Exercising is good for you, but what if it makes everything hurt? I didn’t think twice about skipping the warm-up and cool-down segment of my exercise programs when I was younger, but it is different now. I am reluctant to give up my active ways, but I will admit that I feel stiff and sore both before I exercise and afterwards. The experts are telling us that the warm-up and the cool-down may be the key. It is certainly worth a try.
Bryan D. Vargo wrote (Arthritis Today: January/February 2011) about how easing into action actually protects the joints and muscles. He compared the human body to a car. You wouldn’t think about twice about not warming up your car before you hit the road on a chilly day and your body is no different. What do you think happens to your cardiovascular system, your muscles, and your joints when you hop (creep) out of bed and head out the door without preparing your body? Warming-up can prevent injuries. The warm-up prepares your body for activity by gradually elevating the heart rate, increasing the oxygen intake and warming everything up. Namita Jain (The Hindu: Chennai. June 25, 2009) tells us that warming-up is probably the most important part of the exercise program.
The warm-up lets you ease into your day and your lets you exercise safely. The warm-up also gives your mind a chance to focus. If you find yourself stiff and sore in the morning and even sorer afterwards, it may be time to change your methods. The first 5 to 10 minutes of your workout should be warm-up time. March, bend, rotate, and shrug to loosen the muscles and joints before you start out. Gradually increasing your body temperatures improves muscle elasticity and enhances the speed and strength of muscle contraction and relaxation. Working up a sweat will also cool your body so that you don’t overheat when you get down to the hard part.
What about the cool-down? If you just flop into your car after a hike or a run you have probably noticed how stiff and sore you are when you get home. An adequate cool-down can help derail this disaster. A cool-down means you let your respiratory and cardiovascular activity return to normal. The cool-down lets your body temperature drop and it removes waste products from the working muscles (this is the lactic acid that you hear about). If you don’t cool-down the muscles and will be sore. There is also the possibility of an abrupt blood pressure drop and lightheadedness, which is equally unsettling. The last 5-10 minutes of your workout should be cool-down time.
Whatever you are doing, slow down the intensity and do some gentle stretching at the tail end. Stretch slowly and gently. The time to stretch is when the muscles are warm, not after you get home. Hopefully this will minimize your post exercise soreness.
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