Discuss the reasons why a warm-up, a cool-down, and stretching are recommended as part of your exercise program.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Exercise sessions always should be preceded by a 5- to 10-minute warm-up and be followed by a 5- to 10-minute cool-down period.The purpose of the warm-up is to aid in the transition from rest to exercise. A good warm-up increases extensibility of the muscles and connective tissue, extends joint range of motion, and enhances muscular activity. A warm-up consists of general calisthenics, mild stretching exercises, and walking, jogging, or cycling for a few minutes at a lower intensity than the actual target zone. The concluding phase of the warm-up is a gradual increase in exercise intensity to the lower end of the target training zone.In the cool-down, the intensity of exercise is decreased gradually to help the body return to near resting levels, followed by stretching and relaxation activities. Stopping abruptly causes blood to pool in the exercised body parts, diminishing the return of blood to the heart. The pressure in the veins of the limbs is too low to effectively pump the blood back to the heart against gravity. Immediately following exercise, the veins in the limbs depend on the contraction of the surrounding muscles to squeeze the large amount of blood used during physical activity back to the heart, also known as the skeletal muscle pump. Less blood return can cause a sudden drop in blood pressure, dizziness and faintness, or cardiac abnormalities. The cool-down phase also helps dissipate body heat and remove the lactic acid produced during high-intensity exercise.The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 10 minutes of stretching exercises performed immediately following the warm-up phase (prior to exercising in the appropriate target zone) or after the cool-down phase. The purpose of stretching following either the warm-up or the cool-down phase is that warm muscles achieve a greater range of motion, thus helping enhance the flexibility program. While two to three stretching sessions per week are recommended, near daily stretching is most effective.