Cool It
Finish your workout right and you’ll start your next session even stronger
Cooling down after a sweaty workout can fall low on the priority ladder, right down there with flossing. But slowly returning your heart rate and blood pressure to normal is important because it reduces the risk of injury. It also helps you forget the burn of a decent workout, increasing the chances that you’ll do it again. Here, how to cool down intelligently. Physical and emotional high guaranteed.
After you lift…
Pamper the muscles you’ve just worked by stretching for five minutes. Then, slide sore body parts over a foam roller (such as the Comffit, from $15, at sportstek.net) for another five, to give larger muscle groups a deep massage. Trust us, it feels good. Finally, try a contrast shower – alternate between three minutes of hot and one minute of cold. Why? Cold water shots minimise muscle swelling, lessening soreness.
After you ride…
Spin easy for 10 to 20 minutes, says Amber Neben, two-time winner of the Tour de l’Aude, the biggest women’s cycling stage race, held in France. Then nix muscle soreness with an ice massage: freeze water in a plastic cup, remove and rub the aching area for 10 minutes. Take a break for 10, rub again; repeat for up to an hour.
After you run…
Finish with light intervals, suggests Christ Bergland, author of The Athlete’s Way ($44.99, St. Martin's Press). Run at a challenging pace for 20 to 25 seconds, then walk or jog for a minute or two. Repeat three to five times. Then stretch your calves, glutes, groin, hamstrings, hip flexors and quads – this will help post-run carbs get into your muscle’s cells to replace lost glycogen.
After you swim…
Dip underwater five or six times, and each time blow out all your air. Then swim one-tenth of the distance of your workout at an easy pace. The impact-free nature of swimming may feel relaxing, but a cool-down is critical to slowing your heart rate and preventing muscle cramps and injuries, explains Janet Evans, four-time US Olympic gold medallist and author of Janet Evans’ Total Swimming ($31.95, Human Kinetics Publishers).
Cooling down after a sweaty workout can fall low on the priority ladder, right down there with flossing. But slowly returning your heart rate and blood pressure to normal is important because it reduces the risk of injury. It also helps you forget the burn of a decent workout, increasing the chances that you’ll do it again. Here, how to cool down intelligently. Physical and emotional high guaranteed.
After you lift…
Pamper the muscles you’ve just worked by stretching for five minutes. Then, slide sore body parts over a foam roller (such as the Comffit, from $15, at sportstek.net) for another five, to give larger muscle groups a deep massage. Trust us, it feels good. Finally, try a contrast shower – alternate between three minutes of hot and one minute of cold. Why? Cold water shots minimise muscle swelling, lessening soreness.
After you ride…
Spin easy for 10 to 20 minutes, says Amber Neben, two-time winner of the Tour de l’Aude, the biggest women’s cycling stage race, held in France. Then nix muscle soreness with an ice massage: freeze water in a plastic cup, remove and rub the aching area for 10 minutes. Take a break for 10, rub again; repeat for up to an hour.
After you run…
Finish with light intervals, suggests Christ Bergland, author of The Athlete’s Way ($44.99, St. Martin's Press). Run at a challenging pace for 20 to 25 seconds, then walk or jog for a minute or two. Repeat three to five times. Then stretch your calves, glutes, groin, hamstrings, hip flexors and quads – this will help post-run carbs get into your muscle’s cells to replace lost glycogen.
After you swim…
Dip underwater five or six times, and each time blow out all your air. Then swim one-tenth of the distance of your workout at an easy pace. The impact-free nature of swimming may feel relaxing, but a cool-down is critical to slowing your heart rate and preventing muscle cramps and injuries, explains Janet Evans, four-time US Olympic gold medallist and author of Janet Evans’ Total Swimming ($31.95, Human Kinetics Publishers).
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