If a careful warm-up helps prevent muscle soreness, what
does the cool-off period do? Can’t you just lie down and let the
sweat dry until you go to the shower?
In answer to the first question, the cool-down period allows the
blood to be gradually redistributed in the normal resting pattern.
The body temperature returns to normal. Your heart rate goes back
to normal.
The answer to the second question is No. The best procedure is
to keep moving for at least several minutes after vigorous exercise.
You are trying to get your breathing and heart rate back to normal.
You want your body to literally cool down.
Why not just lie down—or sit down—to cool off? An abrupt and complete
cessation of the exercise reduces the flow of venous blood to
the heart. A complete stop may also decrease the heart stroke
volume. The heart may have to work much harder to maintain an
adequate blood flow. Thus abruptly terminating exercise may lead
to dizziness, fainting, shock, or other strain on the heart. Most
heart attacks that afflict older persons in exercise situations
take place during the post-exercise period.
The ideal cool-down exercise is slow jogging or walking. At the
same time the subject should swing his or her arms. Once the pulse
rate has reached about 120—a ten-second count of 20—the re-adjustment
has been largely accomplished.
Hot showers, saunas, and steam baths also are not recommended
for the immediate post-exercise period. The hot shower, sauna,
or steam bath merely adds strain. While they can be enjoyable
and relaxing, be sure to wait until the body has returned completely
to normal before indulging in them
Ice-cold showers present their own dangers. Ice-cold water flowing
over the chest increases the blood pressure. It also raises the
heart rate and cardiac output. While a healthy individual can
tolerate the additional load, a person with cardiovascular problems
could experience difficulties. Such a person may or may not know
of his condition; the ice-cold shower would take its toll in either
case.
The need to shower after heavy exercise cannot, of course, be
minimized. A noted educator once stated that a social gap exists
between those who bathe daily and those who do not. The gap would
widen if the shower were not a post exercise priority. But the
shower water should have a moderate temperature—about 70 degrees.
At that temperature, the shower tones the skin while also cleaning.
Some experts recommend a warm shower followed by a cool one. The
warm shower opens the skin pores; the cool one closed them. Medical
authorities agree generally thatthe practice has merit for persons
in good health. |
