The Importance Of Stretching
If you have ever seen Fantastic Four or The Incredibles, then you might think of Mr. Fantastic or Mrs. Incredible with their amazing stretchy bodies. Wouldn’t that be nice? We would have no stiff muscles or aching joints, but rather a nice flexible, bendable, stretchable body to cool down after our workout? Since we aren’t comic book or movie characters it stands to reason that the majority of us are just not that flexible.
You may have heard the terms “warm up” and “cool down” when discussing exercise. Maybe you have never employed these tools and have wondered why other people do. The fact is that warming up prior and cooling down after exercise is really important for your muscles.
Warming up is basically your way of telling your body that it needs to prepare for an increase in activity. It also helps to keep you from sustaining injuries while exercising which we all want to avoid! You are not only telling your muscles to wake up and prepare for exercise but you are also telling your heart that it needs to increase its rate of beating. Increased blood flow helps in the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles that you will be working. So, you will want to do a warm-up that works your muscles gently and boosts your heart rate. A nice, steady ten-minute warmup for general exercise is usually sufficient.
Once you have warmed up and exercised, it is important to end your exercise session with a period of cooling down. Often, once a workout is complete, you just want to be done. You’re sweating and it’s dripping in your eyes which, by the way, REALLY stings. Your clothes are clinging to you. You’re thirsty and tired. But, now is not the time to quit. Now is the time to do a proper cool down.
As with a warm-up when you were telling your body to prepare for the increased activity, the cooldown is your message to your body to return to its normal state of functioning. It gives your heart and respiration rates a chance to slow down gradually. It also gives your body a chance to cool itself and stop the sweating process. Your cool down will depend on your exercise. If you were lifting weights, then you can cool down by doing something like stretches and yoga poses. If you were running, then you can do a short walk as a cool down. One woman we know of goes for a run, then takes her dog for a walk for her cool down. What a great use of time! She gets two things accomplished and she and her pup are both better for it
Exercise, including the warm up and cool down portions, is an important part of good health. If you are endeavoring to lose weight, then exercise will definitely play a role in that process. Perhaps you feel “stuck” or don’t even know how to get started. That’s the perfect time to call us at Advanced Surgical and Weight Loss Institute. Dr. Diego Velarde is the doctor you have been looking for to guide you on your weight loss journey. Whether it’s figuring out a plan that works for you that might include weight loss surgery, Dr. Velarde is an expert in his field. He is an expert in various weight loss surgeries, including the minimally-invasive daVinci robotic surgery method. From gastric balloon to gastric bypass, you have come to the right place. If you live in the Melbourne or Merritt Island areas of Florida, call us today to begin your exciting weight loss journey.