Warm-Up and Cool Down Routine

 

I'm a firm believer in stretching, warming up, and cooling down, but I also understand what it's like to feel rushed at the gym! So in order to avoid injury, cut your workout just 3 minutes shorter to cool down at the end. Trust me, I've learned the hard way that you'll feel amazing and see results if you push your body to it's max...but if you don't stretch, you WILL hurt yourself, and then you'll fall behind in all the progress you've made. That being said, here are some quick and energizing warm-up and cool down routines.

Basic Warm-Up Principles

Your warm-up should be at least 3-5 minutes, unless you are working out for a very brief period of time or doing a dynamic warm-up (see below), in which case you can shorten your warm-up time to 2 minutes.

Jump on any cardio machine for this energizing warm-up:

Min 1: Go slow, no resistance or incline

Min 2: Kick up the pace and press the resistance/incline buttons up a couple times

Min 3: Keep pressing those buttons up, slowly, but now increase your pace

Min 4: Keep your hands off the buttons and push yourself for the entire minute

Min 5: Slowly decrease your pace until you are at your starting pace. Feel free to stretch out any tight spots you have, but keep your stretching quick! You've got a workout to get to!

A dynamic warm-up is one in which you are really engaging the specific muscles you will be using later on in your workout. Usually, you would use little to no weight in this kind of warm-up. A good total-body dynamic warm-up is quite simple:

• 3 sets of 10 each, with no rest in between: body-weight squats, push-ups (on knees if needed) 
• Go slow during this warm-up and really focus on the muscles you're using 
• After, hold a full-body stretch for 15-30 seconds: stand with unlocked legs about 3 feet apart, bend from the waist and touch the ground if you can. Clasp your hands together and push them away from you. Keep your back as flat as possible and relax your neck. Feel the stretch all along the back of your body. 
• Slowly push yourself back up and put both hands on the small of your back. Lean back and feel the stretch in the entire front of your body. Again, relax your neck but look up towards the ceiling and back slightly. 
• Slowly stand up straight and shake everything out. Now get moving!

Cool Down

If you've really pushed yourself during your workout, feel free to just simply walk on the treadmill for 3-5 minutes and think back about how awesome you were today. Your pace should be at least 3.0 to help your heart rate safely come down. Use that time to stretch out any tight spots in your upper body while you walk. When you're done, lift your leg up so that your ankle is resting on the handlebars and lean into your upper thigh, feeling the stretch down the back of your leg. Repeat legs. Stretch your quads and calves. Clean your machine, and leave the gym feeling pumped and ready for your day!