If you’ve taken a group It’s tempting, of course, but it’s not recommended and you could miss out on some vital benefits. Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t skip the last 5 minutes of class.
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Importance of a recovery period
Just like warming up helps your body prepare for a workout, cooling down will help it recover. A recovery period is your body’s opportunity to gradually recover from a very high heart rate. For example, let’s say you get to the end of a thirty-minute run on the treadmill. Instead of just jumping in and getting in the shower, you should take five minutes to walk slowly on the treadmill before turning it off. This will allow your blood vessels to return to their pre-exercise state. Think of your entire workout as a bell curve. Start with a low-intensity warm-up, then your high-intensity exercises, followed by another low-intensity period. It simply helps condition your body and can go a long way in maximizing your workout. It is important to remember that cooling and warming up are not intended to prevent injury or pain. More research is still needed on this effectiveness.
So there you go. Cooling down simply helps your body naturally return to its resting state and bring its blood pressure and heart rate back to normal more gradually. This is particularly useful for endurance competitions as this process can help regulate blood circulation.
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