What is the purpose of a warm up and cool down ? ?
Warm up:Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness. Warming up should at least consist of the following: 5 to 10 minutes jogging – to increase body temperature 10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises – reduce muscle stiffness 10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills – preparation for the session or competition. e.g. for a runner Lower leg drills Leg drills Technique drills 4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres – focus on correct running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive) cool down:Cooling down should consist of the following: 5 to 10 minutes jogging/walking – decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles 5 to 10 minutes static stretching exercises Static stretches are more appropriate to the cool down as they help muscles to relax, realign muscle fibres and re-establish their normal range of movement. These stretches should be held
