Is the Exercise Cool-Down Really Necessary?
Full article here:
www.nytimes.com/.../15best.html
Excerpt:
The idea of the cool-down seems to have originated with a popular theory — now known to be wrong — that muscles become sore after exercise because they accumulate lactic acid. In fact, lactic acid is a fuel. It’s good to generate lactic acid, it’s a normal part of exercise, and it has nothing to do with muscle soreness. But the lactic acid theory led to the notion that by slowly reducing the intensity of your workout you can give lactic acid a chance to dissipate...
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Former Member
If you suddenly stop, your heart slows down, your blood is pooled in your legs and feet, and you can feel dizzy, even pass out. When I used to ride a lot, that is everyday, at the end of 26-35 miles I didn't cool down, then I would spend a few hours in agony going through panic attacks, room spinning and fainting spells...It wasn't until I got in a spinning class with a trained physiologist that I learned to cool down and stretch. When I began swimming intervals, the same things happened, panic attacks-dizzy spells...so now I do cool downs and it works. I haven't experienced anything like those panic attacks and room spinning spells since. Perhaps its the conditioning, however when I used to ride I was "conditioned" for the sport. So I think it goes beyond myth, but then some people are physical gifted, where they simply never need a cooldown.
If you suddenly stop, your heart slows down, your blood is pooled in your legs and feet, and you can feel dizzy, even pass out. When I used to ride a lot, that is everyday, at the end of 26-35 miles I didn't cool down, then I would spend a few hours in agony going through panic attacks, room spinning and fainting spells...It wasn't until I got in a spinning class with a trained physiologist that I learned to cool down and stretch. When I began swimming intervals, the same things happened, panic attacks-dizzy spells...so now I do cool downs and it works. I haven't experienced anything like those panic attacks and room spinning spells since. Perhaps its the conditioning, however when I used to ride I was "conditioned" for the sport. So I think it goes beyond myth, but then some people are physical gifted, where they simply never need a cooldown.
