What’s a cool down?
A cool down is just the last part of your workout, lasting about 5 to 15 minutes, where you do some low- to moderate-intensity exercises. It’s like taking it easy after all the hard work. You might repeat some of the moves you did earlier but at a slower pace. For example, if you were jogging, you’d finish with a walk. You can also throw in some static stretching or roll out on a foam roller.
A lot of athletes and coaches think that cooling down helps you recover faster, eases muscle soreness, and keeps your performance up for the next workout. But, interestingly, some studies say the benefits of cooling down aren’t super clear and haven’t been studied a ton.
How a cool down can help
Cooling down isn’t strictly good or bad. Some ways to wrap up your workout can help you feel better or perform better, while others might not do much at all. Here’s a quick look at the potential perks of cooling down:
- Reduce muscle soreness: When you work out hard, you can mess up your muscle fibers, leading to soreness a day or two later. Light activity after a tough session might help get blood flowing to those sore muscles and kickstart recovery. But honestly, regular cool-downs don’t seem to do much for soreness, and stretching doesn’t help either. There are only a couple of studies showing that light jogging or pedaling can ease soreness, but they were done on fit athletes, so don’t count on it if you’re just starting out. Foam rolling, though, has shown some promise in reducing soreness and boosting performance.
- Keep your flexibility: Some folks think that cooling down can help prevent stiffness and keep you performing well the next day. But again, it really depends on what you do. Light activity doesn’t seem to help with stiffness, but 20 minutes of foam rolling can make a difference. Static stretching can also help loosen things up after a tough workout.
- Calm your heart and breathing: After a tough workout, your heart rate is still up for a bit. Doing some final exercises can help bring your heart and breathing back to normal faster, which is good for your nervous system too.
- Boost your immune system: Intense workouts can temporarily weaken your immune system, making you more prone to getting sick. One study found that after a cool-down with light jogging, the drop in immune cells was only 6%, compared to a 35% drop in those who didn’t cool down. But this effect only lasts a couple of hours, so it’s just enough time to get home.
How to cool down
To really get the most out of your cool down, mix a few methods together.
- Light activity: If you’ve been pushing hard, like sprinting or doing high-intensity workouts, this part is key. If you’ve just been cruising through your usual routine, you can skip straight to the next part. Aim for about half the intensity of your main workout and focus on the same muscle groups. For example, if you did intervals, a light jog is perfect. If you were lifting heavy, try some bodyweight exercises. Just 10-12 minutes is enough to get your blood flowing and help you recover.
- Foam rolling: If you think you might be sore, grab a foam roller. Spend at least two minutes rolling out each muscle group you worked. For instance, if you did heavy squats, roll out your quads, hamstrings, and glutes. For smaller muscles like your traps or biceps, use a massage ball if you have one.
- Static stretching: Spend about 10 minutes on this. Pick one or two stretches for the muscles that got a workout and hold each stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on how much time you have.
So, there you go! Cooling down can be a chill way to wrap up your workout and help your body recover.
