My coach today told me that cooling down at the end of practice was not good for the body. He said it could rip muscles that were just worked. I have always been taught that the cool down was important, especially after working hard and getting the heart rate up.
Keep in mind that this is an USA-S practice and those I'm swimming with are teenagers.
I'm curious what others think?
Parents
Former Member
I've seen something about cool downs being less important for recovery than we'd previously thought, but not that they can be damaging.
Here's a different angle...
Surely if cooling down can damage muscles after training, it can equally do so after a race?
If so, surely you wouldn't do anything at a meet that had this potential effect if you haven't been doing so after training?
Therefore, if you shouldn't swim down after training you also shouldn't between races. That's a tough sell!
I've seen something about cool downs being less important for recovery than we'd previously thought, but not that they can be damaging.
Here's a different angle...
Surely if cooling down can damage muscles after training, it can equally do so after a race?
If so, surely you wouldn't do anything at a meet that had this potential effect if you haven't been doing so after training?
Therefore, if you shouldn't swim down after training you also shouldn't between races. That's a tough sell!
