Health & Beauty

5 Reasons to Never Skip Your Warm-Ups and Cool-Downs

Warm-up before and cool down after every workout to stay healthier and fitter

Are you guilty of hitting the gym, rushing through your workout, and leaving without cooling down? You’re definitely not alone. A staggering number of people skip their warm-ups and cool-downs when working out, whether due to time constraints, laziness, or just a lack of understanding of their importance.

But both elements are essential to getting a well-rounded, solid workout in and are necessary for keeping your body healthy and fit. Here are some reasons to change your mind to never skipping them again:

1. Warm-ups circulate blood and increase heartrate

Jumping immediately into a high-intensity or fast-paced workout that elevates your heart rate from its resting state to a higher rate can put a lot of stress on your cardiovascular system. That’s not great for your body or system in the long run and can put a lot of strain on your heart.

Warm-ups also help improve blood circulation and pump the optimum amount of blood to your heart as and when required.

2. They keep your muscles from cramping

Cool-downs and warm-ups both prevent cramping and prevent your muscles from contracting too hard and hurting following an intense workout. A cool-down keeps your muscles relaxed stretched out and helps you lengthen them. It helps prevent cramps due to excessive, repetitive, and rapid movements or stress on your body.

A man stretches while sitting in a playground following a run.

3. Warm-ups also release necessary chemicals in the body

Warm-ups are important for necessary chemicals in your body, including releasing endorphins and other neurotransmitters, and improving circulation, raising your body temperature and calcium ions. These chemicals are absolutely necessary for processes in your body and keeping you healthy and fit while you work out. It’s crucial to keep your body functioning optimally and the chemicals working to do their job.

4. They both help prevent injuries and strains

If you workout too fast or too intensely, you may end up injured and with strains and pain. You may even end up with tears and other problems because your body is unprepared for it. When you warm up, it’s necessary to use dynamic stretches and get your muscles going, easing into the movements rather than extreme, intense movements right off the bat.

You should also be cooling down with stationary stretches that help bring the muscles back to their original form, alleviating pain and aches.

5. Cool-downs help regular your heartbeat and breathing

After you’ve worked up and increased your heart rate, you need to help bring it back down slowly too. Stationary, slow movements, and easy, calmful movements along with breathing will help you bring your heart rate down and slow it to its resting or only slightly elevated state. Your heart rate and breathing are both very important, especially in hot weather.

Working out is crucial for your overall health and wellness, but having warm-ups and cool-downs are non-negotiable as part of your routine. Remember these tips and add balance to your routine in no time!

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