decreased muscle stiffness, muscles are less likely to ache as lactic acid has been removed so less damage has been done to the muscles

Hope this helps, more back to basics to be released soon. Please read again, check out other posts, some comments plus ones etc., would be nice and any following is returned (you can also add the blog to your reading list and follow that way so please do so it is much appreciated)- work hard and peace!












Jason