Danny O’Dell’s

Explosivelyfit Training News

Strength and power knowledge

01-March-2008

ISSN: 1550-2643: Library Of Congress, Washington D.C.,

Welcome to this edition, I hope you enjoy the contents.

If you like the information here then please pass this onto your friends or refer them here so they can sign up too.

Topic discussed: Cool down examples

Relaxation comes after exercising. This phase of the session is included in the cool down period. It is at this time the static stretches are now performed to take advantage of the tension and low viscosity of the muscle fibers to regain their normal length.

While still in the weight room finish up your main exercise session with ten to twenty ‘light weight’ repetitions doing the same exercise you just did for your last set. Afterwards, move outdoors and go for a short walk if the weather permits.

While walking move your arms and shoulders around as you shake out your body. Moving your arms in wide circles each direction for ten to twenty times really tends to loosen them up, especially after a heavy upper body session. Added to the circular movements are the straight-arm motions from front to rear over the top of your head as well as the horizontal straight arms side to side criss-crossing each other in front.

While doing the shoulder circles take in large breaths of air. This helps replenish the oxygen in your blood stream and makes it that much more effective in positively influencing the oxygen deficit back into in your muscles.

As can be expected, different activities require different approaches to the cool down. Each sport has its own unique cool down characteristics and requirements. For example, a jogger who is exercising below 50% of their VO2 maximum rarely builds up excessive lactate in their bloodstream. Therefore, their recovery involves a “resynthesis of high energy phosphates; replenishment of oxygen, body fluids, and muscle myolobin; and a small energy cost to sustain elevated circulation and ventilation”. (1)

A passive cool down/recovery from this type of exercise may better serve the trainee than one involving active exercise. This is because an active type of exercise would only tend to keep the metabolism elevated thereby simply delaying the cool down/recovery process. However, this is not the case with strength training.

An active cool down is the quickest and safest way for the strength athlete to regain homeostasis. One method frequently used is continuing with the last exercise but with much lower weights and higher repetitions. Another well-proven manner is to get on a stationary bicycle and pedal up into the 29-45% VO2 max for a few minutes. This effectively and rapidly removes the circulating blood lactate thus aiding in a faster cool down/recovery for the trainee. Walking is still one of the best cool down/recovery tools available to the athlete, especially one who has just completed a session consisting of weight lifting exercises.

The walk, with vigorous arm swings, using the heterolateral (normal) gait, helps to reorganize the neurological system. At the same time, it is also restoring the balance (2) of the cerebral hemisphere activity and relieving the stress of the session. These intervention activities all help the athlete to cool down and recover for the next time around.

After the active cool down phase is completed it’s time to move onto the stretching portion. These are mild static and PNF stretches targeted toward each of the major muscle groups used during the strength training period. There are numerous stretching books available two of my favorites are

It will be to your advantage to refuel your muscles with a carbohydrate and protein drink while doing the stretches. The liquids enter the body faster and start replenishing quicker than an energy bar.

(1)McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., Katch, V. L., Exercise Physiology. Published by Williams and Wilkins

(2) A condition of creativity; Kura, Thomas

That’s all for this time. I hope your training is going well and wish you happiness in your life.

Stay strong, and remain passionately committed to your hearts chosen path.

By Danny M. O’Dell, MA. CSCS*D

I hope you have enjoyed this issue of the Explosivelyfit Training News. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding these articles, or any other aspect of the web site, please feel free to contact me at Danny@explosivelyfit.com

You may use these articles at your website, or in your newsletter. The only requirement is inclusion of the following sentence: Article by Danny M. O’Dell of Explosivelyfit.com - the definitive source for strength training information. Please send an electronic copy of the article to Danny@explosivelyfit.com