Many people skip warming up before an intense weight lifting session or cooling down after a lengthy run. Neglecting these 2 simple yet fundamental concepts will be very bad for you. Heart Rate : At rest, the normal beats per minute range of the heart is between 60 to 100 bpm (beats per minute). During Exercise the bpm of the heart range between 120 to 160 bpm.
Before Exercise (warm up):
Start with a 10 minute warm up such as light running or dynamic movements with your body. Nothing tough but this is just to raise your heart rate to prepare your body so that it can transition smoothly into exercise. It is a common misconception to stretch before a workout. If you are doing any weight based workout, it is not a good idea to stretch beforehand. Stretching relaxes the muscle and makes it loose, which is the complete opposite of what you want before weight training where the muscle must be tight and firm to avoid injury and ensure maximum performance.
After Exercise (cool down):
When you have completed your workout, ensure a time of between 10 to 15 minutes is dedicated to a period of cooling down. Exercise raises the heart rate and weight lifting does so even more. To prevent your blood pressure from suddenly dropping, a cool down gives the muscle some time to gradually relax and for the heart rate to come back to its normal beats per minute. An example of some cool down choices are : decreasing the weight or speed of motion of your workout for 10/15 minutes towards the end or stretching which helps blood flow return to normal after a workout and also decreases intensity.
Tip: If you are not sure about your heart rate during a workout, or don't know if you have cooled down properly, measure your pulse at your neck with your index and middle finger for 15 seconds and then times that by 4 to give your heart's bpm. Warm down until you reach the safe zone of 60-100 bpm.
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