Are You Exercising the Right Way?

Courtesy of Burnaby Hospital’s Healthy Heart Program

Since early childhood, we’ve all been told that exercising regularly is part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And it may seem like common sense to most. But, regular exercise is an essential part of daily life that not only makes us feel better, but helps to ward away health conditions that can develop over time—making our bodies vulnerable to conditions like cardiac illness.

But, exercising correctly is just as important. And two of the most neglected areas of a complete exercise routine are warming up and cooling down before and after every workout. Here’s why.

Warming up before every workout

The warm-up at the start of every workout is very important. Warming up gradually increases your blood flow and heart rate in addition to gradually increasing the temperature of deep muscles. It also prevents early lactic build-up, lubricates joints, improves neural transmission and psychological preparation.

How to warm up:

• You should warm up at the start of every workout.
• The activity should be considered low intensity, with your heart rate at less than 40% of your maximum recommended heart rate.
• The duration of the warm-up should be 5 to 10 minutes.
• Choose exercises that use large muscle groups that are rhythmic or dynamic in nature like walking, jogging, and biking.

Cooling down after every workout

Cooling down after a workout is one of the most neglected activities of a complete exercise regime. Many people miss out on the benefits of what a cool-down routine offers, including: Prevention of venous pooling and rapid drops in blood pressure, removal of lactic acid, the reduced delay of muscle soreness, decrease in heart rate, oxygen intake, gradual adjustment of body temperatures to resting levels, and the reduction of exercise hormones that can cause disturbances in cardiac rhythm.

How to cool down:

• Cool-down should be performed at the end of every workout.
• 5 to 10 minutes of slow jogging or walking, followed by stretching exercises.
• The activity should be considered low intensity, with your heart rate at less than 40% of your maximum recommended heart rate.
• Choose exercises that use large muscle groups that are rhythmic or dynamic in nature like walking, jogging, and biking.

Disclaimer

This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your health care professional. Always consult your physician before beginning an exercise program.