Warm-ups and cool-downs - Is there a point?

Saturday, April 7, 2018

I have been contemplating the importance of warm-up and cool-down sessions over the past few weeks and was pleased to observe a surfer taking time to stretch and warm-up prior to heading out into the water at Prevelly Beach in Margaret river during my October getaway weekend.

Recently I asked some of my clients what they do for their warm-up and cool-down regimens and was met with confused looks and mumbled excuses. Many of us rush from work to sport with little time to spare in preparation before the game begins. We drag ourselves out of bed at the crack of dawn to run round the block or do a quick gym session before jumping in the shower and running out the door for work, toast and coffee in hand! Whilst this may seem to be an efficient way to fit as much into the day as possible, in the long term it can lead to injury and pain.

I'd like to share some insights with you on the point of warming up and cooling down and hopefully inspire you to spend some time looking after your body.

In a nutshell: When warming up – keep moving, gradually increase the speed and range of your movements. Do movements that mimic what you will do during sport. When cooling down – gradually slow your movements and stretch the muscles that have worked hard during your exercise session. Try to hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds.

So what is or should a warm-up be?

A warm-up involves performing a series of dynamic movements or exercises in order to increase blood flow to the muscle and prepare the body for the types of movements it will encounter during exercise/sport. This is especially important for sports that involve sudden changes of direction, or speed. If you're a golfer, running laps would be a waste of time and energy, however doing movements that loosen up rotation of your trunk and shoulders and performing practice drives will prepare your body for the specific requirements of a game of golf. As you can imagine, a footy player has very different demands placed on their body. During a game they will run, sprint start, change direction, jump, kick, throw, catch… and their warm-up needs to reflect this. A tennis player needs to not only sprint, change direction and lunge, but also to reach forwards, sideways and overhead to make a shot. There are good tutorials available on youtube with specific warm-up sequences for different sports if you need a place to start, otherwise ask your physiotherapist or exercise instructor for more specific advice.

Have you ever experienced DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)? This is a common occurrence after high intensity exercise and strength training. A cool-down regimen assists with muscle recovery and reduces post-exercise muscle soreness! The types of movements and stretches that will help depends on the type of activity you have performed. Generally speaking; walking or jogging whilst swinging your arms helps flush lactic acid out of your muscles as your heart rate returns to normal. Static stretching (holding stretching positions) helps muscles to maintain flexibility and recover more quickly following an exercise session. Stretching the muscles that were used during your workout helps reduce the aftermath!

So what's the point? You're less likely to injure yourself and you'll have a faster recovery with less pain = WIN-WIN

I hope you all have an injury-free season! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this article, if you'd like to chat please get in contact with me using the following contact details.

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