How Many of you Warm Up, and Cool Down

Maxima · 31-May-03, 10:17 PM

If one of the mods wants to change this to a poll please do.

I am reffering to raising your temprature and heart rate before exercising, then walking to prevent blood pooling after exercise.

Let me go through why really quick.

Warm Up - this prepares the body for exercise, the increased blood flow to the heart and muscles does not begin immediatly. In fact electrocardiograms have shown abnormal heart arrhythmia's during exercise without a warm up.

Cool Down - during exercise the heart pumps large amounts of blood to the working muscles. The muscles squeeze the veins which forces blood back to the heart, valves in the heart prevent the blood from flowing backwards. If exercise is stopped suddenly the blood is left in the area of the working muscle, this causes blood pooling which causes the heart to have less blood to pump, causing blood pressure to drop and possibly dizziness or loss of conciousness.

Now after all of that let me be the first one to check the NO box for both of these. I prescribe it but it is just hard to get motivated to warm up, or cool down (that's the walk to and from the parking lot.) When I get to the gym I am almost bouncing up and down with excitment to go start moving some iron. I do start off with a warm up set but that is to prevent injury and really doesn't get my heart pumping or my temprature up, the thought of the weight I am about to push thinking that it can beat me does that.

Even though I know I should I will be honest and say that I don't.

plexus · 31-May-03, 10:34 PM

I'll check the yes box for the warm up. I don't remember when I started doing this but now it's a habit of mine. Before I work out I jump, not jump rope, I jump as high as I can bringing my knees up to my chest for 4-5 minutes. I'm sure I look like a fool but it works for me.

As far as a warm down, I stretch and shake my limbs on the way to the 'frig for my shake.

Alex(AJ) · 31-May-03, 10:35 PM

nah, i'm too lazy

(esp. since I train in my basement, hehe, i can only be bothered to move my fat ass down the stairs, lol)

mustang GT · 31-May-03, 11:28 PM

I do 5 minutes warm-up cardio. But I never did a cool down. I might start doing it though, but I never had dizziness after my workout. One question though, how is doing cooldown cardio gonna help the blood get out of the muscles?

ebon00 · 01-Jun-03, 09:24 AM

I ride my bicycle to the gym and that's general warmup enough for me (especially around here where the wind never lets up). Cooldown has never been something I've done. I usually finish up my workout, maybe do some abs if they're up for a thrashing, and then I hit the locker room. I might stretch a little if I feel that the workout was a very good one but other than that I just throw down my shake and hit the shower.

fengalon · 01-Jun-03, 10:15 AM

I used to be a big fan of cardio. I just did cardio every single time I went to the gym. I'd walk to the gym from my dorm and get on the treadmill to do some more warmup walking. Then gradually increase the pace until I'm running comfortably. After about 30 minutes, I'd call it quits and do a 10-15 minute cooldown.

I am doing things differently now, though. More weights and less cardio. But I still do the walking warmup.

TsiTalon · 01-Jun-03, 10:22 AM

ehhh i use to do cardio to warm up but i put 100% into working out. I just tend to do the first exersice with light weight to get the blood pumpin. For example if im doing DB chest press i dont just jump on to like 60's i'll grap 40's and do about 12 reps , then i begin my workout from there .

Steve · 01-Jun-03, 10:42 AM

Yes to warm up and cooldown. I always do it - and stretching.

Steve

Shredded · 01-Jun-03, 09:54 PM

I only do a warm up for weight training,but I do a warm up and cool down for cardio

hLd9 · 01-Jun-03, 10:34 PM

i alwayz start with a 5-10 minute cardio warmup.....

then stretch for my cool down

mustang GT · 01-Jun-03, 11:04 PM

I started my week of lifting today and I just put cool downs in there. For my warm up I do 5 minutes of jogging in place and shadow boxing, and for my cool down today I did the same thing; 5 minutes of jogging in place and shadow boxing. For now on I will do cool downs for lifting. But Shredded said that he does cool downs for cardio. Is a cool down for cardio nessesary (sp?)? What exactly does a cool down for cardio help?