Cool it, Baby!

This is for the clown who just e-mailed me and took me to task for chastising the people in the clinic who snuck out of the cool down.

Christ!, you'd think I WANTED to play nursemaid amd mother to a bunch of spoiled brats.

What I want is for everyone to have a fun, enjoyable training experience where we try and keep the aches and pains to a minimum.

There is nothing worse than struggling through a training clinic with an injury that not only HURTS!, but that keeps you from getting the full enjoyment and satisfaction out of the experience. Trust me, I speak from experience. I have been there. I wouldn't want anyone to have to suffer what I have suffered through.

I want everyone to get to the start line of their race happy and healthy.

I want the race experience to be one that you will treasure and cherish all of your life - one that you will share with your family and friends and tell them about until their eyes glaze over and they pass out from boredom!

And most importantly, I want your running experiences to be so positive that it becomes part of your lifestyle and is something that you do for the rest of your life.

And don't just take my word for it.

Here is some good advice on how to be a happy and healthy lifetime runner!

http://www.brianmac.demon.co.uk/warmup.htm

Warm up and Cool Down!

There is no doubt that time spent on warming up and cooling down will improve an athlete's level of performance and accelerate the recovery process needed before training or competition.

As a result the coach must encourage the athlete to regard the warm up and cool down as an essential part of both the training session and competition itself.

Warm Up

Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness.

Warming up should at least consist of the following:

5 to 10 minutes jogging - to increase body temperature
10 to 15 minutes dynamic stretching exercises - reduce muscle stiffness
10 to 15 minutes general and event specific drills - preparation for the session or competition. e.g. for a runner
Lower leg drills
Leg drills
Technique drills
4 to 8 easy run outs over 30 to 60 metres - focus on correct running technique (Tall, Relaxed, Smooth and Drive)
Dynamic stretches are more appropriate to the warm up as they help reduce muscle stiffness. Static exercises do not reduce muscle stiffness.

What are the benefits of a warm up?

Performance may be improved as an appropriate warm up will result in an:

Increased speed of contraction and relaxation of warmed muscles

Dynamic exercises reduce muscle stiffness

Greater economy of movement because of lowered viscous resistance within warmed muscles

Facilitated oxygen utilization by warmed muscles because hemoglobin releases oxygen more readily at higher muscle temperatures

Facilitated nerve transmission and muscle metabolism at higher temperatures; a specific warm up can facilitate motor unit recruitment required in subsequent all out activity

Increased blood flow through active tissues as local vascular beds dilate, increasing metabolism and muscle temperatures

Cool Down

Warming down should consist of the following:

5 to 10 minutes jogging/walking - decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles

5 to 10 minutes static stretching exercises- decrease body temperature, remove waste products from the working muscles and to increase range of movement.

Static stretches are more appropriate to the cool down as they help muscles to relax and increase their range of movement.

What are the benefits of a cool down?

An appropriate cool down will:

Aid in the dissipation of waste products - including lactic acid

The process of lactic acid removal takes approx. one hour, but this can be accelerated by undertaking an appropriate warm down which ensures a rapid and continuous supply of oxygen to the muscles.
reduce the potential for DOMS

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Muscle soreness that occurs some 24 to 48 hours after intense exercise usually involves eccentric contractions. This causes increases in intracellular pressure that irritates the nerve endings, producing swelling and local pain. The soreness can be an indication of potential muscle adaption to follow, but if it persists or is debilitating then it could indicate over training and large muscular tissue damage.

An appropriate warm up and cool down may help to avoid or reduce DOMS.

Reduce the chances of dizziness or fainting caused by the pooling of venous blood at the extremities

Reduce the level of adrenaline in the blood