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?
Since Jeremy was very sick this morning (fever, cold, etc) I didn't ask him about Marc's cool down theory but I did ask in the locker rooms. The girls all agreed that cool down is needed to get the lactic acid out, if there is any.
Since Jeremy was very sick this morning (fever, cold, etc) I didn't ask him about Marc's cool down theory but I did ask in the locker rooms. The girls all agreed that cool down is needed to get the lactic acid out, if there is any.
Are you sure you guys didn't cross wires in some way? Doesn't seem remotely possible, to me, that cooling down could be dangerous! Was he maybe talking about intense stretching or something else and you both misunderstood each other? Or was he being silly because he needed you all to get out on time? This just seems too bizarre to be a real theory!
Are you sure you guys didn't cross wires in some way? Doesn't seem remotely possible, to me, that cooling down could be dangerous! Was he maybe talking about intense stretching or something else and you both misunderstood each other? Or was he being silly because he needed you all to get out on time? This just seems too bizarre to be a real theory!
I think he and I were on the same page as far as what we were talking about - cool down. His room mate has a fever, maybe he got one too and it went to his brain. hee-hee. I have to say, though, I agree with 99% of the things he says, just not this, especially after an intense set.
My current coach always implores the group to warm down at the end of practice, but most of the kids seem to do about a 50, 100 tops. I try to get in 200 if there's time. My only evidence that's it's actually beneficial is that it makes me feel better. Barring any evidence to the contrary that's good enough for me!
Former Member
I think he and I were on the same page as far as what we were talking about - cool down. His room mate has a fever, maybe he got one too and it went to his brain. hee-hee. I have to say, though, I agree with 99% of the things he says, just not this, especially after an intense set.
I posted my comments on warming down at the end of my blog entry today.
I'll come at it from the running angle. Whenever there is a hard workout (intervals, hills, etc.) or a race the coaches and experts always plan not only a warm up but a warm down as well. Whenever I follow their advice I get fewer muscle related injuries. I figure if Olympians can do it so can I:)
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!
Former Member
We do a lot of exercise testing on Children and teens in my pulmonary function lab. It became apparent early on that if we let the kids stop (either bike or treadmill) suddenly when their heart rates were up in the 190-200 range, some of them were going to have sharp drops in their blood pressure, dizziness, near fainting and (twice) vomiting. Some of them had a "vasovagal" response with slow heart rate too.
Now I don't let them off until their heart rates are under 120. If you stop exercising quickly, all of your blood vessels are dilated and your blood pressure can fall. Seems like teens are more prone to this.
Interesting. When you're running, it seems like the cool down flows naturally. You finish the intense part of the run, slow your pace, and keep on going. When you're swimming intervals, there will always be a stop before the the cool down. Does that still count as a "sudden" stop?
I have two (unscientific) reasons for always doing a cool down, even after an easy practice: 1.) It's a good excuse to stay in the pool for a few more minutes 2.) I could use the extra yards in my GTD bucket.
Former Member
Sprint events typically produce much higher concentrations of lactate than distance events, so you may want to revisit this theory.
:agree:
