Proper cool downs

thegreenhand

thegreenhand

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So you always hear about properly cooling down and warming up but there is a lot of conflicting info on what is the best way to do so

I'm wondering if anyone can point me towards any studies about this. Specifically for running but anything helps.

Right now I'm warming up by using a hand held muscle roller and cooling down by stretching immediately after. Am i risking damage to myself by doing these things?
 
Using a roller is pretty decent way to warmup. Throw in some active stretching (ie gradually moving into the full range of motion you intend to use during exercise while keeping the muscles under tension) can be useful, as can a few very short escalating (shuttle) sprints to activate the mind-muscle connection and flush the muscles with blood/dilate the capillaries and arteries.

To cool down, I'd also use the roller, once I'd done 5 or so mins of simple walking to ensure the excess lactic's all gone. Generally, save any isometric (static, extended) stretching to the cool down, as doing it beforehand can reduce muscle output and contractility and cause a bit too much microtrauma to the muscle-tendon tissue.
 
CFC said:
Using a roller is pretty decent way to warmup. Throw in some active stretching (ie gradually moving into the full range of motion you intend to use during exercise while keeping the muscles under tension) can be useful, as can a few very short escalating (shuttle) sprints to activate the mind-muscle connection and flush the muscles with blood/dilate the capillaries and arteries.

To cool down, I'd also use the roller, once I'd done 5 or so mins of simple walking to ensure the excess lactic's all gone. Generally, save any isometric (static, extended) stretching to the cool down, as doing it beforehand can reduce muscle output and contractility and cause a bit too much microtrauma to the muscle-tendon tissue.
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Ok good to know about the static stretching after. My soccer teams used to do it before hand so I always had that in my head but I do find dynamic warmups are much more effective for me anyway
 
Anything that gets blood moving, I usually just use a lighter or less intense version of whatever I will be doing. So for running I would use walking, stairs, elliptical, or any form of moderate cardio.

Dynamic stretching after is best although I’ve always performed best but not stretching or cooling down personally. Think it gets your muscles used to faster lactic acid clearance
 
thegreenhand said:
I highly recommend you getting one. There are handheld ones and also like thick foam tubes you can use on the ground. It’s basically a massager
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I really rate those rollers, use them a lot. Had a thinner one (till my Mrs nicked it) which was awesome to get some myofascial release after intense sessions, only issue was if you either rolled against your blood flow (i.e. towards your feet) or pressed too hard, you'd turn the colour of Barney the dinosaur.

For cool-downs post gym/rugby I tend to use more static based stretches with a 30 second hold on each and repeat 2 to 3 times (time depending). I've linked a paper below reviewing the literature on the physiological and psychological advantages of a cool-down. Was a pretty interesting read, hope it helps?

 
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