Warm – Up / Cool DownLearning ObjectiveTo understand the physiological and

psychological benefits of a warm-up & cool down.

Effective warm-up should include:

General warm-up (pulse raiser)

Stretching

Specific warm up (practice of skills involved)

Psychological preparation (focusing, anxiety control)

Benefits of warm-up:Physiological Benefits:Better oxygen delivery to muscle tissuesImproved muscle blood flowIncreased speed of nerve conductionReduction in likelihood of muscular injuryIncreased heart rate.Psychological BenefitsControl anxiety.Focus mind.Practice skills involved.

StretchingMust occur after the general warm-up.Must be specific to the activity. Stretching improves flexibility,

increases relaxation of muscles and improves muscles ability to withstand the forces involved in exercise.

Stretching can be either static (no movement) or dynamic (with movement). There are 4 types of stretching you need to know about:

Active stretching – holding a stretched position by contraction of your own agonist muscles.

Increases active flexibility and strengthens agonist muscles. Difficult to hold for over 10s.

Passive stretching – a stretch position being held by something other than the agonist muscles.

Good for cooling down and reducing post-exercise muscle soreness.

Static stretching – stretch to the limit and then isometrically contract stretched muscles.

Much more effective than the previous two for strength and flexibility.

E.g. partner holds leg high while you try to push down or ‘push the wall’ calf stretch.

Ballistic stretching – using movement to ‘bounce’ in and out of a stretched position. Can cause injury.

Considered dangerous. Doesn’t allow muscles to adjust to stretched position. Can cause muscles to tighten due to ‘stretch reflex.’

Benefits of a Cool-DownAids removal of waste products (lactic

acid).Reduce potential for delayed onset of

muscle soreness (DOMS).Reduce chances of dizziness or fainting

caused by pooling of blood at extremities.Reduce level of adrenaline in blood.Allow HR to gradually return to normal rate.

Should include 5-10mins walk/jog and 5-10mins static stretching.