Warming Up

Warm Up How- Tos
Warming up should gradually increase blood vessel dilation, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, oxygen consumption , and elasticity of active muscles and joints.An effective warm-up session has two components general and activity specific.That's a fancy way of saying you need to move, and you need to stretch.

The general warm up should be five to 10 minutes of movement. Some experts recommend slower movements of the aerobic activity you'll be doing.For example, you might try some slow swimming to start off your session in the pool, or some slow cycling with low resistance before you up the pace and intensity.Others recommend walking as a way to warm up for nearly any exercise. Another option is slow-tempo calisthenics.It all depends on your preference and abilities.

The activity-specific part of the warm up should focus mostly on the muscles to be used in the aerobic activity.For example, if you're going for a run , you should stretch your calves , Achilles tendons, and quadriceps after walking but before you take off .Aside from stretching , you also can incorporate lower -intensity movements that are part of the aerobic activity,such as gently rotating the arm at the shoulder for a swimmer or volleyball player, for example.
Cool Your Jets 

Some people think the cool down is a waste of time  walking out to the car after a tough game of racquetball should be plenty of cooling down!Others treat post-exercise time as a sort of happy hour, plopping down on the grass after touch football with a cold beer.The truth is that the cool down is as important as the warm up, and stretching is more important in the cool down because warm muscles respond better to stretching .Allowing the body to gradually slow down helps the muscles get rid of waste products such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid more efficiently than slamming on the exercise brakes.
The duration of the cool down should be in proportion to the duration and intensity of the aerobic activity in general, another five to 10 minute for a 30 to 40 minute aerobic session.The activities for a cool down , like those for a warm-up session, really are limitless.Walk, cycle slowly with no resistance, swim with a slower rate of arm stroke, even marching in place at a gradually reduced speed and intensity will help your body recover from the hard work it's done.