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WARM-UP/COOL-DOWN

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The Warm-Up is the preparation phase before any strenuous exercise. Its purpose is to prepare you psychologically and physically at the beginning of your workout. The BioFitness Institute will always remind you in the plans it creates for you to do a warm-up. This makes you ready for that days effort and helps to keep your body safe from injury during moments of stress. You start by applying a mild heat formula to the muscles and joints to be exercised. Next, do a short aerobic activity followed by a stretching routine. This increases the amount of blood available to the working muscles and enhances joint mobility in the range of motion. The stretches should be done in a static fashion, not ballistic, holding each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds. Finally, the Warm-Up ends with mild and light activity in the technique of the exercise itself. For anaerobic weight exercise this means a gradual increase in the resistance used (progressive resistance), so that your body has a chance to adapt to the demands being placed on it.

For aerobics, you would do stretches first. Then start with an easy pace that slowly builds up to the "aerobic steady state" of heart rate to be maintained through the remainder of the activity. After exercising, it is vital that you take the time to cool down. If you abruptly stop exercising without a Cool- Down, you are opening yourself up for severe consequences. An abundance of blood still remains in your legs. This could cause an inadequate return of blood to your heart (Blood Pooling.) Blood Pooling can leave too much carbon dioxide and too little oxygen in your blood. A lack of oxygen for your heart can lead to passing out, faintness, dizziness, heart arrhythmia, and even a heart attack.

To cool down, you should walk around for five to ten minutes. Then do some mild stretching to relax the muscles.

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