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Cooldown Activities

A proper cooldown includes a period of light activities following the workout that allows the body to slow down and return to near resting levels.

Stretching during your cooldown can improve the flexibility and range of motion around your joints.

Appropriate Cooldown Activities

Walking slower for three to five minutes followed by static stretching is optimal for improving flexibility. The muscles are the warmest and most pliable after the workout.

It is appropriate to stand and stretch for three to five minutes. Transition from standing stretches or cooldown activities for three to five minutes then sitting to complete static stretching.

Stopping exercises too abruptly might make your heart rate drop too fast, and could cause dizziness and even fainting.

Inappropriate Cooldown Activities

Inapprpriate cooldown activities are:

  • No cooldown at all.
  • Sitting immediately after a workout.
  • Sitting and stretching.

Sitting down right after a workout is not recommended. Your body needs a gradual recovery to reduce muscle stiffness and soreness, remove lactic acid and prevent lightheadedness.

Inappropriate Stretches

Hurdler Stretch

This is an inappropriate stretch because it opens the knee joint of the bent leg in an awkward direction. This can lead to possible overstretching of the area. This stretch is targeting the hamstrings of the leg that is straight. Therefore, there is no reason to cause possible harm to the other leg.

inappropriate hurdler stretch

Cross Leg Toe Touches

This is an inappropriate stretch because it hyperextends the knee joint of the back leg. This stretch is targeting the hamstrings of the legs. There are better hamstring stretches to choose from that do not cause possible harm.

inappropriate cross leg toe touch stretch

Neck Rolls

Stretching the neck is important. However, you should never roll your neck backward because it compresses the disks in the neck that you are going to need for your lifetime of movement. Rolling forward and side to side work the best.

inappropriate neck roll stretch

Abdominal Stretch

Hyperextending the back compresses the disks in the lower back area. Limit raising your chin off the ground to 12 inches.

inappropriate abdominal stretch

The Plow

This exercise puts weight and strain on the neck area. It is not recommended for general fitness stretching.

inappropriate plow stretch

Straight Leg Lifts

This exercise puts strain on the lower back area. It is not recommended for general fitness stretching.

inappropriate straight leg lift stretch

Standing Quad Stretch

This exercise can be a good quad stretch. However, you must use your opposite hand to hold your foot. Using the same-side hand can cause you to take your foot outside the hip area. This hyperextends your knee joint. Using the opposite hand creates the best angle for stretching without injuring the knee area.

inappropriate standing quad stretch

Physical Activity

You are learning about cooldown activities. We will focus on choosing proper exercises for cooldown activities and using those activities after working out.

Your physical activity will be jumping rope and jogging. Your goal is to understand that there are numerous cooldown activities that you can choose from to bring your heart rate down after a workout. You will learn:

  • How to choose a good cooldown activity.
  • How you feel after you complete your cooldown activity.
  • To assess if you achieved your heart rate zone after each workout.

Choosing Cooldown Activities

Focus on using cooldown activities after working out. Follow these rules to choose an appropriate cooldown activity:

  1. The activity must start instantly after the workout.
  2. The activity should not involve sitting for the first 2 minutes of the activity.
  3. The activity must slow the heart rate down (out of the training zone) as quickly as possible.
  4. The activity is usually 5-10 minutes in length.