"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Exercise 101: Don't skip the warm-up or cool-down.

You could be desirous to jump into your exercise routine and get on with the day—but don't just dive right in. Starting a workout with “cold” muscles can result in injury. It's vital to begin every workout with a warm-up and end with a cool-down—and that goes for true beginners, seasoned pros, and everybody in between.

Warm up

Warming up pumps nutrient-rich, oxygenated blood to your muscles because it quickens your heart rate and respiratory. warm-up should last five to 10 minutes and work all major muscle groups. For best results, start slowly, then increase the speed. Many warm-up routines deal with cardio and range-of-motion exercises, resembling jumping jacks and lunges. If you want, you possibly can do a straightforward warm-up by gently swinging your arms, and even walking in place while dancing to a number of songs.

to chill down

After your workout, it's best to spend five to 10 minutes cooling down through a sequence of slow movements. It helps prevent muscle cramps and dizziness by slowly slowing your respiratory and heart rate. An effective cool down also includes stretching exercises to calm down and lengthen muscles throughout your body and improve your range of motion. To get probably the most out of those exercises, hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. The longer you possibly can hold the stretch, the higher for improving your flexibility. As with the warm-up, it's best to flow from one stretch to the following without resting in between.

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