Warmup Cooldown Before undertaking any form of exercise

Warm-up & Cool-down Before undertaking any form of exercise or training it is important to complete a warm-up (before) and a cool-down (after). For each of these concepts you need to know: • The different characteristics • The benefits Applying the principles of Training (Unit 2. 2)

Warm-Up: Key Components A warm-up is performed before an exercise/training session. It consists of five key components: 1. Pulse-raising: exercises that slowly increase heart rate and gradually increase body temperature (e. g. jogging, or gentle running). 2. Mobility: exercises that take the joints through their full range of movement (e. g. arms swings, high knees). 3. Stretching: there are 3 types of stretching: - Static: stretches where the body stays still whilst stretching. - Dynamic: stretches that include ballistic movements (e. g. walking lunges). - Developmental: stretches that gradually increase in difficulty (e. g. slowly trying to bend down and touch your toes). 4. Dynamic Movement: movements that show a change of speed and/or direction (e. g. shuttle runs). 5. Skill Rehearsal: this involves practising common movements or skills that will be used in the activity (e. g. football dribbling drills, basketball lay-up lines). Applying the principles of Training (Unit 2. 2)

Warm-Up: Physical Benefits A warm-up is performed for a number of different reasons. The main was are: • It releases adrenaline, a chemical that helps to start the process of speeding up the delivery of oxygen to the working muscles. • It increases muscles temperature, which helps to make the muscles more flexible which in turn helps to prevent injury. • It gradually raises body temperature and heart rate, which increases blood flow and allows more oxygen to travel to the working muscles. • It increases the pliability of ligaments and tendons, allowing greater movement at the joints and in the muscles. • It increases the speed of muscle contractions. Applying the principles of Training (Unit 2. 2)

Cool-Down: Key Components The cool-down is performed after an exercise or training session has been completed. It also consists of two key components so should be easier to remember: 1. Low-intensity exercises: also known as a pulse-lowerer, these are exercises that gradually lower the heart rate and help to reduce body temperature (e. g. light running, jogging or walking). 2. Stretching: during a cool-down you would likely only perform static stretches (e. g. stretches standing still) but would hold each one for longer than during the warm-up. Applying the principles of Training (Unit 2. 2)

Cool-Down: Physical Benefits A cool-down is performed for a number of different reasons. The main ones are: • It helps to gradually lower the body’s temperature and heart rate, which makes sure the body transitions back to its resting state. • It helps to slowly continue blood flow around the body which means more oxygen is then flushed through the muscle tissue therefore increasing the removal rate of waste products such as lactic acid. • The continued blood flow also stops blood from pooling in the veins which can cause dizziness. • The removal of lactic acid also helps to reduce the risk of muscles soreness (known as Delayed Onset of Muscles Soreness or DOMs). • It helps to gradually reduce respiration rate (breathing) back to normal levels. • It helps to reduce the risk of joint damage and also aids recovery of any damaged muscle tissue (through stretches) which means muscles should be ready for the next session/workout. Applying the principles of Training (Unit 2. 2)