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...
Parents
Former Member
I think warming down is important to return gradually to a normal resting state, versus an abrupt cessation (working hard then getting out of the pool without a warm down). Besides the removal of LA from the blood, for me it helps me stretch my tight shoulders, tris, legs, and whatever else. When I run, I warm down by walking and stretching afterwards.
I feel like, if you are questioning the need to warm down, is it because you feel like you don't have enough time (you need to get back to the office), or that warming down is a waste of time?
Just my $0.02. I warm down with 4 x 50s after practice, nice and easy, really stretching those arms. After races, I do the same until I feel loose.
I think warming down is important to return gradually to a normal resting state, versus an abrupt cessation (working hard then getting out of the pool without a warm down). Besides the removal of LA from the blood, for me it helps me stretch my tight shoulders, tris, legs, and whatever else. When I run, I warm down by walking and stretching afterwards.
I feel like, if you are questioning the need to warm down, is it because you feel like you don't have enough time (you need to get back to the office), or that warming down is a waste of time?
Just my $0.02. I warm down with 4 x 50s after practice, nice and easy, really stretching those arms. After races, I do the same until I feel loose.
