How important is it to do the 5 minute "cool down" on electronic aerob!


Question: How important is it to do the 5 minute "cool down" on electronic aerobic equipment!?
I always skip it!. I don't see the benefit of going 3MPH for 5 minutes when I could be lifting weights instead!.

Am I wrong!?Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
After any aerobic activity, the blood is pooled in the
extremities, and the heart rate is elevated!. The purpose of
the cool-down is to bring the heart rate down to near-normal
and to get the blood circulating freely back to the heart!.
Stopping abruptly could result in fainting or place undue
stress on the heart!. The cool-down should also include
stretching to help relax the muscles which worked so hard
during the activity!. The cool-down stretches also increase
flexibility, and might help to prevent DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle
Soreness) although this has not been proven!.
source: http://stason!.org/TULARC/sports/fitness-!.!.!.

A MORE PRESTIGIOUS SOURCE:

warm up, cool down, and stretching are VERY IMPORTANT to your workout

Immediately after your workout, take time to cool down!. This gradually reduces the temperature of your muscles and may help reduce muscle injury, stiffness and soreness!. Mild activity following exercise also prevents the dizziness caused by blood pooling in the legs!.

Cooling down is similar to warming up!. After your workout, walk or continue your activity at a low intensity for five to 10 minutes!. For example, after a 30-minute session of brisk walking, cool down by slowing your walking pace for five to 10 minutes!.

Source: http://www!.mayoclinic!.com/health/exercis!.!.!.


Www@Answer-Health@Com

It isn't critical but if you really get your heart rate up it's a good idea to not go from full on exercise to "resting" !.!.!.it seems to at least feel better!. 5 minutes is about right!. After all when you get on the machine you usually;y don't go to the most strenuous part right away - it's gradual as you progress!. Also the cool off may be useful in helping you transition to another type of activity like weights!. Additionally, on treadmills if you step off right from the fastest pace without cooling off you can get pretty dizzy as you still "feel" that you are on the machine!.But 3 mph may be a little slow - usually you can manually adjust up in the resting period so the pace is moderate!. On stair-steppers, stationary bikes, and elliptical machines this isn't really a factor of course! And I often skip the resting period on the bikes and ellipticals (but not the stair-stepper since it is quite strenuous)!.
The designers of the machines perhaps missed something when they set up the cool off functions in that they didn't really tie it in with the rest of the parameters originally entered like age/calorie/weight but I'm sure that will be fixed so that obviously a 70 year old would need to have a slower cool-off than someone 22!. But again see my comment above about making manual adjustments in cool-offWww@Answer-Health@Com

I agree, apparently its to bring your heart rate back to normal

walking over to my weights is about the same as walking on the treadmill thoughWww@Answer-Health@Com

Naw!. I do the same thing!. I think its supposed to help you not be sore the next day, but cardio never makes me sore anyway!. Www@Answer-Health@Com





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