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What Is a Cooldown?

Erin Pereira, PT, DPT, is a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy.

Verywell / Ryan Kelly

Frequently Asked Questions

• Next in Workout Recovery Guide Why You Need Rest and Recovery After Exercise

A cool down is an important part of any good workout. It is an opportunity for you to reduce your intensity, bring down your heart rate, and relax your muscles from working out in a tensed state.

What's more, the cooldown does not need to take up a long period of time. Five to 10 minutes is all you need to reduce heavy breathing and mitigate challenging recovery issues. Here is what you need to know about cooldowns and how to incorporate them into your next workout.

What Is a Cooldown? 

A cooldown is designed to promote recovery and return the body to a pre-exercise or pre-workout level. This can be accomplished in a variety of different ways. You can walk or jog, stretch, or even engage in mindfulness to help your body relax and recover. Whether physical or mental activities—or a combination of both—a cooldown helps you recover mentally and physically after physical activity or exercise.

Benefits of Cooldowns

The cooldown offers a number of benefits including helping you recover faster from your workout. Here are a few of the benefits of incorporating a cooldown into your workout regimen.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Have you ever gotten the sorest from a workout two days after you exercised? You would think that feeling sore would be an immediate after effect. But that is not always the case, and this phenomenon has a name: delayed onset muscle soreness. The worst pain often comes 24 to 48 hours after exercise due to microtears in your muscle fibers that hang around for a while.

In a study on the effects of warmups and cooldowns, researchers mentioned that aerobic cooldowns could reduce delayed onset muscle soreness by increasing circulation and removal of waste in the exercised muscles. Using a heated blanket after your cooldown can further increase circulation and aid in muscle recovery.

According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), lactic acid can accumulate throughout the body (especially after an intense workout session). To help clear out some of this acid, 10 minutes of light exercise (such as walking) coupled with static stretching can "buffer" this out. A cooldown can prepare your body for your next physical activity, making your recovery faster than if you skipped a cooldown.

Increases Flexibility

When your muscles are warm after exercise, this is a valuable time to conduct a stretching routine as your warmed-up muscles can bend farther than usual. This can help increase your flexibility, which in turn, increases your fitness level. Stretching also improves your range of motion and your ability to move around throughout the day as you conduct regular everyday activities.

Improves Your Mental State

Exercise increases endorphins and cooling down can help keep those good vibes going by bringing your body back to center. According to ACE, a cooldown allows your body to slowly return to a resting state. A cooldown allows you to take full advantage of the relaxed and euphoric effect that these neurochemicals have on your body, they say.

Helps You Reach Fitness Goals

By recovering faster, you can get back to following your training schedule. Whether you want to run faster, participate in a race, or do 10 pushups without stopping, taking 10 minutes to cooldown can be the change you need to stick to your goals instead of skipping a workout due to fatigue and soreness.

Risks of Not Doing a Cooldown

After you finish a hard workout, it can be particularly tempting to either hop in the car and head home or collapse on the couch if you work out at home. But taking a few minutes to cool down after exercise is an important part of your recovery and is a step that should not be skipped.

Negative Health Effects

Although most people will not experience too many negative affects if they skip a cooldown after their workout, you could incur some health risks. For instance, some people who are new to exercise or have pre-existing health conditions, may experience lightheadedness or even blurred vision if they suddenly stop a workout and do not allow their body return to a pre-exercise state.

Blood Pooling

You also risk blood pooling. If you stop exercising abruptly, your muscles stop contracting. This can have a negative effect on your heart and brain as blood could pool in your lower extremities and not pump throughout the body as it should.

Elevates Injury Risk

Above all, avoiding a cooldown can put you at risk of injury. Many factors in exercise can make you susceptible to injury, and not cooling down can be one of them. Cooling down can help relax the repetitive stress you have put on your muscles, cartilage, and nerves, and work on healing any micro-traumas you caused within your body such as during intense weightlifting sessions.

How to Do a Proper Cooldown

After you finish your workout, spending five to 10 minutes performing an effective cooldown can relax and lengthen muscles. Harvard Health recommends flowing from one stretch to the next without rests in between, making your cooldown more active. You also can do a yoga flow, engage in light movement similar to what you were doing, or even do some mindfulness activities.

American Heart Association Cooldown

• Start with walking for about 5 minutes and get your heart rate below 120 beats per minute.
• Monitor your heart rate to ensure it continues to return to normal as you cooldown.
• Move on to stretching, holding each stretch for 30 seconds.
• Focus on your breathing as you stretch.
• Feel free to do more stretches if you feel like your body needs more time.

Stretching after a workout is another popular path many exercisers take to cooldown. In fact, some people like to engage in gentle stretching following strenuous activity because it allows them to relax their mind and their body and reflect on their recent exercise or competition.

The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) indicates that your cooldown should take double the amount of time as your warmup. The organization recommends slowing your motions and reducing the intensity of your movements for at least 10 minutes before you completely stop. This can end when your skin is dry and you feel cooled down. If you're working out at home, using a fan in your home gym can help by causing sweat to evaporate more quickly, keeping you cool while you stretch.

If you need some cooldown inspiration, try incorporating these three easy-to-do static stretches explained below. They help you open up the body, reduce your heavy breathing, and keep your blood flowing to stave off any potential blood pooling.

Hamstring Stretch

The hamstrings are responsible for bending or flexing the knee and are used quite a bit if you are walking, running , playing soccer, or participating in other similar activities. Because tight hamstrings is common complaint among exercisers, you may want to consider doing a hamstring stretch. Here is how to incorporate a hamstring stretch into your workout cooldown.

• Sit with your legs out straight.
• Extend your arms and reach forward by bending at the waist as far as you can. Keep your knees straight.
• Hold for 30 seconds.
• Come back to the starting position.
• Repeat three times.

Cat-Cow Stretch

The Cat-Cow Stretch can improve circulation within the disks of your back, benefit your posture, and increase blood flow in your spine and pelvic region. After exercise, this stretch can open up your body and counteract the more limited range of motion it received during your workout. Here are the steps for this relaxing stretch.

• Get on your hands and knees, aligning your wrist under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Align your spine and keep it flat.
• Extend your neck so you are looking up.
• Curl your toes under.
• Tilt your pelvis back.
• Drop your belly down.
• Move your neck up toward to the ceiling.
• Flex your neck so you are looking down toward your knees.
• Release the top of your feet to the floor.
• Tuck in your tailbone and draw your navel toward your spine.
• Do this three times.

Forward Bend Stretch

During cardio and resistance training, you use a number of your leg muscles, and they can often feel sore after you finish your workout (especially during the next 24 to 48 hours). A forward bend can stretch the following leg muscles including the hamstrings, calves, hips, knees, and thighs.

It also helps with the muscle twitching and soreness you might experience after leg day or a particularly intense cardio session . Use this stretch to help you slow your breathing down. Bending forward can provide an opportunity for you to concentrate on taking deep breaths as you maintain this upside-down position. Here are the steps for this simple, yet effective, stretch.

• Stand up straight and reach your arms overhead.
• Sweep your arms down on both sides of your body into a forward fold from your hips.
• Bring your fingertips in line with the toes.
• Press your palms into the floor (if you can reach).
• Bring your weight forward onto the balls of your feet and keep your hips over your ankles. Let your head hang.
• Come up by placing your hands on your hips and contact your abs as you slowly rise up.
• Be sure to come up slowly. If you go too fast, you could get dizzy.

Stretching Tips from the American College of Sports Medicine

• Mild discomfort can occur, but stop stretching immediately if you feel any intense, sharp pain.
• You can hold a stretch for up to 60 seconds, which can be done in 10 to 30 second intervals or all at once.
• Breathe deeply during each stretch.
• Do the stretches in a controlled manner.

A Word from Verywell

You can improve your recovery by taking 5 to 10 minutes after your workout to cool down; even walking for 5 minutes and holding a few stretches for 60 seconds each will work. This will help you avoid blood pooling in your extremities and allow your body to return to its pre-exercise state.

A cooldown can also promote relaxation and get your body and mind ready for your next non-physical activity. If you have additional questions about cooling down and the best activities for you to incorporate, you may want to talk to a physical therapist or a certified personal trainer .

A cooldown should include five minutes of walking and getting your heart rate below 120 beats per minute. If you're cooling down on a treadmill, there are a few treadmill accessories , such as a heart rate monitor or a clip-on fan, that can help elevate your cooldown. Then you should move onto stretching, holding each stretch for about 30-60 seconds without bouncing.

Be sure to exhale on the stretch and inhale as you hold it. Some stretches to include are the forward standing stretch and basic hamstring stretches.

When it comes to developing an effective cooldown, everyone is different. Some might experience some muscle cramping and twitching if they don't cool down, whereas others could have more significant events. If you're running low on time, you can even use walking back to your car and doing deep breathing at the same time as a cooldown. This will help bring your heart rate down, which is important to your health.

Cooling down can help keep the blood flowing to your limbs and brain, bring your heart rate, body temperature down, and reduce your sweating. Cooling down can also help prevent digestive issues that are common among people who work out, especially runners.

American College of Sports Medicine. A road map to effective muscle recovery .

American Council on Exercise. Five reasons you shouldn’t skip your cool-down after exercise .

Olsen O, Sjøhaug M, van Beekvelt M, Mork PJ. The effect of warm-up and cool-down exercise on delayed onset muscle soreness in the quadriceps muscle: A randomized controlled trial .  J Hum Kinet . 2012;35:59-68. doi:10.2478/v10078-012-0079-4

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Safe exercise .

Van Hooren B, Peake JM. Do we need a cool-down after exercise? A narrative review of the psychophysiological effects and theeffects on performance, injuries and the long-term adaptive response .  Sports Med . 2018;48(7):1575-1595.

Seeley AD, Giersch GEW, Charkoudian N. Post-exercise body cooling: skin blood flow, venous pooling, and orthostatic intolerance .  Front Sports Act Living . 2021;3:658410.

Harvard Health. Exercise 101: Don't skip the warm-up or cool-down .

American Heart Association. Warm up, cool down .

Gothe NP, McAuley E. Yoga is as good as stretching–strengthening exercises in improving functional fitness outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled trial .  J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci . 2016;71(3):406-411. doi:10.1093/gerona/glv127

Tri-City Medical Center. Why warming up and cooling down is important .

By Jennifer Purdie, M.Ed, CPT Jennifer Purdie, M.Ed, is a certified personal trainer, freelance writer, and author of "Growth Mindset for Athletes, Coaches and Trainers."

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The 9 Best Cool-Down Exercises to Optimize Your Recovery

Don’t sleep on these stretches..

• The Exercises

What Is a Cool Down?

• What Science Says

After an intense workout, it’s tempting to hit the showers and move on with your busy day. But taking a few minutes to stretch, breathe, and relax gives your body a chance to (literally) cool down. Although a cool-down may not decrease muscle soreness or improve your range of motion, it’s important for your cardiovascular system.

Here, we’ll explain how to build a cool-down routine with the best mobility exercises and why to do it. We’ll list the best cool-down exercises for stretching each major muscle group. After you warm up and work out, let your heart rate settle with these cool-down exercises.

Editor’s Note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice . When starting a new training regimen and/or diet, it is always a good idea to consult with a trusted medical professional. We are not a medical resource. The opinions and articles on this site are not intended for use as diagnosis, prevention, and/or treatment of health problems. They are not substitutes for consulting a qualified medical professional.

Cool Down Exercises

Save some time for a cool down in your workout routine. After light cardio to reduce your heart rate, aim to spend at least 10 minutes on a few cool-down stretches. These cover all your major muscle groups, so you can get a nice full-body stretch before moving on with your day.

Light Cardio

Shoulder stretch, triceps stretch, wall calf stretch, half-kneeling quad stretch, assisted supine hamstring stretch, seated forward bend, knee-to-chest, child’s pose.

[Read More: The Best Cardio Workouts at Home to Boost Your Fitness Without a Treadmill]

Target Muscles : Light cardio helps cool down your cardiovascular system. Depending on what type you choose, it can target your full body. A light jog primarily targets your lower body, hamstrings, hips, and glutes.

• Take a light jog, walk, cycle, or swim.
• Start at a moderate pace and gradually slow down.
• Go for five to 10 minutes, reducing your speed significantly as you reach the end.
• Focus on breathing deeply throughout.

[Read More: Try These 11 Best Shoulder Warm-Up Exercises to Raise the Roof on Overhead Lifts]

Target Muscles : An overhead shoulder stretch targets your shoulders (rotator cuff, deltoids, trapezius), latissimus dorsi (lats), and other upper body muscles.

• Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. 
• Lift your right arm overhead. Bend your right elbow so that your right hand touches the back of your neck.
• Lift your left arm. Place your left hand on your right elbow and gently push to deepen the stretch. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing deeply.
• Switch sides and repeat to stretch your left side.

[Read More: The 8 Best Biceps Stretches to Support Long-Term Arm Thickness and Strength]

Target Muscles : The cross-body triceps stretch targets your triceps brachii — the long, medial, and lateral heads.

• Reach your left arm across your body. 
• Place your right hand on your left triceps and gently push. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Switch sides and repeat to stretch your right side.

Target Muscles : The wall calf stretch targets your calf muscles, which include your soleus and gastrocnemius.

• Stand upright, facing a wall. Place your hands on the wall. 
• Step your left foot back behind you. Keep your left leg straight. 
• Bend your right knee towards the wall. Feel the stretch in your left calf. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Step your left foot forward. Step your right foot back to switch sides and repeat.

[Read More: The 10 Best Leg Stretches to Bolster Your Lower Body Training]

Target Muscles : The half-kneeling quad stretch stretches your quadriceps muscles and hip flexors. 

• Start in a half-kneeling position, like the bottom of a lunge , with your right foot forward and your left knee down. Keep both knees at a 90-degree angle.
• Tuck your left hip and squeeze your glutes. Feel a stretch in the front of your left thigh.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch sides to stretch the front of your right thigh.
• For more intensity, place your back foot on a wall. Focus on squeezing your glutes rather than leaning forward.

[Read More: The 6 Best Hamstring Stretches to Add to Your Routine]

Target Muscles : The assisted supine hamstring stretch targets your hamstring and some of your lower back. 

• Lie on your back. Place your left foot on the floor. Lift your right leg up, keeping it straight.
• Loop a towel or resistance band around the sole of your right foot.
• Keep your leg straight. Pull the towel or band to bring your leg closer to you. Feel the stretch in your right hamstring and hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Breathe deeply.
• Lower your right leg and switch sides. Stretch your left side for 20 to 30 seconds.

Target Muscles : The seated forward bend targets your hamstrings and lower back muscles. Keep your legs straight to target your hamstrings more. Bend your knees deeply for a greater release in your lower back.

• Sit upright with your legs stretched out in front of you, with your inner thighs touching. Bend your knees slightly.
• Engage your abs and hinge at your hips to bend forward. Maintain a neutral spine. Grab onto your legs, ankles, or feet — wherever you can. 
• Loop a towel or resistance band around the soles of your feet for assistance. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Breathe deeply.
• Return to the starting position and repeat one or two more times.

[Read More: How to Do Crunches : Proper Form, Variations, & Benefits]

Target Muscles : The knee-to-chest targets your lower back and hip flexors.

• Lie on your back with your legs extended. Bend your right knee and bring it towards your chest. 
• Place your hands on your shin to pull your right knee closer. Relax your head, neck, and shoulders.
• Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and breathe deeply.
• Release your right knee and stretch your right leg out. Bring your left knee in to switch sides and repeat. 
• You can also bring both knees to your chest for a deeper lower back stretch.

[Read More: The 11 Best Yoga Poses for Beginners to Support Bigger, Better Lifts]

Target Muscles : Child’s pose is a full-body stretch. It targets your lower body — hips, lower back, quads, and glutes — and relaxes your upper body, particularly your lats and shoulders.

• Start in a tall kneeling position. Sit back onto your heels.
• Reach your arms forward, then lower your chest toward the floor, stretching your arms out in front of you.
• Place a folded-up towel between your hips and your heels if there is a lot of space between them.
• Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds and breathe deeply. Sit back up and repeat.

A cool-down typically involves five to 15 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity activity , including light cardio and static stretches for the muscles you just worked. During this routine, your heart rate recovers, your blood pressure gets regulated, and your body temperature cools.

During any type of physical activity, whether it’s weightlifting, cardio, HIIT ( high-intensity interval training ), or Pilates, your heart rate, blood pressure, and blood flow all increase. Lactic acid may build up in your blood and muscles. A dynamic warm-up with dynamic stretching helps your body prepare for physical activity, and a cool-down starts the recovery process. 

What Makes An Exercise Ideal for Cool Downs?

When choosing your cool-down exercises, you want activities that don’t cause further fatigue or muscle damage . Your cool-down exercises should be much less intense than whatever you did for your workout. For example, if you were on a run, you’ll slow it down with a light jog or walk.

After a few minutes of light cardio, choose static stretches to stretch the muscles you just targeted . If you did lunges and push-ups in your workout, stretch your quads, calves, triceps, and chest. If you did squats and deadlifts, choose static stretches for your hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors. Overhead press? Stretch your shoulders and upper body.

[Read More: 4 Bodyweight Warm-Up and Cool-Down Mobility Drills ]

While it’s commonly believed that stretching the muscles you just worked helps prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), the research is mixed. However, stretching these areas helps improve blood flow to the rest of your body. While you train, blood gathers in the muscles you’re working. Cooling them down sends blood flowing back through your veins to your heart and brain. 

Benefits of a Cool Down

Research shows that a cool-down does not significantly decrease muscle soreness, reduce muscle damage or stiffness, or improve range of motion. A cool-down does improve recovery for your cardiovascular system . ( 1 )

Here are the top cardiovascular and psychological benefits of a cool down. 

• Lactic Acid Removal : Lactic acid accumulates in your blood and muscles when you exercise. Research shows that a cool-down helps speed up lactic acid removal from your blood. That may be a reason some people perceive less muscle soreness. ( 1 )( 2 )
• Improves Blood Flow : As blood builds up in your muscles while they contract during training, an active cool-down helps send your blood back through your veins to your heart, skin, and brain. Better blood flow after training also stops your blood from pooling in your veins, which can lead to feeling dizzy, lightheaded, or fainting. ( 1 )( 3 )
• Heart Rate Recovery : Your heart rate elevates while you exercise. During a cool-down, you give it time to return to normal. Improving heart rate recovery can also help you improve heart rate variability (HRV). ( 1 )
• Blood Pressure and Temperature Regulation : When you engage in physical activity, your blood pressure and body temperature temporarily increase. When you stop exercising, your blood pressure and body temperature return to normal. Spending a few minutes in a cool-down improves blood flow, which helps lower blood pressure and improves thermoregulation. Research shows it’s particularly important if you exercise in the heat. ( 4 )
• Psychological Wellness : Many studies show that a cool-down simply feels good, which can improve perceived recovery. A cool-down gives you time to relax and socialize. Athletes also enjoy the time together to discuss the game or event. ( 1 )

What the Science Says About Cool Down Exercises

Science generally shows that an active cool-down is better than not doing one at all. However, the research is mixed .

• Placebo Effect : Many people believe in the potential benefits of an active cool-down since they are popular and widespread. The belief can lead to a placebo effect. In one study, researchers found that how much athletes believed an active cool-down worked positively affected their later performance. Their perception affected their performance on par with their physiological recovery markers. ( 5 )
• Lactic Acid Removal : Some evidence suggests an active cool-down consisting of low to moderate-intensity exercise helps remove lactic acid from your blood but not your muscle tissue. The relevance of faster lactic acid removal is debatable and may not impact muscle soreness. ( 1 ) 
• Lactic Acid Removal : Both the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Council on Exercise (ACE) state that a cool-down helps remove lactic acid from your blood and muscles. ( 2 )( 3 )
• Cardiovascular Recovery : The AHA notes that your heart rate and body temperature are higher than normal during exercise, and your blood vessels dilate. They advise that stopping your workout without cooling down to let these markers return to normal could lead to feeling sick or passing out. ( 2 )
• May Reduce Injury Risk : One study notes that a cool-down may theoretically manage injury risk in future training. Better recovery leads to less fatigue, leaving you more alert and focused in your next session. However, many studies fail to find a definite link. ( 1 ) 
• Does Not Reduce DOMS or Increase ROM : Many studies suggest that static stretches in an active cool-down do not reduce muscle soreness, increase range of motion or flexibility, or decrease stiffness. ( 1 ) 
• Young soccer players reported less perceived muscle soreness four to five hours after an active cool-down than soccer players who did not perform a cool-down. ( 1 ) 
• A study at California State University showed that after performing strength training , people who did low-intensity cycling as an active cool-down had less perceived muscle soreness than those who did not. They hypothesize it was due to increased blood flow during the cycling cool-down. ( 3 )
• Another study looked at groups of people performing lunges in a strength workout. One group did 20 minutes of cycling as an active warm-up, one group did 20 minutes of cycling as an active cool-down, and one did neither. The dynamic warm-up and the cool-down group both had less perceived muscle soreness in their quads. The cool-down group had significantly less quad soreness on day two than the warm-up group. ( 6 )

Cooling Down

Spending some time after your workout to cool down helps your heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature come back down. Choose from our favorite cool-down exercises for your shoulders, triceps, calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, hips, and lower back.

Research varies: it is difficult to measure whether or not a cool-down reduces soreness since it comes down to perception. Many studies also show that if you believe a cool-down improves recovery, it will help. Either way, a cool down is a few minutes to relax and breathe, and reducing stress is also important for recovery.

Let’s wrap up with some FAQs on cool-downs.

What is a cool-down? 

A cool-down is a few minutes of low- to moderate-intensity activity at the end of your workout. It consists of light cardio and stretching. A cool-down helps your heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure return to normal, improves blood flow, and speeds up the removal of lactic acid from your blood. It can also prevent blood from pooling in your veins, which can lead to dizziness or fainting.

What are cool-down exercises for muscles? 

Cool-down exercises can be broken up into light cardio and stretching . Light cardio can be a light jog, walk, cycle, swim, row, elliptical , or something else you enjoy. You can do dynamic or static stretches afterward to stretch all the muscle groups you used in your workout.

How long should a cool-down last after intense exercise?

A cool-down should last five to 20 minutes and generally needn’t be longer than 30 minutes.

• Van Hooren B, Peake JM. Do We Need a Cool-Down After Exercise? A Narrative Review of the Psychophysiological Effects and the Effects on Performance, Injuries and the Long-Term Adaptive Response. Sports Med. 2018 Jul;48(7):1575-1595. 
• American Heart Association. (2024, January 16). Warm Up, Cool Down. Heart.org.
• Crockford, J. (2014, January 9). Five Reasons You Shouldn’t Skip Your Cool-down After Exercise. ACE Fitness. 
• Seeley AD, Giersch GEW, Charkoudian N. Post-exercise Body Cooling: Skin Blood Flow, Venous Pooling, and Orthostatic Intolerance. Front Sports Act Living. 2021 May 17;3:658410. 
• Cook CJ, Beaven CM. Individual perception of recovery is related to subsequent sprint performance. Br J Sports Med. 2013 Jul;47(11):705-9.
• Olsen O, Sjøhaug M, van Beekvelt M, Mork PJ. The effect of warm-up and cool-down exercise on delayed onset muscle soreness in the quadriceps muscle: a randomized controlled trial. J Hum Kinet. 2012 Dec;35:59-68.

About Jesse Zucker

Jesse Zucker (they/them) is a National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF) Certified Personal Trainer, 200 Hour Certified Yoga Instructor, and Precision Nutrition Certified Coach. Jesse trained at Equinox in NYC and now trains private clients virtually and in the Washington, DC area. Jesse specializes in teaching clients to build body awareness, strength, mobility, and sustainable healthy habits. Jesse is also a freelance writer and an actor with a B.A. in Creative Writing and Film Studies from New York University.

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Warm-up and Cool-down

Photo credit: Jozef Polc, Flickr Creative Commons

Like a good book with a beginning, middle, and end, exercise falls into the same template. When exercising, the beginning is the warm-up--getting your body ready for exercising. The middle is the actual exercise, and the end is the cool-down--returning your body to a normal resting state.

The purpose of a warm-up is to warm your body and prepare it for the exercises to come. Usually a warm-up will consist of activities at a slower pace and reduced intensity. The goal of a warm-up is to increase your body temperature, therefore warming up your muscles. Blood flow and flexibility will increase during a warm-up. The warm-up may cause mild sweating, but it shouldn't leave you tired or fatigued.

During a warm-up, your heart rate and breathing will increase. A warm-up also promotes blood flow to your muscles to provide them with more oxygen and nutrients so they don't get fatigued. Your muscles also warm up, which increases muscle flexibility and makes exercises easier to complete. By preparing your muscles for exercise, your reaction time is increased and nerve pathways are ready for exercise.

In addition to all the physical benefits of a warm-up, it also prepares you mentally for the upcoming exercises. Warm-ups can consist of a variety of exercises and stretches. Contradictory to many beliefs, solely stretching as a warm-up will not warm you up properly. Instead, a dynamic warm-up (also called dynamic stretching) is more effective. Instead of holding still while stretching (also called static stretching), during a dynamic warm-up you move multiple muscles and joints.

A warm-up should last approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Choose a warm-up that mimics the exercises you will be doing. For example, if you are about to participate in weight lifting exercises, do the same movements without the weights. Some other examples of warm-up exercises are leg bends, leg swings, shoulder/ arm circles, jumping jacks, jumping rope, lunges, squats, walking or a slow jog, yoga, torso twists, standing side bends, lateral shuffle, butt kickers, knee bends, and ankle circles.

Advantages of Warming Up

• Decreases your chance of pulling a muscle
• Decreases joint pain
• Decreases your chance of injury
• Can reduce muscle soreness after exercises are complete

Similar to the warm-up, the cool-down, also known as the recovery period, usually consists of exercises at a slower pace and reduced intensity. This allows for your heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure to return to normal at a slower pace. The cool-down aids in your body's recovery after exercise and allows blood to return to your heart from your muscles. This will reduce the chance of your muscles being sore after exercise.

Completing a cool-down is not only beneficial immediately after the completion of exercises but also helps prepare your body for future workouts. By stretching out those muscles and properly cooling down, you will be more prepared to exercise sooner rather than later. If your body does not cool down properly, it will take longer for you to feel up to exercising again. All of the examples of warm-up exercises can also be used as cool-down exercises.

There are several benefits of a cool-down. It reduces the potential for DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). It can take 24 to 48 hours for your body to feel sore after exercising. Just because your muscles and joints may not be sore immediately after you've completed your exercises doesn't mean you won't feel sore later that day or the next day. A cool-down helps your body remove lactic acid, a by-product of vigorous exercise. If you do not cool down, the lactic acid may pool in your muscles, causing increased soreness.

Benefits of Cooling Down

• Helps lower your heart rate and breathing gradually
• Helps you avoid fainting or dizziness
• Helps remove lactic acid from your muscles
• Helps prepare your muscles for the next time you exercise

Prepared by Laura Henderson, extension assistant in family and consumer sciences, and Marilyn Corbin, extension program leader for family and consumer sciences.

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Aerobic exercise: how to warm up and cool down.

Done correctly, warming up and cooling down may offer help in reducing your risk of injury and improving your athletic performance.

Before you jump on the treadmill or hit the running trails, think about doing a short warmup first. And try following your workout with a quick cool-down session. A warmup and cool-down may add a few minutes to your exercise routine. But they might also lower stress on the heart and other muscles.

Why warm up and cool down

Warmups and cool-downs generally mean doing your activity at a slower pace and lowered intensity.

Warming up helps get the body ready for aerobic activity. A warmup slowly warms up the heart and blood vessel, also called cardiovascular, system. It does this by raising the body temperature and increasing blood flow to muscles. When you warm up, it also may help lower muscle soreness and lessen injury risk.

Cooling down after your workout lets the heart rate and blood pressure slowly recover to preexercise levels. It may be most important for competitive endurance athletes, such as marathoners, to cool down to help control blood flow. Cooling down doesn't seem to help reduce muscle stiffness and soreness after exercise, but more research is needed.

There's debate about whether warming up and cooling down can prevent injuries. But proper warmups and cool-downs pose little risk. And they seem to give the heart and blood vessels a chance to ease into — and out of — an exercise session. So if you have the time, try adding a warmup and cool-down to your workout routine.

How to warm up

Warm up right before you plan to start your workout. In general, warm up by focusing first on large muscle groups, such as the hamstrings. Then you can do exercises more specific to your sport or activity, if needed.

Start by doing the activity and movement patterns of your chosen exercise. But go at a low, slow pace that slowly builds in speed and intensity. This is called a dynamic warmup. A warmup may cause mild sweating. But a warmup generally won't leave you tired.

Here are some examples of warm-up activities:

• To warm up for a brisk walk, walk slowly for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To warm up for a run, walk briskly for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To warm up for swimming, swim slowly at first. Then pick up the speed as you're able.

How to cool down

Cooling down is similar to warming up. You generally keep doing your workout session for five minutes or so. But you go at a slower pace and lower intensity.

Try these ideas for cool-down activities:

• To cool down after a brisk walk, walk slowly for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To cool down after a run, walk briskly for 5 to 10 minutes.
• To cool down after swimming, swim laps slowly for 5 to 10 minutes.

A word about stretching

If you do stretching exercises as part of your workout routine, it's best to do them after the warm-up or cool-down phase. Then the muscles are warm when you stretch.

Stretching can improve flexibility and range of motion about a joint. Doing stretches also may help improve your performance in some activities by allowing the joints to move through their full range of motion. But studies haven't regularly shown that stretching helps prevent muscle soreness or injury.

Be kind to your body

Finding time for regular aerobic workouts — plus warming up and cooling down — can be hard. But with a little creativity, you can probably fit it all in. For example, you can walk to and from the gym for your warmup and cool-down.

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• Warm up, cool down. American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/warm-up-cool-down. Accessed March 23, 2023.
• Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://health.gov/our-work/physical-activity/current-guidelines. Accessed March 23, 2023.
• AskMayoExpert. Physical activity (adult). Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2022.
• Perez-Gomez J, et al. Physical exercises for preventing injuries among adult male football players: A systematic review. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2022; doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2020.11.003.

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Cool Down Exercises

Learn how to cool down properly to recover faster and avoid injury. includes cool down examples, exercises and stretches., by brad walker | first published april 11, 2002 | updated june 8, 2023.

Many people dismiss the cool down as a waste of time, or simply unimportant. In reality the cool down is just as important as the warm-up , and if you want to stay injury free, it’s vital.

Although the warm-up and cool down are just as important as each other, they are important for different reasons. While the main purpose of warming up is to prepare the body and mind for strenuous activity, cooling down plays a very different role.

The main aim of the cool down is to promote recovery and return the body to a pre-exercise, or pre-workout level .

Transcript from video (click to open)

Many people dismiss the cool down as a waste of time, but the cool down is just as important as the warm-up. And if you want to stay injury free, it’s vital. Keep watching for more info.

WHY COOL DOWN? During strenuous exercise or a tough workout your body goes through a number of stressful processes: Muscle fibers, tendons and ligaments get damaged, and waste products build up within your body. The cool down, performed properly, will assist your body in its repair process. One area the cool down will help with is relieving some of the effects of DOMS, or delayed onset muscle soreness. DOMS is the soreness that is usually experienced 24 to 48 hours after a tough workout. This soreness is caused by 2 main things.

MICRO TEARS During exercise, tiny tears called micro tears develop within the muscle fibers. These micro tears cause swelling of the muscle tissues which in turn puts pressure on the nerve endings and results in pain.

BLOOD POOLING When exercising, your heart is pumping large amount of blood to the working muscles. This blood is carrying both oxygen and nutrients that the working muscles need. When the blood reaches the muscles the oxygen and nutrients are used up. Then the force of the contracting (exercising) muscles pushes the blood back to the heart where it is re-oxygenated. However, when the exercise stops, so does the force that pushes the blood back to the heart. This blood, as well as waste products like lactic acid, stays in the muscles, which in turn causes swelling and pain.

EFFECTIVE COOL DOWN There are three key components, or parts, which should be included to ensure an effective and complete cool down. 1. Exercising at a very reduced intensity and diaphragmatic breathing exercises. 2. Low-intensity, long-hold static stretching (very gentle self massage or foam rolling is also helpful); and 3. Re-hydrate and re-fuel. All three parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. All three elements work together to repair and replenish the body after exercise.

COOL DOWN EXAMPLE Here’s an example of an effective cool down for someone who exercises for general health, fitness and fun. Start with 3 to 5 minutes of easy exercise. Be sure that the easy exercise resembles the type of exercise that was done during your workout. Include deep breathing as part of your easy exercise to help oxygenate your system. Follow with about 5 to 10 minutes of low-intensity, long-hold (30 to 60 seconds) static stretching. The aim here is not necessarily to improve your flexibility; it’s to gently lengthen out those muscles that have been constantly contracting during your game or workout. Re-hydrate and re-fuel. This part of the cool down can be done as you perform the other two parts. Both fluid and food are important. Drink plenty of water, plus a good quality sports drink. The best type of food to eat straight after a workout is that which is easily digestible. Fruit is a good example.

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE Getting serious about your cool down will make sure you recover quicker from your workouts and stay injury free. Discover how to take your flexibility to the next level with the advanced stretching techniques from the Ultimate Guide to Stretching & Flexibility. More than 70,000 people just like you have used our Ultimate Guide to Stretching & Flexibility to turn muscles made of rock into loose, limber, supple muscles that move with pain free ease! Visit our site to claim your copy today, and discover how to get loose, limber and pain free in less than 10 minutes a day. And if you enjoyed this video, be sure to like, comment and subscribe!

Why Cool Down?

During strenuous exercise or a tough workout your body goes through a number of stressful processes: Muscle fibers, tendons and ligaments get damaged, and waste products build up within your body .

The cool down, performed properly, will assist your body in its repair process . One area the cool down will help with is relieving some of the effects of delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS , for short.

DOMS is the soreness that is sometimes experienced 24 to 48 hours after a tough workout. Most people experience this after having a lay-off from exercise, or at the beginning of their sports season. I remember running a half marathon with very little preparation, and then finding it difficult to walk down steps the next day because my quadriceps were so sore. That discomfort you feel is “delayed onset muscle soreness.”

This soreness is caused by 2 main things:

• Micro tears : During exercise, tiny tears called micro tears develop within the muscle fibers. These micro tears cause swelling of the muscle tissues, which in turn puts pressure on the nerve endings and results in pain.
• Blood pooling : When exercising, your heart is pumping large amount of blood to the working muscles. This blood is carrying both oxygen and nutrients that the working muscles need. When the blood reaches the muscles the oxygen and nutrients are used up. Then the force of the contracting (exercising) muscles pushes the blood back to the heart where it is re-oxygenated. However, when the exercise stops, so does the force that pushes the blood back to the heart. This blood, as well as waste products like lactic acid, stays in the muscles, which in turn causes swelling and pain. This process is often referred to as blood pooling.

The cool down helps all this by keeping the blood circulating, which in turn helps to prevent blood pooling and also removes waste products from the muscles. This circulating blood also brings with it the oxygen and nutrients needed by the muscles, tendons and ligaments for repair.

3 Key Parts of an Effective Cool Down

Now we know what the cool down does and why it’s so important, let’s have a look at the structure of an effective cool down. There are three key components, or parts, which should be included to ensure an effective and complete cool down. They are;

• Exercising at a very reduced intensity and diaphragmatic breathing exercises;
• Low-intensity, long-hold static stretching (very gentle self massage or foam rolling is also helpful); and.
• Re-hydrate and re-fuel.

All three parts are equally important and any one part should not be neglected or thought of as not necessary. All three components work together to repair and replenish the body after exercise . Refer to the examples below for more detailed information about each component.

Cool Down Examples

To follow are two examples of effective cool downs. The first is an example of a cool down used by a professional athlete. The second is typical of someone who simply exercises for general health, fitness and fun.

Getting serious about your cool down and following the examples below will make sure you recover quicker from your workouts and stay injury free .

Example 1: A cool down for the Professional

• 10 to 15 minutes of easy exercise . Be sure that the easy exercise resembles the type of exercise that was done during your workout. For example, if your workout involved a lot of running, cool down with easy jogging or walking.
• Include deep diaphragmatic breathing as part of your easy exercise to help oxygenate your system.
• Follow with about 20 to 30 minutes of low-intensity, long-hold (30 to 60 seconds) static stretching . Many people make the mistake of stretching too hard or too vigorously during this part of the cool down. The aim here is not necessarily to improve your flexibility; it’s to gently lengthen out those muscles that have been constantly contracting during your game or workout.
• Re-hydrate and re-fuel . This part of the cool down can be done as you perform the other two parts. Both fluid and food are important. Drink plenty of water, plus a good quality sports drink. The best type of food to eat straight after a workout is that which is easily digestible. Fruit is a good example.

Example 2: A cool down for the Amateur

• 3 to 5 minutes of easy exercise . Be sure that the easy exercise resembles the type of exercise that was done during your workout. For example, if your workout involved a lot of running, cool down with easy jogging or walking.
• Follow with about 5 to 10 minutes of low-intensity, long-hold (30 to 60 seconds) static stretching . Many people make the mistake of stretching too hard or too vigorously during this part of the cool down. The aim here is not necessarily to improve your flexibility; it’s to gently lengthen out those muscles that have been constantly contracting during your game or workout.

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Research and References

• Andersen, J. (2005). Stretching Before and After Exercise: Effect on Muscle Soreness and Injury Risk . Journal of Athletic Training , 40(3), 218.
• Beachle, T. Earle, R. (2008). Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning , 3rd Edition (ISBN: 978-0736058032)
• Costa, P. Medeiros, H. Fukuda, D. (2011). Warm-up, Stretching, and Cool-down Strategies for Combat Sports . Strength & Conditioning Journal , 33(6), 71-79.
• Olsen, O. Sjøhaug, M. van Beekvelt, M. Mork, P. (2012). The effect of warm-up and cool-down exercise on delayed onset muscle soreness in the quadriceps muscle: a randomized controlled trial. . Journal of Human Kinetics , 35(1), 59-68.
• Walker, B. (2018). The Anatomy of Sports Injuries , 2nd Edition (ISBN: 978-1623172831)
• Wikipedia contributors. (2019, May 24). Cooling down , In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia .

Disclaimer : The health and fitness information presented on this website is intended as an educational resource and is not intended as a substitute for proper medical advice. Please consult your physician or physical therapist before performing any of the exercises described on this website, particularly if you are pregnant, elderly or have any chronic or recurring muscle or joint pain.

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3.1.3.5 Effective use of warm up and cool down

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Do We Need a Cool-Down After Exercise? A Narrative Review of the Psychophysiological Effects and the Effects on Performance, Injuries and the Long-Term Adaptive Response

Bas van hooren.

1 Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, NUTRIM School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands

2 Institute of Sport Studies, Fontys University of Applied Sciences, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

Jonathan M. Peake

3 School of Biomedical Sciences and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia

4 Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence, Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, Australia

It is widely believed that an active cool-down is more effective for promoting post-exercise recovery than a passive cool-down involving no activity. However, research on this topic has never been synthesized and it therefore remains largely unknown whether this belief is correct. This review compares the effects of various types of active cool-downs with passive cool-downs on sports performance, injuries, long-term adaptive responses, and psychophysiological markers of post-exercise recovery. An active cool-down is largely ineffective with respect to enhancing same-day and next-day(s) sports performance, but some beneficial effects on next-day(s) performance have been reported. Active cool-downs do not appear to prevent injuries, and preliminary evidence suggests that performing an active cool-down on a regular basis does not attenuate the long-term adaptive response. Active cool-downs accelerate recovery of lactate in blood, but not necessarily in muscle tissue. Performing active cool-downs may partially prevent immune system depression and promote faster recovery of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. However, it is unknown whether this reduces the likelihood of post-exercise illnesses, syncope, and cardiovascular complications. Most evidence indicates that active cool-downs do not significantly reduce muscle soreness, or improve the recovery of indirect markers of muscle damage, neuromuscular contractile properties, musculotendinous stiffness, range of motion, systemic hormonal concentrations, or measures of psychological recovery. It can also interfere with muscle glycogen resynthesis. In summary, based on the empirical evidence currently available, active cool-downs are largely ineffective for improving most psychophysiological markers of post-exercise recovery, but may nevertheless offer some benefits compared with a passive cool-down.

Introduction

It is widely assumed that promoting physiological and psychological recovery after exercise allows individuals to perform better during subsequent training sessions or competition, and lowers the risk of injuries. Various recovery interventions are therefore used to facilitate recovery after exercise. The best known and most widely used post-exercise recovery intervention is (arguably) the active cool-down, which is also known as an active recovery or warm-down. Several surveys show that many team sport players and athletes participating in individual sports regularly perform 5–15 min of low- to moderate-intensity exercises within approximately 1 h after their practice and competition to facilitate recovery [ 1 – 8 ]. For example, a recent survey among collegiate athletic trainers in the USA found that 89% of the trainers recommended a cool-down, with 53% of these trainers recommending jogging as the preferred active cool-down method [ 1 ]. There is currently no formal definition of an active cool-down; here, we define it as an activity that involves voluntary, low- to moderate-intensity exercise or movement performed within 1 h after training and competition. Examples of active cool-down interventions and their suggested effects are shown in Fig.  1 . The effects of recovery interventions such as cold-water immersion [ 9 , 10 ], compression garments [ 11 , 12 ], and cryotherapy [ 13 , 14 ] have been reviewed extensively. By contrast, the active cool-down has never been thoroughly reviewed. It remains largely unknown whether an active cool-down offers any benefits compared with a passive cool-down (i.e., no cool-down), and thus whether it is an appropriate or effective recovery intervention.

Infographic of active cool-down interventions and their commonly proposed psychophysiological effects

The primary aim of this review is to synthesize the evidence as to whether an active cool-down enhances sports performance more effectively than a passive cool-down when performance is measured after approximately > 4 h after the initial exercise. This review also compares the physiological and psychological effects of an active cool-down to a passive cool-down, and discusses the effects of an active cool-down on injuries and the long-term adaptive responses to exercise training. The value of static stretching and foam rolling as cool-down interventions is briefly discussed in separate sections because these interventions are both frequently performed in combination with an active cool-down.

There are various passive cool-down interventions such as sitting rest, saunas, pneumatic leg compression, and electrostimulation (see Table  1 for an overview) [ 15 – 23 ]. However, most non-elite athletes do not have access to a sauna or equipment for the other interventions, and most practitioners also lack the necessary knowledge about how best to apply these interventions (partly because of a lack of evidence-based guidelines). Even elite team sport players do not always have access to these recovery interventions when they play away games [ 24 ]. In the current review, we have therefore only included studies that have compared an active cool-down with a passive cool-down that consists of sitting, lying, or standing (without walking). Active cool-downs that combine exercise with cold water immersion [ 25 ] are also excluded. We have also restricted the review to studies that have investigated the effects of performing an active cool-down within approximately 1 h after exercise, because findings from a recent survey suggest that this most closely replicates the cool-down procedure of many recreational and professional athletes [ 7 ]. Studies that have applied an active recovery for several days after exercise are only discussed if they have (1) applied the active recovery within 1 h after exercise (i.e., active cool-down) and (2) evaluated recovery before applying the active recovery on the next day. Finally, we primarily focus on how active cool-downs influence performance and psychophysiological variables during successive exercise sessions or competitions [i.e., approximately > 4 h after exercise, or during the next day(s)]. This type of recovery has also been referred to as ‘training recovery’ [ 26 ]. Studies that have investigated the effects of active recovery between bouts of exercise with relatively short rest periods (e.g., 20 min) are excluded from the review. As such, the findings of this review will be of primary interest to athletes and practitioners who regularly use an active cool-down to facilitate recovery between training sessions or competitions, but are interested in what evidence exists that supports the use of an active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down. Relevant studies have been searched in the electronic databases of Google Scholar and Pubmed using combinations of keywords and Booleans that included (cool-down OR active recovery OR warm-down) AND (sports performance OR recover OR recovery OR physiological OR physiology OR psychological OR psychology OR injury OR injuries OR long-term adaptive response OR adaptation). Forward citation and reference lists of relevant articles were examined, and databases with e-published ahead of print articles from relevant journals were searched to identify additional articles.

Table 1

Overview of passive cool-down/recovery interventions

Passive recovery interventions are defined here as involving no or minimum voluntary/intentional exercise or movement

a These passive recovery interventions are frequently used in combination with active cool-downs

Effects on Sports Performance

In principle, better psychophysiological recovery following exercise may attenuate or prevent performance decrements—or even enhance performance—during a subsequent training session or competition [ 27 ]. The following sections discuss the effects of an active cool-down on measures of physical performance such as vertical jump height and sprint performance measured later during the same day or during the next day(s).

Same-Day Performance

Elite athletes often train or compete more than once a day, so recovery interventions between training sessions or events may help to restore exercise performance. This section only discusses studies that have investigated the effects of an active cool-down after at least 4 h of rest between training sessions or competitions to reflect the effects of an active cool-down on ‘training recovery’ [ 26 ].

Relatively few studies have investigated the benefits of active cool-downs on performance measured > 4 h after exercise, and these studies generally found trivial (statistically non-significant effects), and sometimes even small (non-significant) detrimental effects of an active cool-down on performance [ 15 , 28 – 30 ] (Table  2 ). For example, Tessitore et al. [ 28 ] compared a 20-min active cool-down (consisting of either land-based or water-based aerobic exercises and stretching) with a passive cool-down following a standardized soccer training in elite youth players. After a 4-h rest period, the athletes performed several anaerobic performance tests. Both active cool-down protocols had trivial to small (negative) non-significant effects on anaerobic performance, such as 10-m sprint time and vertical jump height. In a later study on futsal players, similar cool-down interventions also had trivial to small (negative) non-significant effects anaerobic sports performance measured 4.5 h after a friendly match compared with a passive cool-down [ 29 ]. Therefore, whereas active recovery generally does benefit sports performance when the time between successive performances is short (10–20 min) [ 31 – 35 ], the findings from the studies above indicate overall that an active cool-down does not improve sports performance later on the same day when time between successive performances is > 4 h and may even have small detrimental effects. However, more research on the effects of active cool-downs following others forms of exercise is needed.

Table 2

The effects of active cool-downs on same-day and next-day performance

HR max maximum heart rate, CMJ countermovement jump, SJ squat jump, BJ bounce jump, MVIC maximum voluntary isometric contraction, V O 2 ma x maximum oxygen uptake, RM repetition maximum

*Percentage differences were calculated by first computing a factor difference within the active and passive cool-down group by dividing the post cool-down mean (e.g., > 4 h same-day or next-day performance) by the post fatiguing exercise, but pre-cool-down mean. When no post fatiguing exercise, but pre-cool-down mean was reported, the pre-fatiguing exercise mean was used to calculate the within group factor difference. The factor of the active cool-down group was then divided by the factor difference of the passive cool-down group and converted to a percentage effect, whereby negative and positive values reflect worse and better performance of the active cool-down group, respectively. When an exact p-value or p  < 0.05 was reported, a statistical spreadsheet [ 48 ] was used to derive 90% confidence intervals of the percentage difference. Standardizes differences were calculated by first computing a standardized difference within the active and passive cool-down group and then subtracting the passive cool-down standardized difference from the active cool-down standardized difference. The standardized difference for each group was calculated by subtracting the post fatiguing exercise, but pre-cool-down mean from the post cool-down mean divided by the pre-cool-down pooled standard deviation from both groups. The standardized difference was corrected for small sample size bias (i.e., Hedges’s g s ) as outlined by Lakens [ 49 ]. When no post fatiguing exercise, but pre-cool-down mean was reported, the pre-fatiguing exercise mean and standard deviation were used to calculate the standardized difference. Standardized differences were expressed qualitatively using the following scale: < 0.2, trivial; 0.2–0.6, small; 0.6–1.2, moderate; 1.2–2.0 large; > 2.0, very large [ 50 ]. When an exact p value or p  < 0.05 was reported, the probability that the (true) difference in performance was better (beneficial), similar (trivial) or worse (harmful) in relation to the smallest worthwhile change (0.2 multiplied by the pooled between-subject SD for measures of team sports performance and indirect measures of solo sports performance) was calculated using a statistical spreadsheet [ 48 ]. Quantitative probabilities of beneficial, similar or worse performance were assessed and reported qualitatively using the following scale: 25–75%, possibly ; 75–95%, likely ; 95–99.5, very likely ; > 99.5%, most likely . If the probability of benefit was > 25%, but the probability of harm was > 0.5%, the true differences were considered unclear (i.e., clinical magnitude-based inference). In this case, the largest probability for a change was reported to give an indication of the most likely change [ 50 ]. When insufficient data were reported for any of these calculations, these data were requested from the corresponding authors by e-mail

† Standardized differences are estimated based on the results reported in Fig. 3 in reference [ 43 ]

†† The passive cool-down group also performed 5 min of jogging prior to the passive cool-down

Next-Day(s) Performance

Conflicting findings have been reported with regard to the effects of an active cool-down on next-day(s) performance, with some studies reporting small to moderate magnitude benefits of an active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down, and others reporting trivial effects or small decreases (Table  2 ) [ 25 , 30 , 39 – 49 ]. Most studies, however, report trivial effects, with some studies reporting beneficial effects and only a few studies reporting harmful effects. For example, a study on sport students found that an aqua cycling active cool-down had small to trivial effects on recovery of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force and muscular endurance at 24, 48, or 72 h post-exercise compared with a passive cool-down [ 45 ]. In contrast, in a group of female netball players, a 15-min active cool-down consisting of low-intensity running resulted in a moderate magnitude decrease of 20-m sprint time and a small decrease in vertical jump height 24 h after a simulated netball game compared with a passive cool-down [ 44 ]. Interestingly, a study on well-trained long-distance runners found that muscle power (as measured during a leg press movement) was likely higher 1 day after downhill running in the group that performed a water-based active cool-down compared with the group that performed a passive cool-down, while whole-body reaction time showed a small decrease [ 40 ]. Finally, a study on professional soccer players found that an active cool-down had a likely beneficial effect on countermovement jump performance 24 h after a standardized training session, while 20-m sprint and agility performance showed small harmful and trivial effects, respectively [ 50 ]. Overall, these conflicting findings may be related to the type of cool-down performed, the exercise that precedes the cool-down, the training experience of the individuals and the individual preferences and believes. It should be noted that all studies investigated high-intensity performances such as jumping and sprinting and more research is required on endurance performance.

Physiological Effects of an Active Cool-Down

An active cool-down is believed to have many physiological benefits compared with a passive cool-down, such as a faster recovery of heart rate, less muscle soreness, and more rapid reduction of metabolic by-products [ 7 ]. The evidence for these supposed physiological benefits is reviewed in the following sections.

Removal of Metabolic By-Products

High-intensity exercise can lead to an accumulation of metabolic by-products in muscle such as lactate, which has traditionally been associated with fatigue [ 51 ]. As a result, the rate at which the lactate concentration is reduced in blood—and to a lesser extent, muscle tissue—has frequently been used as an objective indicator of recovery from exercise. A large body of research has shown that a variety of low- to moderate-intensity active cool-down protocols are more effective than a passive cool-down for removing lactate from blood [ 52 – 69 ] and muscle tissue [ 58 , 64 ]. However, there are some conflicting findings, with some studies reporting no significant difference—and sometimes even a slower removal of lactate in blood [ 44 , 70 ] or muscle [ 66 , 68 ]—as a result of an active cool-down. Regardless, the functional benefit of faster lactate removal is debatable. For example, several studies found no significant difference between an active cool-down and a passive cool-down in the blood lactate concentration measured more than 20 min after exercise [ 45 , 67 ]. Blood lactate returns to resting levels after high-intensity exercise within approximately 20–120 min—even without any post-exercise activity [ 55 , 60 , 71 ]. Even elite athletes do not usually perform another training session within 90 min after the preceding session; faster removal of lactate by an active cool-down may therefore be largely irrelevant [ 72 ]. A decrease in blood lactate concentration may also not be an appropriate indicator of recovery following exercise [ 51 , 72 ]. Among those studies that have reported a faster removal of blood lactate following an active cool-down, subsequent exercise performance was not always improved [ 67 , 72 ].

Although it has traditionally been assumed that lactic acid production results in metabolic acidosis, it has been argued that lactate production coincides with cellular acidosis, but is not a direct cause of and even retards metabolic acidosis [ 73 ]. It is therefore important to consider the potential differential effects of an active cool-down on blood or muscle lactate removal and metabolic acidosis. An active cool-down results in a faster return of blood plasma pH and intramuscular pH to resting levels [ 64 , 74 ]. This effect may preserve neuromuscular function by reducing the effects of exercise-induced acidosis, which affects the functioning of glycolytic enzymes such as phosphorylase and phosphofructokinase. However, one study investigated the effects of an active and passive cool-down on pH levels up to 16 min after exercise [ 74 ], whereas the other study investigated pH levels until 80 min after exercise [ 64 ]. This latter study found no significant effect of an active cool-down on blood pH levels 80 min after exercise. The relevance of these findings for improved performance during a training session or competition later on the same day (i.e., > 4 h) or the next day(s) is therefore questionable.

In summary, compared with a passive cool-down, an active cool-down generally leads to a faster removal of blood lactate when the intensity of the exercise is low to moderate. However, the practical relevance of this effect is questionable. Lactate is not necessarily removed more rapidly from muscle tissue with an active cool-down. Finally, an active cool-down leads to a faster recovery of pH to resting levels.

Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness

An active cool-down increases the blood flow to muscles and skin [ 58 , 75 ] (see Sect.  4.8 ). This increase in blood flow may reduce the accumulation of metabolic by-products and factors associated with muscle soreness (e.g., cyclo-oxygenase and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor [ 76 ]) and accelerate muscle repair and remodeling. Several studies have investigated whether an active cool-down does indeed attenuate delayed-onset muscle soreness. It should be noted, though, that some studies [ 40 , 45 , 48 , 77 , 78 ] used exercise protocols that induce severe delayed-onset muscle soreness, but are seldom used in everyday athletic training. Therefore, the findings of these studies do not necessarily apply to ‘normal’ training sessions that induce less delayed-onset muscle soreness.

Most studies among both recreationally active individuals and professional athletes have found no significant effect of an active cool-down on delayed-onset muscle soreness or tenderness at different times following exercise (i.e., ranging from immediately after exercise up to 96 h after exercise) compared with a passive cool-down [ 15 , 25 , 29 , 40 , 41 , 45 , 46 , 48 , 49 , 77 – 80 ]. For example, Law and Herbert [ 77 ] compared the effects of an active cool-down consisting of uphill walking versus a passive cool-down on delayed-onset muscle soreness in healthy adults following backwards downhill walking on an incline treadmill (to induce muscle damage). The active cool-down did not significantly reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness or tenderness at 10 min, 24, 48 or 72 h following exercise. Interestingly, a study on netball players found that an active cool-down consisting of low-intensity running after a simulated netball match actually resulted in greater muscle soreness immediately after the active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down, but there was no significant difference 24 h after the match [ 44 ]. The running cool-down itself may have caused extra muscle damage, resulting in the higher rating of muscle soreness immediately after the cool-down. Higher impact weight-bearing cool-down activities such as running may therefore exacerbate delayed-onset muscle soreness immediately after exercise, but more research is required to substantiate this notion.

In contrast with the studies above, another study involving young professional soccer players reported that the mean subjective rating of muscle soreness was significantly lower 4–5 h after an active cool-down consisting of low-intensity exercises such as jogging compared with a passive cool-down [ 28 ]. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in muscle soreness compared with a passive cool-down when these same exercises were performed in water, suggesting that any hydrostatic effects of water immersion did not reduce muscle soreness. Similarly, a study on world-class BMX riders found that an active cool-down consisting of 2 × 5 min of cycling at 70% of the maximum aerobic power reduced muscle soreness during the next day when compared with a passive cool-down [ 47 ]. It could be argued that these conflicting findings are related to differences in the physical fitness of the individuals. For example, the netball players were not as highly trained as the soccer players and BMX riders. For non-elite athletes, an active cool-down therefore generally has no effect on delayed-onset muscle soreness, whereas it may have a beneficial effect for better trained individuals. However, other studies among well-trained individuals have also reported no beneficial effects of active cool-down on delayed-onset muscle soreness [ 29 , 41 , 80 ], while a study among student soccer players reported beneficial effects of an active cool-down combined with stretching and a ‘leg shake down’ on muscle soreness [ 42 ]. These findings suggest that other factors such as the intensity and duration of the exercise and cool-down, and the timing of soreness assessment may also influence the effectiveness. In summary, these findings indicate that an active cool-down is generally not effective for reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness following exercise.

Indirect Markers of Muscle Damage

The perception of muscle soreness does not necessary reflect actual muscle damage [ 81 , 82 ]. Therefore, even though an active cool-down is generally not effective for reducing delayed-onset muscle soreness, it may have beneficial effects on other markers of muscle damage.

Studies that have investigated the effects of an active cool-down on indirect markers of muscle damage from immediately after exercise up to 84 h after exercise have reported conflicting findings. Two studies observed significantly faster recovery of these markers as a result of an active cool-down [ 70 , 83 ], whereas three other studies found no significant difference [ 40 , 45 , 84 ]. For example, Gill et al. [ 83 ] reported a significantly faster recovery of creatine kinase activity in interstitial fluid in elite rugby players between 1 and 4 days after a rugby match combined with a cycling-based active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down. By contrast, a study comparing an aqua-cycling active cool-down and a passive cool-down in sport students found no significant difference in serum creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase activity, or myoglobin concentrations at 4, 24, 48, or 72 h after exercise [ 45 ]. These conflicting findings may be related to differences in the severity of muscle damage induced by exercise, the individual markers of muscle damage, and the type of cool-down protocol. It should be noted that frequently used indirect markers of muscle damage (e.g., creatine kinase activity) may not accurately reflect actual muscle damage [ 85 – 88 ]. Malm et al. [ 85 ] suggested that serum creatine kinase activity is more related to muscle adaptation than to muscle damage. Therefore, it is debatable whether a faster recovery of these indirect markers accurately reflects enhanced recovery.

Measures of strength and power are also frequently used as indirect markers of muscle damage. A study on untrained females found no significant effect of an active cool-down consisting of upper body ergometry on the recovery of the MVIC and peak torque 24 h after eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors [ 48 ]. Similar results were found in other studies on sport science students [ 45 ], physically active men [ 43 ], and healthy men [ 49 ]. However, most studies usually reported a slightly (non-significant) better recovery compared with the passive cool-down group (Table  2 ).

In summary, there are conflicting findings with regard to the effects of an active cool-down on indirect markers of muscle damage, with most studies reporting no significant beneficial effect of an active cool-down. Moreover, the relation of some of these markers with actual muscle damage is questionable—that is, a faster recovery of these markers does not necessarily correspond to a faster reduction in actual muscle damage.

Neuromuscular Function and Contractile Properties

High-intensity exercise can induce central and peripheral fatigue, which may impair exercise performance during subsequent training or competition. Compared with a passive cool-down, Lattier et al. [ 89 ] did not find a significant effect of an active cool-down consisting of 20 min of running on the recovery of neuromuscular function (e.g., central activation, twitch mechanical, and M-wave characteristics) up to 65 min after high-intensity exercise. Similarly, a study on professional soccer players found no significant effect of an active cool-down consisting of combined low-intensity running and static stretching on muscular contractile properties such as biceps femoris contraction time and maximal radial displacement time (as measured by tensiomyography) 24 h after exercise [ 80 ]. Finally, an active cool-down consisting of aqua exercises also did not significantly affect whole-body reaction time, muscle contraction time or nerve reaction time in long-distance runners 24 h after exercise [ 40 ].

In summary, these findings indicate that an active cool-down does not significantly affect the recovery of neuromuscular function or contractile properties. However, in all studies there were generally small but non-significant positive effects of the active cool-down recovery on the recovery of neuromuscular function and contractile properties.

Stiffness and Range of Motion

Damage to musculotendinous tissue as a result of exercise—specifically eccentric exercise—can increase the stiffness of the musculotendinous unit. This stiffness can persist for several days following exercise [ 90 ]. The increased passive musculotendinous stiffness can reduce the range of motion during subsequent training or competition [ 90 ], and this may impair performance. Researchers and trainers frequently use perceived flexibility and measures of flexibility such as the sit-and-reach test to assess recovery [ 91 ]. Another common belief for using an active cool-down is that it attenuates the decrease in range of motion [ 7 ] and increase in musculotendinous stiffness following exercise.

The scientific evidence available suggests that an active cool-down does not significantly attenuate the decrease in range of motion and perceived physical flexibility, or attenuate the increase in musculotendinous stiffness up to 72 h after exercise [ 25 , 40 , 41 , 45 , 50 , 67 , 92 ]. Takahashi et al. [ 40 ] found that an active cool-down consisting of 30 min of water exercises did not significantly affect sit-and-reach score, ankle range of motion, stride length, or calf and thigh musculotendinous stiffness measured 1 day after 3 × 5 min of downhill running. Similarly, a study among professional soccer players found no significant effect of an active cool-down consisting of 12 min submaximal running combined with 8 min of static stretching on lower limb flexibility 24 h after a standardized training program (consisting of 15 min of maximal intensity intermittent exercises and a 30 min of specific aerobic endurance drill) [ 50 ].

In summary, these findings indicate that an active cool-down does not attenuate the decrease in range of motion or the increase in musculotendinous stiffness following exercise.

Muscle Glycogen Resynthesis

High-intensity exercise can deplete muscle glycogen storage, and this can impair subsequent high-intensity exercise performance up to 24 h post-exercise [ 93 ]. Strategies that enhance the resynthesis of glycogen may therefore attenuate the decrease in performance and even enhance performance. Athletes often consume carbohydrates after exercise. An active cool-down may theoretically enhance glycogen resynthesis, because an increased blood flow and elevated muscle temperature could increase glucose delivery to muscle tissue [ 94 ], while muscle contraction may increase the expression of the GLUT-4 glucose transporter. However, studies have found either no significant difference in the rate of glycogen resynthesis between an active cool-down and passive cool-down [ 58 , 66 , 95 ], or less glycogen resynthesis during an active cool-down [ 64 , 68 , 96 – 98 ]. During the active cool-down, these studies provided no carbohydrate [ 58 , 64 , 66 , 68 , 95 ], less carbohydrate [ 96 ], or more carbohydrate [ 97 , 98 ] than what is recommended (1.2 g/kg/h [ 99 ]) for restoring muscle glycogen. Therefore, these findings suggest that an active cool-down may interfere with muscle glycogen resynthesis, particularly within type I muscle fibers [ 64 ], because these fibers are preferentially recruited during a low- to moderate-intensity active cool-down. Although this effect may be beneficial to enhance cellular responses and adaptation during a subsequent low- to moderate- intensity training (i.e., ‘train low’ [ 100 ]), it may also decrease performance during high-intensity training or competition. It should be noted that several studies applied active cool-downs for a duration that is rarely used in daily practice (e.g., 45 min up to 4 h) [ 64 , 66 , 96 – 98 ]. For example, Kuipers et al. compared glycogen resynthesis between a passive cool-down and an active cool-down in which participants cycled for 2.5 h at 40% of their maximum workload [ 97 ], or 3 h at 40% of their maximum workload [ 64 , 66 , 96 , 98 ]. In contrast, studies that reported no significant (but also lower) difference in the rate of glycogen resynthesis between an active cool-down and passive cool-down usually applied shorter active cool-down durations (i.e., 10, 15, and 45 min [ 58 , 66 , 95 ]), suggesting that shorter active cool downs interfere less with glycogen resynthesis.

Recovery of the Immune System

During the recovery period from high-intensity or prolonged exercise, there can be a temporary depression of the immune system (also referred to as an ‘open window’) during which microbial agents such as viruses have an increased chance to cause an infection or illness [ 101 ]. A faster recovery of the immune system following exercise can potentially reduce the chance of upper respiratory illnesses. A small number of studies have investigated the effects of an active cool-down on the recovery of the immune system up to 72 h after exercise.

Wigernaes et al. [ 70 , 102 ] found that an active cool-down largely prevented the fall in white blood cell count immediately after exercise compared with a passive cool-down. However, there was no significant difference 120 min after the exercise [ 70 ]. Similarly, two other studies reported no significant difference between an active cool-down and passive cool-down on immune system markers 24 h after a soccer [ 103 ] and rugby match [ 84 ].

In summary, these findings suggest that an active cool-down may partially prevent the depression of circulating immune cell counts immediately after exercise, but this effect is probably negligible > 2 h after exercise. No studies have investigated the effects of regular active cool-downs, so it remains unknown whether this leads to fewer illnesses.

Cardiovascular and Respiratory Variables

The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are highly active during exercise to supply the exercising muscles with blood and oxygen. These systems do not immediately return to resting levels after exercise, but remain activated for a considerable amount of time. For example, heart rate remains slightly elevated above resting heart rate for a relatively long time after exercise, with the exact period dependent on the intensity and duration of the exercise [ 104 ]. An active cool-down is frequently performed in an attempt to restore normal activity of these systems after exercise [ 7 ].

In a comparison between a passive cool-down and two cycling-based active cool-down protocols, Takahashi and Miyamoto [ 104 ] found that heart rate initially recovered in a nearly identical way, but 10 min after the exercise (3 min after the active cool-down), heart rate was significantly lower for the active cool-down interventions. A later study confirmed these findings, and suggested that this response to active cool-down reflected a faster restoration of vagal and sympathetic tone [ 105 ]. In one additional subject, it was shown that the heart rate following a passive cool-down was still higher 30 min after exercise than the resting heart rate, whereas it had returned to resting levels after the active cool-down [ 104 ]. By contrast, other studies found a slower heart rate recovery during an active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down. Nevertheless, these studies only monitored the heart rate for 60 s [ 106 ] or 5 min [ 107 , 108 ] after exercise, and the practical relevance of these findings with regard to ‘training recovery’ is therefore limited.

An active cool-down has also been reported to lead to a faster recovery of respiratory variables such as minute expiratory ventilation, although this primarily occurred during the initial 20 s of the cool-down [ 109 ]. Other studies found a lower breathing frequency (non-significant) after an active cool-down [ 105 ] and a faster recovery of oxygen debt during an active cool-down [ 55 ].

Finally, the period right after exercise can be considered as a vulnerable period during which individuals can experience post-exercise syncope, with symptoms such as lightheadedness, tunnel vision, and blurred vision [ 110 ]. In severe circumstances, individuals may lose consciousness completely during this post-exercise period. It has been suggested that an active cool-down may prevent post-exercise syncope and cardiovascular complications by: (1) increasing blood flow to the heart and brain due to the contractions of the muscles [ 108 , 110 ], (2) decreasing blood pooling in the lower extremities [ 104 ], and (3) theoretically preventing an increase in the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide [ 111 ]. Indeed, an active cool-down has been reported to result in a higher blood flow to the legs [ 58 , 104 ] and forearm [ 75 ], but whether these effects prevent post-exercise syncope and cardiovascular complications remains unknown.

In summary, these findings suggest that an active cool-down may result in a faster recovery of the cardiovascular and respiratory system after exercise. However, it is unknown whether this also leads to a reduction in the incidence of post-exercise syncope and cardiovascular complications.

Sweat Rate and Thermoregulation

Similar to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, muscle and core temperature can remain elevated above resting levels up to 90 min after exercise. Sweat rate is higher after exercise to reduce the core temperature to resting levels [ 112 ]. Although an active cool-down on a stationary bike results in a higher sweat rate compared with a passive cool-down, core temperature is not lower even after 30 min of active cool-down [ 65 , 75 , 113 – 116 ]. Therefore, an active cool-down performed on a stationary bike does not result in a faster recovery of core temperature compared to a passive cool-down. Whether an active cool-down performed while moving (e.g., running outside during which sweat may evaporate faster compared with stationary biking) results in a faster recovery of core temperature compared with a passive cool-down requires further investigation.

Hormone Concentrations

It has been proposed that the rate at which hormone concentrations return to resting levels can be used to characterize physiological stress [ 43 ] and psychological recovery [ 29 ]. The findings of four studies suggest that an active cool-down does not facilitate the recovery of hormone concentrations compared with a passive cool-down [ 29 , 43 , 64 , 102 ]. A study on well-trained futsal players, for example, found no significant effect of an active cool-down on hormone concentrations measured 5 h after a futsal game or measured the next morning [ 29 ]. An active cool-down consisting of uphill treadmill running actually resulted in a slower acute restoration of plasma adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol concentrations compared with a passive cool-down [ 102 ]. However, from 30 min post-exercise onwards, there were no significant differences in the hormone concentrations. The relevance of this finding is therefore questionable. A later study reported similar findings, with the hormonal concentrations returning more slowly to resting levels compared with a passive cool-down, but there was no significant difference beyond 30 min post-exercise [ 64 ]. Finally, Taipale et al. [ 43 ] reported that an active cool-down consisting of 10 × 10 repetitions of leg press at 30% of the 1 repetition maximum did not result in significant between-group differences for several hormonal concentrations during the next morning.

In summary, these findings suggest that an active cool-down may result in a slower recovery of hormone concentrations immediately after exercise, but does not significantly affect the recovery of hormonal concentrations beyond 30 min post-exercise compared with a passive cool-down. In support of this, plasma concentrations for several hormones have been reported to return to resting levels within 60–120 min post-exercise even with a passive cool-down [ 117 ].

Mood State, Self-Perception, and Sleep

Most research has investigated the physiological effects of an active cool-down and a passive cool-down, yet psychological effects are intimately linked to the physiological effects, and are also of major importance for performance. A recent systematic review even proposed that subjective measures of well-being better reflect training loads than do objective measures [ 118 ]. Therefore, the psychological effects of an active cool-down are also important to consider in relation to recovery.

Most studies have not reported any significant effect of an active cool-down on measures of psychological recovery such as the score on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) or rest-Q sport questionnaire. Nevertheless, the participants usually perceived an active cool-down as more beneficial than a passive cool-down [ 15 , 25 , 29 , 30 , 39 , 41 , 46 , 47 , 67 , 119 ]. For example, a study among well-trained futsal players reported that the players perceived the active cool-down consisting of low-intensity exercises on land and especially the active cool-down consisting of water-based exercises as more beneficial than a passive cool-down—even though there was no significant effect on the recovery-stress state and the amount of sleep [ 29 ]. Another study among military men also did not demonstrate any significant effect of an active cool-down consisting of water exercises on sleep, rest-recovery score or rating of perceived exertion during submaximal exercise after a 6-h rest period [ 15 ]. However, the participants in this study did rate the water-based active cool-down as more beneficial than the passive cool-down. Interestingly, a study on sport students found no significant difference between a passive cool-down and an aqua-cycling active cool-down for perceived physical state 4, 24, 48, or 72 h after performing 300 countermovement jumps, but the perceived physical fitness and energy were slightly lower 24 h after the active cool-down [ 45 ]. Similarly, a study on recreational netball players reported that rating of perceived exertion was significantly higher following a 15-min running-based active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down [ 44 ]. These findings possibly reflect the greater energy expenditure associated with an active cool-down versus a passive cool-down. By contrast, a study among 15 rugby players found that the ‘tension’ score on the POMS questionnaire was significantly lower two days after a rugby match in the group that performed a 1-h active cool-down once a day compared with another group that performed a passive cool-down [ 84 ]. However, there was no significant effect on any of the other POMS scores, and no significant difference on the day after the match, when only one active cool-down session was performed. These findings imply that an active cool-down can potentially interfere with psychological recovery in untrained or recreationally trained individuals, whereas it likely has no (or a slight) positive effect on psychological recovery in better trained individuals. In support of this, even though most individuals perceive an active cool-down as more beneficial, some (recreationally active) individuals may perceive it as ‘more exercise’ or increasing stiffness [ 25 ]. This may explain why elite rugby players rated an active cool-down as more effective than amateur rugby players in a recent survey [ 6 ].

In summary, an active cool-down generally does not substantially influence measures of psychological recovery after exercise, but most individuals nevertheless perceive an active cool-down as more beneficial than a passive cool-down. Reasons reported for doing an active cool-down include relaxation, socializing and time to reflect on the training or match [ 7 ]. Not all of these aspects are specifically assessed with the POMS and rest-Q. Therefore, it is debatable whether questionnaires such as the POMS and rest-Q sport do adequately assess psychological recovery. However, the perceived benefit could also reflect a placebo effect, whereby individuals believe that the active cool-down is more beneficial than a passive cool-down due to the popularity in society and its proposed benefits. Cook and Beaven [ 27 ] for example found a correlation between the perception of the effectiveness of a recovery modality and subsequent performance that was of similar magnitude to the correlation observed between physiological recovery and performance, suggesting that the perception of a recovery modality can also have a major influence on its effects.

Long-Term Effects of an Active Cool-Down

All studies discussed so far have investigated the acute or short-term (< 1 week) effects of an active cool-down and a passive cool-down. In the following two sections we discuss the long-term effects of an active cool-down on injuries and the adaptive response.

Injury Prevention

An active cool-down can theoretically reduce the risk of injuries during a subsequent training session, because a better recovery may result in less neuromuscular fatigue (see small, non-significant positive effects in Sect.  4.4 ) and thereby decrease injury risk. Only a few studies have investigated the effects of an active cool-down on injuries, and this has usually been investigated in combination with stretching and a warm-up. In three prospective cohort studies on runners, regular use of a cool-down did not significantly reduce the incidence of running injuries [ 120 – 122 ]. In another prospective study on runners, a health education intervention program consisting of a warm-up, cool-down, and stretching exercises also did not significantly reduce the incidence of running injuries [ 123 ]. However, a potential confounder in this study was that most participants in the control group also already performed these practices of their own volition. Finally, performing a regular cool-down after exercise was also not significantly associated with a reduction in injuries among triathletes [ 124 ] or with finishing a marathon versus not finishing a marathon in recreational runners [ 125 ]. In contrast with the evidence from the studies above, a study on dance aerobics instructors found a significant association between the duration of the cool-down and the number of injuries. Specifically, the group performing a 15-min cool-down showed a lower injury rate than the 5- and 10-min cool-down groups [ 126 ], but no control group was included for comparison. Therefore, a cool-down generally does not affect injury rates, although more research is required to investigate the effects of the type of cool-down, its duration, and the type of sport.

Long-Term Adaptive Response

Exercise stimulates the release of various biochemical messengers that activate signaling pathways, which in turn regulate molecular gene expression that elicits an adaptive response [ 100 ]. Some recovery interventions such as antioxidant supplementation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and cold-water immersion can influence signaling pathways, thereby attenuating the long-term adaptive response to exercise [ 100 , 127 , 128 ]. For example, several studies have shown that cold-water immersion after each training session reduces blood flow and influences signaling pathways, thereby leading to reduced gains in muscular strength and endurance compared to an active cool-down or passive cool-down [ 129 – 133 ]. Similarly, chronic intake of some antioxidants can also have a harmful effect on mitochondrial biogenesis and performance [ 100 , 127 , 134 ]. Preliminary evidence suggests that an active cool-down consisting of 15 min moderate-intensity jogging does not attenuate the long-term adaptive response in well-trained intermittent sport athletes [ 135 ]. Interestingly, the group that regularly performed an active-cool down after training even obtained a higher anaerobic lactate threshold after 4 weeks of training compared with the passive cool-down group. This could be related to the extra training volume completed during an active cool-down. However, conflicting evidence for the attenuating effects of other recovery modalities such as cold-water immersion has been reported [ 136 ], and more research investigating the effects of an active cool-down on the long-term adaptive response with other exercise modalities (e.g., following strength training and using swimming or cycling during the active cool-down) and populations (e.g., untrained individuals, elderly) is therefore required.

Combination with Other Recovery Interventions

This review has focused on the effects of an active cool-down consisting of low-intensity exercises such as cycling or running on measures of sports performance, psychophysiological recovery, injuries, and the long-term adaptive response. However, most individuals usually perform a combination of recovery interventions, and this combination may have different effects than an active cool-down in isolation. Two recovery interventions that are frequently performed in combination with an active cool-down are stretching and, more recently, foam rolling. The effects of these cool-down interventions are briefly discussed in the following sections.

Static Stretching

Stretching—especially static stretching—is frequently incorporated in an (active) cool-down [ 15 , 28 , 29 , 42 ] (Table  2 ). For example, a study among recreational marathon runners reported that 64% of the runners performed stretching after training [ 122 ]. Another survey on elite adolescent athletes found that 23% of the Asian and 68% of the UK athletes used stretching after a training session [ 91 ]. Finally, a survey among collegiate athletic trainers in the USA found that 61% recommended static stretching to be included as a recovery method after exercise [ 1 ]. Surveys among coaches from other sports report similar results [ 2 , 3 , 5 , 137 ].

Stretching is usually performed to reduce muscle soreness and increase range of motion. Many practitioners also believe that stretching reduces the risk of injuries and improves performance [ 1 , 3 – 5 ]. Contrary to common belief, however, static stretching performed either before or after exercise does not reduce muscle soreness [ 41 , 138 ]. Although stretching can reduce muscle stiffness (when performed as constant-torque stretching [ 139 ]) and increase the range of motion [ 67 ], these effects are also not always in the athlete’s interest. Long-distance runners with a better running economy are (for example) actually less flexible, and increasing flexibility can potentially negatively affect running economy [ 72 , 140 ]. Finally, although static stretching may have some effects on strain injuries [ 141 ], an increasing body of research suggests that it has little to no effect on the prevention of degenerative injuries [ 140 ]. Therefore, although stretching is historically a widely practiced cool-down activity, it may not necessarily aid recovery from exercise.

Foam Rolling

Foam rolling has more recently also been incorporated in many cool-downs, although to a lesser extent than stretching. A small proportion (4%) of Asian and moderate proportion (38%) of UK elite adolescent athletes report using foam rolling after training [ 91 ]. Foam rolling is frequently performed to reduce muscle soreness and to attenuate the effects of exercise on the reduced range of motion. Indeed, foam rolling performed after exercise has been found to reduce delayed onset of muscle soreness, increase range of motion, and enhance sports performance during the next day [ 142 , 143 ]. For example, MacDonald et al. [ 142 ] found that the foam rolling group demonstrated less muscle soreness and better dynamic (but not passive) range of motion of the hamstrings and vertical jump performance. However, foam rolling also reduced evoked contractile properties during the next day. Similarly, Rey and co-workers [ 144 ] reported that 20 min of foam rolling following a soccer practice improved agility performance, the perception of recovery and reduced muscle soreness in professional soccer players. However, foam rolling did not significantly improve sit-and-reach performance or 5- and 10-m sprint performance. Therefore, foam rolling may facilitate recovery from exercise, but more research is needed.

Conclusions and Practical Applications

Although there are many proposed benefits of an active cool-down compared with a passive cool-down (Fig.  1 ), this review shows that only a few of these benefits are supported by research (Fig.  2 ). Most importantly, we have provided evidence that an active cool-down generally does not improve and may even negatively affect performance later during the same day when the time between successive training sessions or competitions is > 4 h. Similarly, an active cool-down has likely no substantial effects on next-day(s) sports performance, but can potentially enhance next-day(s) performance in some individuals (Table  2 ). With regard to the long-term effects, a cool-down does likely not prevent injuries, and preliminary evidence suggests that an active cool-down after every training sessions does not attenuate and may even enhance the long-term adaptive response.

Evidence heatmap showing the effects of an active cool-down on markers of psychophysiological recovery, sports performance, and long-term effects. Numbers represent the number of studies demonstrating a significant benefit (green), no significant difference or an inconclusive effect (blue), or significant harm (red) of an active cool-down on the variable of interest compared to a passive cool-down

Several psychophysiological mechanisms are believed to underlie the potential beneficial effects of an active cool-down. This review shows that an active cool-down does generally lead to a faster removal of lactate in blood, but the practical relevance of this findings is questionable, especially because lactate is not necessarily removed faster from muscle tissue and because lactate may not be the cause of metabolic acidosis. Furthermore, an active cool-down can partially prevent the depression of circulating immune cells counts after exercise. However, it is unknown whether this also leads to fewer infections and illnesses. An active cool-down can also result in a faster recovery of the cardiovascular and respiratory system after exercise, but it remains unknown whether this leads to a reduction in the number of post-exercise syncopes and cardiovascular complications. In contrast, an active cool-down generally does not significantly reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness or improve the recovery of indirect markers of muscle damage. It also does not significantly alter the recovery of the neuromuscular and contractile properties, improve range of motion, or attenuate musculotendinous stiffness following exercise, and may even interfere with glycogen resynthesis. Furthermore, an active cool-down does generally not significantly facilitate the recovery of hormonal concentrations, and it also does not affect measures of psychophysiological recovery. However, most individuals nevertheless perceive an active cool-down as more beneficial than a passive cool-down. The effectiveness of an active cool-down may differ depending on the individual preferences and beliefs; recovery interventions should therefore be individualized [ 28 , 30 ]. Some athletes may benefit more from an active cool-down, whereas others may prefer to perform no cool-down at all.

The mode, intensity, and duration of a cool-down and activity preceding the cool-down will likely influence the effectiveness of the cool-down on recovery and these effects may also differ between individuals. It is therefore difficult to recommend one optimal active cool-down protocol for all individuals in all situations. Some general guidelines can, however, be provided. An active cool-down should: (1) involve dynamic activities performed at a low to moderate metabolic intensity to increase blood flow, but prevent development of substantial additional fatigue; (2) involve low to moderate mechanical impact to prevent the development of (additional) muscular damage and delayed-onset muscle soreness; (3) be shorter than approximately 30 min to prevent substantial interference with glycogen resynthesis; and (4) involve exercise that is preferred by the individual athlete. Some evidence also suggests that an active cool-down should involve the same muscles as used during the preceding activity [ 145 ].

More research is required to investigate the differences between different active cool-down interventions (e.g., land-based vs. water-based active cool-downs), the effects of different exercise protocols that precede the cool-down, and the effect of active cool-downs in various populations (e.g., elderly). It is also important to consider that most studies have investigated the effects on untrained or recreationally trained individuals, because the detrimental effects of training are easier to induce (to show greater effects of recovery interventions). These findings may not necessarily transfer to better trained athletes. Finally, several studies have used protocols that are rarely used in daily practice and more research is required on practical active cool-downs and the effects of active cool-downs on endurance performance.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Björn Ekblom from the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences for his comments on a preliminary version of this manuscript, Will Hopkins from Victoria University for his suggestions on the statistical analysis of the data in Table 2, and Bianca Cattelini contracted through the Queensland Academy of Sport for her assistance with the infographic.

Author contributions

BVH conceived the study and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. JMP provided suggestions, revisions, and edits.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflicts of interest.

Bas Van Hooren and Jonathan Peake declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

The Open Access fee was paid by Maastricht University. No other funding was received for this manuscript.

Use of Warm Up and Cool Down

• This is a preparatory phase for physical activity, aimed at enhancing performance and reducing injury risk.
• General warm-up: Involves light activities like jogging or cycling to gradually increase heart rate, blood circulation and body temperature.
• Specific warm-up: Includes activities directly related to an upcoming physical activity or sport, like dynamic stretches or sport-specific movements.
• Raises body temperature making muscles more flexible and reducing strain risks.
• Improves cardiovascular function by gradually increasing heart rate preparing it for coming exertion levels.
• Boosts central nervous system activity, enhancing reaction time and movement coordination.
• Promotes blood flow increasing oxygen and nutrients delivery to muscles, which prepares them for increased demands.
• This is a recovery phase after physical activity aimed at helping the body return to its pre-exercise state.
• Typically involves light exercises like low-intensity jogging or static stretching.
• Gradual decrease of heart rate and blood pressure avoiding abrupt drops, which can cause dizziness or fainting.
• Assisting in the removal of waste products like lactic acid, which builds up in muscles during high-intensity activities, thus reducing soreness and shortening recovery time.
• Preventing blood pooling in extremities, which can occur if the individual stops suddenly.
• Promoting muscle relaxation and reducing tension.
• Additionally, cool-down can support mental recovery, providing time to reflect on the performance and giving a psychological close to the workout.

Remember, each physical activity has its unique warm-up and cool-down requirements, so it’s vital to tailor your preparation and recovery tactics accordingly. An effective warm-up and cool-down not only boost performance but also ensure a safe, healthy, and enjoyable physical activity experience.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Use warm-up activities to prepare children, physically and psychologically, for more vigorous activity. Warm up with some easy aerobic activities that will gradually elevate the heart rate. Keep activities simple and move major joints (neck, shoulders, trunk, hip, knee and ankle) through their range of motion. Avoid deep stretching until muscles are warm. Flexibility can be improved by stretching during cool-down activities.

Cool-down activities focus on slow movements and stretching, allowing the heart rate to return to normal after vigorous activity. Use full body stretches to work on improved flexibility. Cool-down activities also help to prepare the children for the transition back into the classroom setting. Use the following activities to gradually slow down movement and provide a period of relaxation. Take long, slow, deep breaths during the cool-down.

Sample Warm-Up Activities

Moving on the spot.

• March on the spot or around the room; lift the knees high and perform a variety of arm actions while marching.
• Jogging: on the spot or around the room; slow pace, faster pace, touch heels to hands (behind back).
• Lift knees high in front; use accompanying arm actions.
• Jumping: feet together, slow, fast; while turning; make a square pattern; make a triangle pattern.
• Kicking: combine hop and kick forwards, sideways; with bent knee or straight leg; alternate legs.

Around the Room

• Hopping: one foot then the other, slow, fast.
• Skipping: around the room, change the lead leg.
• Galloping: around the room forwards, backward.

Bingo Warm-Up

• Skip or run around the gym to BINGO music (sing or play).
• When the dog’s name is spelled out slowly, children make shapes with their bodies: B = stretched high and tall I = wide N = as low as possible, staying on feet G = lying face down O = rollover onto back
• Children get up and start skipping again.

Animal Relays

• Partners stand on opposite sides of the gym.
• Choose two animals: One partner moves like a seal (or any other animal) to his or her partner, who moves like an alligator (or any other animal) back to the other partner’s spot.
• Pick any animal. One partner moves like any animal across the gym to his or her partner.
• The waiting partner guesses the type of animal then moves to the opposite side of the gym and back, moving like that animal. Children switch roles

Speedy Lines

• Children walk on the lines of the gymnasium. On a signal, children change directions, move to a new line or vary the type of movement.

Shake Your Sillies Out

• Children stand on the spot singing and shaking their arms and legs: Shake, shake, shake your sillies out, Shake, shake, shake your sillies out, Shake, shake, shake your sillies out, And wiggle your worries away.
• Vary this each time by singing the song with different words and changing movements, for example: Hop, hop, hop your sillies out, Jump, jump, jump your sillies out, Dance, dance, dance your sillies out...

Grab Bag Moves

• Children move around the gymnasium in their own space.
• Pull out a series of objects from a “grab bag”, e.g., rubber ball, toy train, animal puppets, airplane drawing.
• Children move around the room, moving like the object.
• Remind children to move in their own space and gradually increase speed and intensity as they warm up.
• Children move into a squat position, with head tucked in and arms wrapped over the head.
• Children pretend they are kernels of popcorn and that the pot is getting hotter.
• They begin to jump up and down on the spot when the “popcorn” begins to pop.
• Continue for 20 – 30 counts, rest, and then repeat.

Sample Cool-Down Activities

Side arm circles.

• Marching on the spot, raise arms out from the sides of the body to shoulder height. Now slowly circle arms forward 8 –10 times and backward 8 – 10 times.

Circles in the Sky

• While marching on the spot, children raise arms overhead.
• Children pretend they are drawing circles in the sky. Children keep arms overhead and draw a variety of shapes.

Climb the Ladder

• Children stand with feet slightly apart.
• Move arms and legs up and down as if climbing a ladder to the sky.
• Climb a ladder for 20 – 30 steps.

On-the-Spot Follow the Leader

Choose a leader to lead some slow, cool-down movements:

• Walk on the spot, moving arms in a gentle swinging motion.
• Touch shoulders with hands, then reach up over head. Repeat five times.
• Skip slowly on the spot.
• Skip side to side.
• Jump or hop on the spot.
• March slowly on the spot, keeping knees low and gently swinging the arms for 15 counts.

Skating on the Spot

• While standing on the spot, imitate a skating motion by extending the right then left leg away from the body at a back/side angle.
• Swing the arms.
• Continue this skating motion for 15 – 20 counts.
• Variation: children can “skate” around the gym either by pretending to have skates or by standing on scrap paper, and using the paper as skates.

Deep Breaths and Hug

• Slowly take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. Repeat three times.
• Wrap arms around shoulders and give self a big hug and a pat on the back.
• A variation of walking on the spot, with children alternating their feet in low forward kicks.
• Slowly swing arms by sides.

Tree in the Wind

• Stand with both arms overhead, feet placed wide apart, and knees slightly bent.
• Gently wave arms from side to side and forward like a tree in the wind.
• Stand, arms circled over their heads, pretending to be a great big balloon.
• Pretend there is a hole in the balloon and the air is slowly leaking out.
• Move slowly downward to the floor, until the balloon has no more air.

Digging in Your Heels

• Stand with one foot forward, pressing heel into the floor and raising toes up.
• Continue this movement while alternating feet, swinging arms in a strolling movement.

Action Stories

Tell a story with actions that the children can do. Here are some theme suggestions:

• Rainstorm coming and then leaving, with fingers and hands tapping the floor in beat to the intensity of the rain.
• Walk through the forest, listening to the birds and the wind in the trees.
• Visit to a planet in outer space, exploring new terrain.

Strolling on the Spot

• Begin by standing on the spot. Stroll one step forward, then one step back, one step forward, then one step back gently swinging arms by sides. Do not raise arms above waist. Continue “strolling” on the spot for 20 – 30 counts.

Bubble Gum Game

• Children pretend to be a piece of bubble gum that is being chewed.
• Children expand like a bubble blowing up, then “pop”, the bubble breaks!
• Gently shake one arm, the other, both.
• Shake one leg, the other, both, head, hips, whole body.
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Principles and Components of Cooling Down

This is an excerpt from safe dance practice by edel quin,sonia rafferty & charlotte tomlinson..

The purpose of a cool-down is to gradually return the body to its normal functioning; again the key word here is &lsquo;gradually'. Often the progressive intensity of a dance session means the highest physical intensity occurs at the end, which results in the dancer experiencing a high rate of blood flow around the body and a fast (sometimes near maximum) heart rate, with the metabolism and the nervous system in a heightened state of activity (see chapter 6 for more regarding the preferred versus the common intensities of session progression). To suddenly cease activity at this point is akin to slamming on the car brakes when you had been motoring along at full speed. Theory suggests that an effective cool-down can reduce injuries, in particular delayed-onset muscle soreness or DOMS (Harris &amp; Elbourne, 2002; Laws, Marsh, &amp; Wyon, 2006; Cheung, Hume, &amp; Maxwell, 2003; Olsen, Sj&oslash;haug, van Beekvelt, &amp; Mork, 2012), and can promote enhanced performance for subsequent bouts of activity (Hindle et al., 2012; Rey, Lago-Pe&ntilde;as, Cas&aacute;is, &amp; Lago-Ballesteros, 2012). A focused cool-down is also thought to relieve any mental tension that may have built up during the dance session (Alter, 2004).

Regardless of dance situation (class, rehearsal, competition or performance), cooling down appears less popular than warming up (Laws, 2005; Koutedakis, Pacy, Carson, &amp; Dick, 1997). Perhaps this is in part due to the limited amount of research that has been conducted on the benefits of cooling down and to the somewhat contradictory nature of the findings. Many of the research papers have focused solely on the stretching aspect of a cool-down. A 2002 systematic literature review noted that stretching after activity reduced muscular soreness for up to 72 hours after activity, although the authors comment that, due to a small effect size, these findings might not be strong enough to promote practical application (Herbert &amp; Gabriel, 2002). A more recent review reported a literature consensus that static stretching post exercise can reduce muscle soreness for 24 hours after the activity (Herbert, de Noronha, &amp; Kamper, 2011). However, stretching is only one component of the cool-down. Other research has examined the positive effects of including an active element (e.g., a pulse reducer ) to the cool-down, reporting beneficial outcomes for subsequent power activities (Rey et al., 2012).

Review papers continue to note that the effectiveness of a cool-down, as with warm-up, appears to depend on the intensity, duration and relative dynamic or static nature of the content, the order in which the sections are conducted, as well as the specificity of the cool-down content to the activity that has just been experienced (Herbert et al., 2011; Rey et al., 2012). Despite such inconclusive recommendations, a statistical relationship can be seen between injury rate and cool-down: For example, dancers who cool down after their sessions report lower injury rates (Laws, 2005; Malliou et al., 2007). These findings support common theories that propose that effective cooling down can bring multiple physiological, neurological and psychological benefits that promote reduced injury risk and enhanced performance.

In order to effectively recover from strenuous dance activity, dancers and teachers must understand the physiological demands that the dance session has just targeted. Therefore, when choosing the specific focus of the cool-down, they should consider the type, level of intensity and duration of the activity that has just taken place (for more on these aspects, see chapter 4). For example, an Irish dance class has quite a high physical intensity, and predominantly targets activation of the calf (gastrocnemius and soleus) muscle group. It also subjects the lower limb joints to repetitive impacts. In planning the cool-down, Irish dance teachers must consider how to counteract these actions in order to effectively balance out or neutralise the accumulative effects of the activity on the dancing body. However, similar to warming up, before considering such specificity, dance leaders must be aware of the general principles of cooling down. These principles include reducing the pulse rate, easing out the joints and stretching the muscles. Once teachers have understood these ideas, they can and should adapt the principles as the need arises.

&copy; Photoshot/TIPS

A dancer engaging in static stretching as part of her cool-down after class. This is after she has completed the pulse reducer and joint easing sections.

Example of Active-Static Stretching

Breathe in, breathe out and commence a stretch with control and attention, moving deeper into the position until the initial point of stretch sensation but not pain. Hold the position, mindfully relaxing any unnecessary tension, for around 10 seconds. Breathe in again. On the out breath, work to gently increase the stretch. Again hold this position for up to 10 seconds. If possible, gently increase the stretch once more on a third breath in and out. Using anatomical imagery can support an increase in ROM, especially if flexibility is currently restricted. Visualise making space in the joints and releasing the muscle fibres, even if no actual movement or increase in ROM is possible. Combining imagery with the breath helps reduce unnecessary muscular tension. Imagine increasing ROM and muscular length for the full duration of the stretch, even if you are not able to achieve any additional movement. Finish the stretch by maintaining the final position for approximately 20 seconds, and then gently ease the body out of the position.

Learn more about Safe Dance Practice .

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Warm up and Cool Down

Warm up and cool down are slower-paced, reduced-intensity movements that precede and follow exercise. A warm up before exercise builds gradually toward the pace and intensity of the exercise. A cool down following activity, also called a warm down, gradually returns the body to its resting state. Both the warm up and cool down place special emphasis on the muscle groups worked during the exercise session.

A warm up helps prepare the body and mind for more intense exercise. Its primary purpose is to gradually raise the heart and breathing rates, increasing the activity of the cardiorespiratory system and delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles that will be worked during exercise. The warm up raises core body temperature and muscle temperature. Raising core temperature increases joint mobility, enabling better movement and range of motion, and may reduce the risk of injury. Warmer muscles are more flexible than cool muscles.

In the past, warm ups generally involved static or stationary stretching to try to elongate muscles. Some experts still suggest stretching before certain activities, such as shoveling snow, that use muscles not often worked and easily strained. These include the muscles between the shoulders and in the upper and lower back, as well as the buttocks and legs. However, it is now generally recognized that stretching should never be performed until muscle temperature has been raised by a warm up.

A cool down following a workout enables the heart and breathing rates and muscle temperature to gradually return to normal. This is particularly important after intensive exercise. Abruptly halting strenuous cardiorespiratory exercise without a cool down can cause blood that is concentrated in working muscles to pool in the veins, possibly resulting in dizziness or lightheadedness. A cool down also can help the body recover more quickly from intense exercise. Cool downs are most important for well-conditioned athletes because the activity helps to regulate blood flow. For casual exercisers, a cool down might simply be an enjoyable way to conclude an exercise routine.

Stretching as part of a cool down can relax the mind and muscles. Stretching can help lengthen muscles that have been shortened during exercise such as running, returning the muscles to their resting length. Stretching during a cool down also might increase flexibility and help prevent stiffness.

Demographics

Most exercise regimens include a warm up and cool down, with or without stretching. Most athletes believe warm ups and cool downs to be very important and most trainers and coaches insist on them. However, workouts, training, and athletic competitions are not the only activities that may require a warm up and cool down. During any activity, such as yard work or gardening, warming up and cooling down can help, especially in activities that involve cramped positions, such as sledding. Automobile and airplane travel are easier on the body with a warm up before settling in and a cool down, such as a brisk walk to stretch calf and hamstring muscles, after arrival.

Description

There are many different warm up activities, but the most common is simply performing the primary conditioning activity at a slower pace:

• a slow walk or stroll before a brisk walk or jog
• a brisk walk or light jog before a run, gradually speeding up to one's normal running pace
• swimming slowly for a few laps before gradually picking up speed
• pedaling a bike slowly with no resistance
• moving joints and muscles through appropriate movement patterns before picking up weights for strength training
• slow, sport-specific drills

Warm ups often focus first on large muscle groups, such as the hamstrings, followed by exercise that is more specific to the activity. Sport-specific warm up drills often involve extending range of motion and establishing correct rhythm and timing. For example, a running warm-up might include a heeltoe drill to warm up the muscles of the feet, ankles, and calves, while slowly moving the arms. This might be followed by double ankle bounces to continuing warming up the lower legs, adding impact and speed, and raising the arms overhead to warm up the body core. Heel flicks for the front and back of the thighs can improve knee and hip range of motion and begin setting timing and rhythm. Finally, high knees improve hip range of motion, increase stride, and begin the use of running arms.

Warm ups commonly last for five to ten minutes; in general, the more intense and demanding the workout, the longer the warm up. Strenuous activities might require warm ups of up to 15–20 minutes. Competitive athletes use warm ups to raise heart rate and body temperature and to condition important nerve and muscle pathways to increase the speed and efficiency of muscular contraction. Athletes might, therefore, warm up for much longer. For example, sprinters sometimes spend an hour or more warming up. People who are just starting an exercise program also require longer warm ups. Heavier breathing and very mild sweating usually indicate a sufficient warm up; however, warm ups should never be tiring.

Warm ups for youth sports generally last 15–30 minutes. They often begin with a brisk walk, running in place, or a slow jog, followed by a sport-specific warm up and possibly gradual stretching of major muscle groups. It is very important that children receive instruction about appropriate exercises for their sport.

A warm up can conclude with gentle dynamic stretching to loosen muscles and joints, increase flexibility and range of motion, and help prevent injury. Proper stretching can also contribute to correct exercise posture and better coordination. The muscle groups to be worked should be gently flexed and extended. Static stretching is not recommended during a warm up; instead, dynamic mobility exercises—hip circles, lunges, knee lifts, and leg swings—might be beneficial if they are performed in a gentle and controlled manner. Gentle stretching can be particularly beneficial for a tight or previously injured muscle. Movements should never be jerky, bouncy, or painful. Standing stretches are preferable to floor stretches at the end of a warm up, to keep the heart rate elevated.

The cool down from cardiorespiratory exercise is similar to the warm up. Although it can include a variety of activities, the cool down most often involves continuing the exercise activity while gradually slowing the pace and reducing the intensity:

• walking without moving the arms after a brisk walk or jog
• jogging, then walking briskly following a run
• swimming leisurely laps using various strokes
• pedaling with reduced resistance or spinning bike pedals at about 100 revolutions per minute

As with the warm up, the duration of a cool down depends on the intensity and duration of the exercise. Strenuous workouts require longer cool downs than more leisurely activity. In general, cool downs should return the body to its resting state over five–ten minutes, with heart and breathing rate gradually returning to normal.

Stretching the worked muscles for a few minutes at the end of a cool down, while they are still warm, can be beneficial. In addition to repeating stretches performed with the warm up, floor stretches can focus on the muscles that were worked during exercise and those that feel especially tight. Just as there are sport-specific warm ups, there are sport-specific stretches that focus on the particular muscles used in that sport, for example, the shoulder for throwing a baseball or the forearm for batting. Stretches should be performed slowly and gently, just to the point of a slight pull. They should never cause pain. Stretching may include the:

• calf or back of the lower leg and Achilles tendon
• quadriceps (quads) on the front of the thigh
• hamstrings on back of the thigh
• hip flexors or front of the hip
• glutei (glutes) or buttocks
• triceps with an overhead stretch

Preparation

A warm up prepares the body and mind for exercise. Although various sports and other physical activities have specially designed warm ups, many people find that they can warm up and cool down adequately with simple activities, such as walking to and from the gym or other exercise facility.

A warm up should precede any strenuous activity, not just exercise or sports. Manual labor or lifting significant weight without first warming up can lead to injury. Although there is conflicting evidence about the benefits of warm ups and cool downs, when correctly performed they pose little risk and may help prevent muscle strain or injury. Yet, some fitness programs neglect to include a warm up and cool down before and after strenuous exercise.

Warm ups that are too taxing can interfere with performance. Research on highly trained track cyclists has found that shorter, lower-intensity warm ups produced less muscle fatigue, better response to muscle contraction, and improved performance compared with traditional longer warm ups. However, these results were for competitive athletes and could be specific to their sport. Nevertheless, the suggestion is that warm ups should include just enough activity to promote PAP without causing fatigue.

Stretching as part of a warm up or cool down entails some risks. Stretching cold muscles can contribute to pulled or torn muscles. Sudden or aggressive stretching can cause injury or worsen an injury. Lengthening tissues by stretching can cause lax muscles, joints, and ligaments that are more susceptible to injury. Although static stretching, if performed correctly, may be beneficial during a cool down, during a warmup, static stretching relaxes, rather than warms, the central nervous system and does not significantly raise core body temperature, both of which are required for coordinated muscular contraction. Muscles should be stretched gradually during the cool down. Stretching should never involve force, bobbing, or bouncing that can damage muscles and even lead to scar tissue formation that reduces flexibility. Static stretches should be held for 10–30 seconds to sufficiently lengthen muscle. Both sides of the body should be stretched equally. Stretches should never be taken to the point of pain. Breathing is as important during stretching as during all other phases of a workout.

When performed correctly, a warm up and cool down can help reduce the risk of injury, especially strains, sprains, and overuse injuries, and may improve athletic performance. A warm up also activates the nervous system, possibly improving neuromuscular responses and coordination. A cool down relaxes and loosens muscles that have been tightened during exercise and may help prevent cramping, muscle spasms, or stiff or sore muscles.

• Should I warm up and cool down before and after exercise?
• What types of warm up and cool down do you recommend?
• How long should I warm up and cool down?
• Whatarethe risks of foregoingawarm uporcool down?

Research and general acceptance

The effects of a warm up and cool down on exercise and athletic performance are active areas of research. The results, however, often appear to depend on individual fitness and the particular exercise or sport. Research tends to support the premise that athletes can reach metabolic steady state faster and perform better after an active warm up, as compared with a passive warm up. One study found greater differences in energy supply, muscle strength, and performance after an active versus a passive warm up than between either type of warm up or no warm up at all. A British study found that youth football players who were in high compliance with a comprehensive injury-preventing warm-up program had a significantly lower risk of injury than players who were in intermediate compliance with the program. Thus, most experts continue to recommend a warm up and cool down before and after exercise.

Benefits are not limited to athletes. A 2016 study on women experiencing symptoms of menopause used an 8-week Pilates program that included up to 10 minutes of warm-up, 40 minutes of exercise, and 5–7 minutes of cool down. The program helped improve back flexibility and strength, and eased some menopausal symptoms.

See also Exercise ; Fatigue ; Muscle starin ; Running ; Stretching .

Kennedy, Carol A., and Mary M. Yoke. Methods of Group Exercise Instruction . 3nd ed. Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2009.

Murphy, Sam, and Sarah Connors. Running Well . Champaign: Human Kinetics, 2014.

Berkeley Wellness. “Should You Warm Up and Cool-Down?” University of California, Berkeley, Wellness Letter 27, no. 4 (January 1, 2011): 6.

Berkeley Lee, H., et al. “Effects of 8-Week Pilates Exercise Program on Menopausal Symptoms and Lumbar Strength and Flexibility in Postmenopausal Women.” Journal of Exercise and Rehabilitation 12, no. 3 (June 2016): 247–51.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. “Warm Up, Cool Down and Be Flexible.” Ortho Info.AAOS.org . http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00310 (accessed February 23, 2017).

American Heart Association. “Warm Up, Cool Down.” Heart.org . http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving/PhysicalActivity/FitnessBasics/Warm-Up-Cool-Down_UCM_430168_Article.jsp#.WExIu_krKM8 (accessed February 23, 2017).

Malcolm, Christian, and Steph Twell. “Before You Begin…and After You've Finished.” The Guardian . http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/10/running-warm-up-warm-down (accessed February 23, 2017).

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Aerobic Exercise: How to Warm Up and Cool Down.” MayoClinic.org . http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00067 (accessed February 23, 2017).

TeensHealth. “Stretching.” Nemours Foundation. http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/exercise/stretching.html# (accessed February 23, 2017).

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, 9400 West Higgins Road, Rosemont, IL, 60018, (847) 823-7186, Fax: (847)823-8125, [email protected], http://www.aaos.org .

American Chiropractic Association, 1701 Clarendon Boulevard, Suite 200, Arlington, VA, 22209, (703) 276-8800, Fax: (703) 243-2593, memberinfo@aca today.org, http://www.acatoday.org .

Margaret Alic, PhD Revised by Teresa Odle, BA, ELS