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
My :2cents:
I am a huge believer in lots of easy swimming after intense work.
After a long (for me) aerobic workout, I will swim 100 w/d.
In between fast workout swims (say, 50s or 100s with lots of rest), I will swim almost all of the rest time.
Even for a set like 6x 50 AFAP on 2:00, I will swim at least 1/2 way down and back after each.
After a meet race, regardless of distance, I will swim at least 600 or 10-15 mins.
All of this gives me the (false?) sense that I am helping to move the lactic acid, etc out of my system.
YMMV.
Reply
Former Member
My :2cents:
I am a huge believer in lots of easy swimming after intense work.
After a long (for me) aerobic workout, I will swim 100 w/d.
In between fast workout swims (say, 50s or 100s with lots of rest), I will swim almost all of the rest time.
Even for a set like 6x 50 AFAP on 2:00, I will swim at least 1/2 way down and back after each.
After a meet race, regardless of distance, I will swim at least 600 or 10-15 mins.
All of this gives me the (false?) sense that I am helping to move the lactic acid, etc out of my system.
YMMV.
