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Should I Cool Down After a Workout? Ask a PT

In last week’s email we talked about pre-workout nutrition for the very early risers. I concluded (based partly on my own experience and mostly on the scientific consensus) that you can train on an empty stomach. Provided you consume enough protein daily. This week, we’re answering “Should I cool down after a workout?”.

Should I Cool Down After a Workout?

Question: Do I need to cool down after my workout?

Answer: You’ve seen it before, you finish an exercise class or group workout, and the instructor (or PE teacher) gets you to have a cooldown before you get to go home. Usually, this is a light jog followed by static stretching. But are cooldowns necessary?

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I’m not convinced that they are, and the science appears to back this up.

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Here’s the thing: back when I was a PT, I often had a 5-minute cooldown at the end of each session. It was a pleasant way to end the workout; it helped my clients relax, and I used the time to talk about our next session or just gossip with them.

We didn’t bother with a jog, but we did some active stretching, and by and large, my clients loved it. But I NEVER bothered with cooldowns for my own workouts. When I was done, I went home. And you know what? I never injured myself, my post-exercise soreness was the same as anyone’s, and I was just as supple/flexible the next day.

After I stopped working as a PT, I looked back at this and wondered whether those cooldowns I gave my clients were worth it. My conclusion was that they were a nice end to the session, and my clients enjoyed them, but I could easily have skipped them.

There is some debate about this in the sports science community. But most studies have found little to no evidence that cooling down can prevent injury, or improve recovery. Or have any real effect on performance.

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Final Thoughts

The answer, at the moment, appears to be:

If you feel that cooldowns help you feel better after a workout, then go for it. If you don’t see any differences, then feel free to skip them. Remember, avoiding injury is more about performing exercises correctly and improving your flexibility and mobility. Stretching before or after a workout does not reduce injury risk [1].

But stretching as a separate exercise can help to improve balance and flexibility. So if you like stretching, go for it.