Warm+Up+&+Cool+Down

**BENEFITS ** **How to Warm Up ** A warm up usually includes a general and a specific component. Warming up is important in all activities. The concepts of general and specific warm up apply to everything you do. Your Warm Up should get your heart rate up above 135 beats per minute. **Cooling Down ** **BENEFITS ** **How to Cool Down ** Your cool-down should be as long as, or even slightly longer than, your warm-up. A cool-down usually includes a general and a specific component.  Your cool-down should lower your heart rate to 100 beats per minute or less.
 * WARMING UP **
 * The Warm Up is a 10 – 15 minute period during which you prepare your body for vigorous exercise. Some people want instant success and forgo the warm up. Such impatience invites pain & injury. A warm up is very helpful from both a physical and mental standpoint and may determine, whether or not you continue to participate in the activity selected **
 * Warm up helps you mentally focus your effort and makes you feel like moving.
 * It increases your heart rate and the blood supply to your muscles, thus preparing your cardiovascular and muscular systems for the workout.
 * It generates heat in the muscle and joint tissues, which makes them more flexible and resistant to injury
 * General Component has 2 stages **
 * 1) The first stage includes some type of large muscle activity such as jogging in place or slow jogging. This activity is designed to raise your heart rate slowly while increasing muscle temperature.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">The second stage involves static stretching. Muscles should be stretched slowly for 15 to 30 seconds and progressively to the point of discomfort; not pain. Dynamic stretching is also an effective method of warming up the muscles. It involves a similar position but in a slow and controlled manner.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Specific component of a warm up involves participation in the activity to be performed or a related activity. **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If you were running, you might jog a half mile at a leisurely pace, slowly increasing to a desired pace.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In this way your body is gradually allowed to adapt to the specific stress being imposed upon it.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Some people use the movements of their sport to warm up. If you are going to play tennis, for example, you will want to warm up your arm & shoulder muscles.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You might want to volley the ball back and forth across the net with your partner or practice a few serves before starting a game.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">The cool down is a 10-15 minute period of mild exercise that follows your training session and allows your body and heart rate to return to their resting states slowly. Cooling down from exercise is as important as warming up. Just as your body was allowed to speed up gradually, it must also be allowed to slow down gradually. **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Prevent blood from pooling in the muscles you were using. Without a cool-down, less blood reaches your heart and you may feel light headed.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Prevent waste products from building up in your muscles, keeping them from becoming sore.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Muscles and tendons relax, keeping them from becoming stiff and tight.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 17.33px;">General Component has 2 stages **
 * 1) <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">The first stage of cooling down should consist of walking or some other light activity to prevent blood from pooling in the muscles you were using. Your cool down period should continue until your heart rate is below 100 beats per minute.
 * 2) <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">The second stage of cool-down should focus on the same stretching exercises that were used during the warm up period. You will probably find that stretching is easier after exercising, due to the increase in muscle temperature. Stretching at this time loosens tightened muscles and helps prevent muscle soreness.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Specific component of a cool-down involves participation in core work. **
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Strong abdominal muscles are a postural aid because they provide support for the upper torso.
 * <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16px;">Many researchers and physical education teachers believe the cool-down is as important or more important than the warm-up.