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by
Amby Burfoot
The art and science of getting
ready for--and recovering from--a hard workout or race
Warming up and cooling down are two of the oldest and most
traditional running practices. It's easy to understand the logic behind
both. The warmup literally warms up the body, preparing it for anything from
a casual jog to the Olympic final.
To train or race without warming up would be like rolling out of bed in the
morning and hitting the ground running (literally). You'd be so stiff and
tight that you wouldn't enjoy the experience or perform well.
A well-orchestrated warmup, on the other hand, loosens your legs and the
rest of your body. When you're finished, you'll actually feel a rising
energy. You'll want to run. Just as important, you'll be ready to perform
with maximum efficiency.
The cooldown may take place after a workout or race, but its purpose is to
prepare you for the upcoming hours or days before your next workout. The
goal for that time period is to help your body recover and regenerate for
your next run. A cooldown assists in this process. Skip the cooldown, and
you risk tightness or injury that could interfere with future workouts.
Most of your warmup, which should last from 5 to 60 minutes, should take the
form of light jogging, massaging, and stretching, which should be very
gentle. (The best time to stretch thoroughly is during your cooldown.) If
you're warming up for a typical relaxed five-mile run, you don't have to do
anything but start slowly. You can also start with a minute or two of
walking before breaking into a run.
Another great routine is to stop after five minutes of running to do a
little self-massage and stretching. This go-stop-go pattern can be annoying
to some, though.
Before a race or a speed workout, you should take the time for a more
thorough warmup that includes periods of relaxation mixed with more intense
running, with the two building toward the race's start. Your prerace warmup
should include a number of strides at race pace to accustom your body to the
race effort. Follow the strides with easy jogging until the race begins.
Research shows that it's best, at this point, to keep moving. Don't sit or
lie down. Even when you're on a crowded start line, keep jogging lightly in
place.
The cooldown is the best time for more thorough stretching. Your body is
fully loose and ready to be put through a routine of unforced stretching
that can keep joints and muscles healthy and supple. This is also a great
time for some vigorous self-massage to work out the kinks.
5 Principles of Warming Up and
Cooling Down
- The warmup prepares your body for a workout or race. The
cooldown prepares it for the recovery period that follows a
run. Different roles, both important.
- The key to a successful warmup is a gradual increase in
the intensity of movement. Begin by walking, then jog, then
run a little harder, then do some sprints. There's always a
sense of building toward the moment of release--the start.
- Even when you're on the start line, keep jogging lightly
in place. Studies show that this will keep you fully tuned up
for the start.
- The key to a successful cooldown is simply to do it. Too
many runners, in a rush to return to their many
responsibilities, skip the cooldown. At the very least, reward
yourself with several minutes of soothing self-massage and
stretching.
- Stretching is far better performed during the cooldown
than during the warmup. Your body is more prepared for the
stretches after a race or workout, so you can do them more
effectively and with less risk of injury.
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