After stretching perform the movements
in all the joints of the body (Calisthenics).
Starting from lower part of the body
or from the upper part. These are free
movements in all the joints that increase
the tone of your muscles as well as free
the joints. As joints are very important
in any movement. The joints should
move in their full range of motion to get
maximum results.
As now you have prepared the muscles,
joints, ligaments the next step is to
increase the blood supply of the body
so that all the elements will be well
nourished. Jogging for 2 to 3 minutes
will increase the heart rate, so the heart
will pump more blood to the body. For
exercise the muscles should be properly
nourished with nutrients like glucose
which is provided by blood. Oxygen is
continuously required for the muscle
during exercise, so more the blood more
will be supply of oxygen to the muscle.
The last part of warm up includes weight
free exercises so to add more loads on to
the muscles, joints and ligaments using
your own body weight. Push ups for
the upper body and free squats for the
lower body are good free weight exercise
before the actual exercise. Push up will
include most of the joints and muscles
of the upper part of the body and free
squats of the lower body.
For resistance training, additionally light
weight exercises are to be performed for
the group of muscles, which are to be
exercised in the training session
Now your body is ready to take up
challenges as you are going to push
your body to the maximum during the
workout.
FITNESS
EXERCISES
Warming up is followed by exercise
proper. It may be a weight training
session or a cardio exercise. The exercise
proper should last from 20 minutes to
an hour depending on your age, gender,
medical ftness and general ftness
level. This can vary if you are a regular
exerciser.
During the workout all the parameters
of the body increase to very high level.
The pulse and the blood pressure is high.
The body temperature is high. You are
sweating as the body tries to control the
heat produced during exercise. Most of
the blood fowing through the body is
pumped into the muscles.
After the workout session the muscle
is tired. The proteins in the muscle
breakdown, glucose is converted into
lactic acid. The water and the electrolyte
levels in the body go down due to
sweating.
All these thing has to be restored and
bring back the body to its normal position.
So now you need is cooling down.
COOL DOWN
Cool down is equally important as
warming up. This part is often neglected.
This brings all the parameters of the
body back to normal. During exercise
all the body parameters as Pulse, Blood
pressure, Temperature increase many
folds. Most of the blood is pulled inside
muscle for the exercise. So it is necessary
to bring all these parameters to normal.
First slow down your movements, but
never stop suddenly. That will slowly
bring down the heart rate and the pulse.
Also take deep breaths that will also slow
down your heart. If exercise is suddenly
stopped, blood is pooled down in muscle
that may lead to fainting. Proper cool
down enhances the blood return.
After slowing down, perform all the
stretches. Stretching will relax the
muscle and ligaments. It will also open
up the blood vessels in the muscle so
that the blood will return to the heart
as well as fresh blood can come in the
muscle. The returning blood will take
the waste products accumulated in
the muscle such as lactic acid and the
incoming blood will bring the nutrients
and oxygen for the recovery of the
muscle.
Concentrate more on your breathing.
Because during exercise we tend
to breath fast as the need of oxygen
increases. But hyperventilation may not
help that purpose. So after exercise slow
but deep breathing will help to take more
oxygen inside body.
Ultimately lie down on your back and
take deep breath for 2 to 3 minutes. This
will completely relax your muscles, joints,
ligaments. This will also slow down all
the parameters.
As you can see many
changes are taking
place in our body
during exercise. To
cope up with all these
changes Warm up
and Cool down are
as important as the
exercise proper. So
do not neglect this
important portion of
your exercise and you
will get the results
without harming your
body.
Sep/Oct 2011
46