We’re sure you know about the importance of warming up and cooling down before and after you do a workout, but many people dread these minutes. They’re often seen as an obligation that takes away from our exercise time but it’s incredibly important to warm out your muscles before exercising and stretch after you’ve finished.
Before you start running, you should do several movements like calf stretch, hamstring stretch, and thoracic spine rotation. They will get your heart rate up and warm up your muscles to help prevent injuries. And after you’re done running—every run, no matter how short it was—you need to let your body cool down.
Take 10 minutes after a run to decrease heart rate. Start with a slow jog, then transition to walking for a few minutes. Move on to slow stretches that target the muscles and joints you’ve just used. Don’t forget to stretch your arms, too, but focus on the muscles in your legs, feet, and toes.
Properly cooling down is important, but so is hydration and adequate nutrition before and after the run. If you combine all of this you will help your body get the most out of the workouts and your muscles will repair quicker.
