Cool Down?

I've always heard (and seen data to this effect) the the main reason to warm down is to reduce the lactic acid levels more quickly. This is a very solid reason to warm down very well between events in a swim meet, for example. But I think that the difference is something like: it takes 30 minutes (with warm down) instead of 4 hours (without) to reach normal levels. I wouldn't think this would affect recovery between practices, though it might. Like you, I rarely have time to warm down very much, often just 100. But if I've just done a very hard effort, I wouldn't want to give that up. I know some very good swimmers and coaches who believe very firmly that extended warm downs, 500 or more, are a good thing. I am a little skeptical that longer warm downs are necessary, but I have never heard someone saying that warm downs are actually detrimental in and of themselves (other than taking up time that could be used for training). I am having a hard time believing that, after practice, your muscles are so fragile that they can suffer microtears from easy swimming. What about walking to the car? Opening the locker room door? Actually when you have aerobic training with a heart rate not higher than 70% MHR there's no need in cooling down. Long distance swimmers after having a hard workout might need 500 cool down. Sprinters definitely don't need that much. I've read one man couple times even lost consciousness some minutes after racing - he never did a cool down. After race he felt very well but in couple minutes pain suddenly grew up in muscles and... black screen. That's the first time I've actually heard of someone affected so much by lactate. Heavy weights and general fitness also require cool down. If you google something like "Cool down after fitness" you'll find quite a few recommendations on cooling down after weights. Btw swimmers are advised to finish weights workout with some aerobic training on water - that is considered a cool down.

I've always heard (and seen data to this effect) the the main reason to warm down is to reduce the lactic acid levels more quickly. This is a very solid reason to warm down very well between events in a swim meet, for example. But I think that the difference is something like: it takes 30 minutes (with warm down) instead of 4 hours (without) to reach normal levels. I wouldn't think this would affect recovery between practices, though it might. Like you, I rarely have time to warm down very much, often just 100. But if I've just done a very hard effort, I wouldn't want to give that up. I know some very good swimmers and coaches who believe very firmly that extended warm downs, 500 or more, are a good thing. I am a little skeptical that longer warm downs are necessary, but I have never heard someone saying that warm downs are actually detrimental in and of themselves (other than taking up time that could be used for training). I am having a hard time believing that, after practice, your muscles are so fragile that they can suffer microtears from easy swimming. What about walking to the car? Opening the locker room door? Actually when you have aerobic training with a heart rate not higher than 70% MHR there's no need in cooling down. Long distance swimmers after having a hard workout might need 500 cool down. Sprinters definitely don't need that much. I've read one man couple times even lost consciousness some minutes after racing - he never did a cool down. After race he felt very well but in couple minutes pain suddenly grew up in muscles and... black screen. That's the first time I've actually heard of someone affected so much by lactate. Heavy weights and general fitness also require cool down. If you google something like "Cool down after fitness" you'll find quite a few recommendations on cooling down after weights. Btw swimmers are advised to finish weights workout with some aerobic training on water - that is considered a cool down.