A warm-up gradually transitions the body from rest to physical activity. The body needs time to adapt to increased demands due to activity – such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism – and prepare the joints and muscles for activity.
Start each exercise session with a gradual warm-up.
This prepares the body for the physical activity to follow and helps prevent injuries and strain on the heart, muscles, or joints. Take 5-10 minutes to gradually increase the intensity of your activity. Walk at an easy pace before walking briskly. Walk or jog at an easy pace before you run. Bike at an easy pace before biking hard.
Finish each exercise session with a gradual cool-down.
Gradually slow down. Decrease the intensity and take time for the heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and circulation to recover slowly and steadily. The easier activity during the cool down helps restore normal circulation, and prevents lack of blood to the heart or brain from stopping quickly (muscles pump blood back to the heart) which can cause abnormal heart rhythms. Cooling down gradually also helps remove exercise metabolites (wastes) from the muscles so that you feel better and recover more quickly than you would if you just sat or stood after exercising.
Cooling down is a critical component of a good, safe activity program for healthy participants. And it's especially important for people with health problems.
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