The end of every workout: the cool-down by plan

You warm up before the sport. Then the workout follows and you strain, sweat and exhaust yourself. The perfect workout has it all! Should you now do a cool-down? Definitely!

Cooldown after the sport: the ideal end to a perfect workout

You use Frankfurt as a training location with your personal trainer? Then you can benefit from an incredible number of indoor and outdoor sporting activities. They all have one thing in common: they end with the cool-down phase. This is the counterpart to the warm-up phase before training, during which the muscles, tendons, ligaments and the entire body are physically and mentally prepared for the upcoming exertion. The warm-up is part of the standard training programme and the warm-down should also have this value.

 

Not only does it help reduce soreness and improve relaxation, it can even improve your performance. In sports teams, it is also used to improve team spirit. Overall, cool-down is divided into three phases:

  • Reduction of cardiovascular activity with reduced coordination and a lower range of motion.
  • Regeneration of the muscles with a lowering of the heart rate and associated with relaxed movements.
  • Stretching, which should not be done after strength training.

This is what the warm down phase does

The naming of the three phases already shows the beneficial effect of the warm-down. The body, which is still heated from exercise, is now cooled down and the cardiovascular system comes to rest. In addition, the correct warm-down has the following positive effects

  • reduced muscle tension
  • calmer breathing
  • Reduced perspiration
  • Mental relaxation
  • reduction of metabolic waste products

However, the effect of the warm-down phase is noticeable and verifiable beyond the actual phase after training. The athlete's performance is increased, he/she suffers fewer injuries overall and regeneration after exercise is easier.

When warming up, the following tips should be taken to heart:

  • Don't rush - allow enough time for the warm-down (at least five minutes).
  • The more strenuous the workout, the more time you should allow for the warm-down.
  • Do not stretch too much (after strength training it is better not to stretch at all in order not to increase muscle trauma).

 

  • Breathe consciously and calmly
  • "breathe into the muscles"
  • Be careful when using the fascia roller! Only carefully "roll" on painful areas

When is the cool-down important?

Every athlete should plan a cool-down phase, even if you have only trained for 15 minutes! However, this cool-down phase is especially important after an intense workout, after which the body needs a little help with regeneration. Athletes who constantly suffer from pain and tension, especially in the back, should not forget to warm down. It is important to pay special attention to the affected parts of the body. Gentle twists and stretches of the tense muscles are particularly beneficial.

Anyone who starts training again after a break from injury is very susceptible to re-injury, for example of an affected joint, ligament or tendon. Conscious cooling down with gentle exercises to loosen up and relax reduces the risk of re-injury. The cool-down phase is also important for pregnant women who want to train until the birth. They use it to loosen up the tense units of the musculoskeletal system and gently contribute to their increased performance.

Your personal trainer Frankfurt advises: Include a cool-down phase in your training plan.

We all know about the positive effects of an individual exercise plan. This plan specifically addresses the current training status of the athlete and picks him up there. We build up from a certain status x. This is true for professionals as well as for recreational athletes! The individual sports plan should be worked out by your coach, because he knows you and your strengths, but also your weaknesses best. This gives you the opportunity to target and change the latter. Unfortunately, the cool-down phase is often forgotten, because quite a few recreational athletes are literally finished by the end of the workout. This important training phase belongs to the training plan with perfectly coordinated exercises and should not be seen as an optional additional exercise!