How 2 Warmup & Be More Active!
As the weather warms, getting outside and being more active can be a great way to combat the deleterious effects of sitting at a desk for countless hours each week. Exercise or activity in the form of running or strength workouts can be a great way to get your body moving and improve your overall fitness levels! A proper warm up and cool down are essential components of a workout and can help safely ease your body in and out of exercise and ultimately help reduce risk of injury.
A warmup works to bring blood flow to your muscles, elevate your heart rate, increase mental focus, lubricate your joints and prime your nervous system. A good warm up is specific to the movement you are about to perform! Common components of a warmup are walking, dynamic stretches, and low intensity running or drills. See our video of an active warm up as an example of how to warm up before a run!
Cool downs work to perform the opposite of a warmup. The goal is to ease your body out of exercise so you can resume other activities. Cool downs work to decrease your heart rate, slow your breathing, and stretch out muscles that have just been worked. Common components of a cool down include walking, static stretching, and foam rolling.
If you are thinking of getting into an exercise routine or already have a routine, consider adding a warmup and cool down before and after your workout. You may find you perform better during the workout and feel better after it is complete!
Check out the videos below that discuss what to do for recovery on days off or lighter days, and a more in-depth demonstration of foam rolling.