After the workout do you pack your things and go straight home? In order to do something good for your body after training and to improve your muscle growth, you should include a short cool down in your training.
The Cooldown Is The Opposite Of The Warm-Up
Various cell processes take place in the body during intensive training. Your heart rate will skyrocket and your muscles will become irritated. The cooldown makes it easier to remove metabolic end products from the body, the body temperature is reduced again and the heart rate and respiratory rate normalize again.
The two phases of the cool-down:
Phase 1: Stabilization Of The Cardiovascular System
The first cool-down phase serves to lower your heart rate and stabilize your cardiovascular system. Your breathing will return to normal, becoming slower and deeper, and you will regain your strength.
Phase 2: Muscle Repair And Growth
The second phase is about rebuilding the fibers in your muscles that were destroyed during your training. This happens mainly during your rest day. Then it goes to hypertrophy, muscle growth. In addition, the body now breaks down metabolic end products such as lactate.
Do The Cool Down Properly
You should take ten to fifteen minutes to cool down. Stretching exercises for exactly the muscles that were just used in training and deep breaths are particularly well suited for this.
The stretches help to relax the warmed muscles, which increases blood flow, improves mobility, and promotes the healing process of the muscles. The stretch should not be painful, but rather cause a pleasant pulling sensation.
Targeted breathing techniques lower your blood pressure and lower your heart rate.
Things You Can Add To Your Cool-Down Routine
- Take it easy: Your body can also remove waste products such as lactate more quickly by jogging.
- Put on warm clothing: After exercise, your body is more susceptible to bacteria and viruses. So put on dry and warm clothes.
- Work on the fascia with a fascia roller: After training, take a fascia roller and massage your muscles with it. Of course, you can also have someone give you a massage.
- Take a cold bath: Immediately after training, cold baths counteract inflammatory processes in the muscles and stimulate circulation. Alternatively, you can also do contrast showers.
- Go to the sauna: You can also go to the sauna a good 30 minutes after training. This stimulates blood circulation and regeneration.
- On rest days: Also do a small stretching unit or muscle relaxation so that your joints and muscles remain supple on these days.
Mistakes You Should Avoid
- Skip the cooldown
- Stretch too hard
- Not showering after exercise
- No breaks in training
- Not sleeping enough
- Not eating a balanced diet
Conclusion
Following gentle exercise, stretching, and refueling are the key components of any cool down. It is intended that you bring your heart rate to its resting level through this exercise. The objective of stretching is to improve your flexibility over time, and this can help you prevent injuries. Last but not least, the importance of the CrossFit diet to refuel cannot be understated. By feeding the hungry muscles, you are helping them recover.
