You is perhaps desperate to jump into your exercise routine and get on with the day—but don't just dive right in. Starting a workout with “cold” muscles can result in injury. It's vital to start out every workout with a warm-up and end with a cool-down—and that goes for true beginners, seasoned pros, and everybody in between.
Warm up
Warming up pumps nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles because it hurries up your heart rate and respiration. A very good warm-up should last five to 10 minutes and work all major muscle groups. For best results, start slowly, then increase the speed. Many warm-up routines deal with cardio and range-of-motion exercises, similar to jumping jacks and lunges. If you want, you'll be able to do an easy warm-up by gently swinging your arms, and even walking in place while dancing to just a few songs.
to chill down
After your workout, it's best to spend five to 10 minutes cooling down through a sequence of slow movements. It helps prevent muscle cramps and dizziness by slowly slowing your respiration and heart rate. An effective cool down also includes stretching exercises to calm down and lengthen muscles throughout your body and improve your range of motion. To get probably the most out of those exercises, hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. The longer you'll be able to hold the stretch, the higher for improving your flexibility. As with the warm-up, it's best to flow from one stretch to the subsequent without resting in between.
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