PERSONAL TRAINER TIP:

Warm Up & Cool Down for Better Workouts

You’re ready to work out. You’ve got limited time. So, you rush into the gym and immediately pump iron, run on the track, hop on a cardio machine, or whatever you like to do to exercise … right up until the minute it’s time to go.

Rec-Plex personal trainer David Griffith says that a lot of people make the mistake of avoiding a warmup before exercising, or skipping a cooldown at the end. But, what they might not realize, he says, is that they’re actually going to get a better workout by taking the time to warm up and cool down.

“When it comes to your workout, you need to do all three parts: You have the warmup, workout and cooldown,” David says.

What’s a warmup, and why should you do it? David says that a good warmup exercise should get your heart going, get you sweating and warm up your muscles so they're ready to work. He suggests warming up at least 7-10 minutes.

“If you do that, your workout is going to much more efficient," David says. "You’re going to get much more out of that workout if your muscles are warmed up properly."

When David is training people at the Rec-Plex, he has them warm up on the elliptical machines because they are easy on your joints and move both the upper and lower body to prepare for an all-over workout.

After you’ve warmed up and completed your workout, the cooldown is just as important for efficient workouts, David says. He says that working your muscles essentially breaks them down, and they need to go through a healing process in order to avoid soreness and allow you to bounce back for the next time you hit the weights, track, cardio room, etc. Plus, stretching after your workout will help lengthen your muscles and actually help you get stronger in the long run—tight muscles don’t work as well and can result in injury. He recommends a cooldown routine lasting at least 5-7 minutes.

“When people don’t warm up or cool down, they don’t get the results they could get,” David says. “Just doing those two simple things are going to help you out a ton in seeing some really good gains.”

David Griffith is a certified personal trainer through the National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association (NESTA). Certified for Bootcamp Challenge, David leads small group personal training classes at the Rec-Plex. Learn more about personal trainers at the Rec-Plex.