Warm-Up, Stretch, & Cool-Down
Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. ~Benjamin Franklin
Why Warm-Up?
Prepares your body physically and psychologically Increases blood flow to your muscles and increases your body temperature.
Achieve optimal performance Reduce the risk of injury
How do you Warm-Up?
The warm-up should last about five minutes. Slow walking is a good warm-up for a moderate-paced walk. Brisk walking is a good warm-up for more vigorous activity.
Warm-Up Conditions
Make sure your warm-up does the following:
Increases heart rate Increases breathing rate Elevates body temperature Utilizes muscles you will use in the upcoming activity Takes your joints through a full rage of motion needed for the upcoming activity
Stretching
Light stretching should be done after the warm-up Deep stretching after the entire workout Remember to breathe when you stretch! Benefits of stretching, include:
Improving and maintaining joint range of motion Helps reduce risk of injury Helps reduce soreness Promotes better posture Improves circulation Relieves stress
Warm-Up Stretching
After the warm-up, stretch the muscles that you will be using during your workout. Each stretch should last 10-30 seconds. Going on a Walk?
Concentrate on stretching your Quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, adductors, hip flexors, calves, and lower back.
Workout
Remember that your workout should be at a moderate intensity:
The Talk Test Your Target Heart Rate Range (between 60% and 85% of your maximal heart rate)
Cool-Down
Never skip this step of your workout! If you abruptly stop an intense activity, you risk:
Increasing your chance of experiencing heart arrhythmias Hindering the removal of cellular waste from your muscles, increasing the likelihood of muscle soreness Blood pooling Becoming light-headed
How do you Cool-Down?
Slow the intensity of the activity you are doing Gradually slow your pace down to a walk End the cool-down by doing some deep stretching.
Focus on the muscles that you were using during your workout, this will help reduce the incidence of stiffness or soreness later.
Cool-Down Stretching
After the entire workout, stretch the whole body. Make sure to focus on the muscles that were used during the workout. Each stretch should last 20-30 seconds and be repeated.
Cool-Down Benefits
Slowly ending your workout gives your body a chance to:
Relax Decrease your heart rate Decrease your breathing rate
Reduces potential for muscle soreness Reduces chance of dizziness or fainting
Power Panther Professionals School-Wide
Announce to students that teachers will be focusing on increasing their levels of physical activity. Encourage students to catch teachers doing something physically active. Take students on at least a 10-minute walk. Encourage incorporating a warm-up, stretching, and a cool-down during the walk. Incorporate physical activity into a lesson plan. Ask students about their favorite activities including warm-up, stretches, and cool-downs. Sponsor a school-wide fitness activity like a fitness night or an intramural league.
