5 Best Cool-Down Exercises Post a Heavy Workout Session

Cool-down exercises are just as important as warm-up exercises in a workout routine. During a heavy workout, your heart rate increases to match the need for more energy in the muscles. As your muscles twitch and turn, their energy demand is met by more oxygen carried by the blood vessels. When you end your workout, your muscles do not need a high amount of energy, and your heart needs to pump at the normal resting state. Your muscles should rest, too, from the heavy strain.

This transition should not be sudden. You should do certain stretches to bring your body back to the resting state, that is, with a slower heart rate and relaxed muscles.

In fact, heart health is the primary reason why you should focus on the cool down exercises after a workout session.

5 Cool-Down Exercises You Can Do

Here are some exercises that you can do for cool-down following a workout.

1. Standing Quad Stretch

The legs are a part of a large number of muscle groups in the body. Whether standing or holding dumbbells, you put pressure on the leg muscles.

A standing quad stretch is perfect for you to allow those muscles to relax, which can significantly help in avoiding cramps.

You need to stand straight and bend one leg from the knee, and bring the heel towards your posterior.

For a better stretch, hold the ankle and pull the foot closer to you. Hold the position for a second or two before releasing it.

2. Child’s Pose

Another great pick for a cool-down exercise after a heavy workout session is the child’s pose. This stretch helps with relaxing the lower back muscles and the hip muscles. Additionally, it works on the ankles as well.

You need to sit on your knees and lean forward from the hips. Your posterior must be resting on your heels. Next, you should touch your forehead to the floor and stretch your arms forward with palms facing towards.

As a variation, you can keep your arms beside your legs with your palms facing upwards.

3. Bent-Knee Cross-Body Stretch

The bent-knee cross-body stretch requires you to lie on the floor, take your right leg over your left leg and extend it outwards. Next, stretch your hands outwards for balance keeping the shoulder blades on the floor. The stretch should be on the lower back muscles and the hips.

4. Core Abdominal Stretch

Several compound and isolation exercises require you to have an engaged core for balance and stability. Therefore, your core muscles need to be stretched and relaxed after the end of a heavy workout session.

Hence, a core abdominal stretch is one of the cool-down exercises that you can use to release tension in the abdominal muscles.

You need to lie on your stomach on the floor. Keep your palms beside your chest or slightly forward and only push your upper body upwards. Your lower body should be on the floor, and you should be able to feel the stretch on your abdominal muscles.

5. Pectoral Wall Stretch

This is an important stretch for the pectoral muscles. You need to put your palm on the wall and move forward so your arm is extended backwards.

Keep your arm parallel to the wall at all times. You’ll reach a point where you’ll feel a stretch in the pectoral muscles and shoulders as well. Hold this for at least 2 to 3 seconds before repeating on the other pec.

Ideally, you should stretch each side 4 to 5 times.

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Bottom Line

You can do the 5 exercises given above on days of your heavy workout session to achieve a good cool-down effect.