After completing a tough workout, sometimes we don’t have the motivation to do much else. Stretching or foam rolling? Eh, I’ll just do it later. Which usually means never. I also know that after exercise, my mind is pulling me toward the next thing on my to-do list. I already put in the work that matters, I’ll be thinking as I pack up my gear.
But as tempting as they are to skip, don’t ditch your cool down exercises—especially if you want your body to remain limber and injury-free.
“Cool downs after any activity are important,” says Matthew Greenfield, P.T., D.P.T., a physical therapist from Excel Physical Therapy. “Let’s say you are a runner and you build your heart rate up and you’re there for a while. If you just stop all the sudden, it’s a bit of a shock to the body. And if you’re doing a lot of strength training, [your muscles] are going to get tighter naturally. You need to do something in order to make sure that they don’t stay as fatigued.”
By doing just 5-10 minutes of stretching or gentle mobility exercises after a sweat sesh, you are allowing your body to ease back into its natural resting state. This will help you recover for the next day so you can jump into a new workout without being as sore—or at least be able to go about your activities feeling less achy.
All that being said, your cool down isn’t the time to act like Simone Biles on the splits. “You’re not trying to get more flexible here,” says Greenfield. “You’re trying to get back to your baseline.”
When you cool down, be gentle and focus on exercises that are appropriate for the workout you just did. For example, if you just ran two miles, work on your legs. If you did an upper body circuit, stretch your chest and shoulders. To help you decide which stretches will be best for you, we’ve listed some of our favorite moves and the body parts they address. So catch your breath, calm your heart, and give your muscles time to relax. Your body deserves it.
Time: 5-10 minutes (30-60 seconds per exercise)
1
Cat Cow
Good for: spine, neck, hips, abs, and back
How to do it: Start on all-fours with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Inhale to enter “cow”: Look toward the sky as you arch your back. Hold for a moment or two. Exhale as you enter “cat”: Round your back as you push your hands into the ground. As you push, naturally let your shoulder blades move away from each other and release your head toward the floor. Hold for a moment or two then return to cat. Perform as many cat cows as desired and move at your own pace.
2
Seated Twist
Good for: spine, lower back
How to do it: Sit with your legs straight in front of you. Cross your right leg over your left, and as you do so, bend that right knee so the right foot can remain flat on the ground. Sit up tall and anchor your right hand behind you. Inhale and lift your left arm. Exhale and bring the arm over your right thigh. Hold for your desired time and continue to breathe. Deepen the stretch as you feel yourself begin to sink into it. Then switch sides.
3
Lower Back Rotational Stretch
Good for: lower back
How to do it: Lie on your back and face the ceiling. Bring your knees up and start with your feet flat on the floor. Then as you keep your shoulders glued the ground, rotate your knees as far to the right as you can without your shoulders lifting up. Hold for a few moments then switch. Move at your own speed and do as many repetitions as you like (just make sure you give both sides the same amount of love).
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4
Behind-the-Back Forearm Grip Stretch
Good for: chest (pecs), shoulders
How to do it: Sit or stand in a comfortable position. Press your shoulders down and away from the ears and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Reach your arms behind you and grab each of your forearms (or elbows if you have that mobility) and pull down. Hold for your desired time.
5
Up Dog
Good for: chest, shoulders, abs
How to do it: There are few ways to enter this stretch. For starters, you can begin in a down dog position to get an extra hamstring stretch: Start on all fours then hike your butt up and back as your heels come down toward the floor, head through your arms. Inhale. As you exhale, drop your hips toward the floor (but don’t let them come all the way down) and look to the sky. Let the tops of your feet rest on the floor. Hold. You can also enter this pose from a lying position: Start on your stomach with your elbows bent and your hands by your waist. Press up as your bring your torso off the floor. Let the legs lift up a bit as well and hold.
6
Plank to Scorpion Reach
Good for: shoulders, spine, hips
How to do it: Get into a straight-arm plank position. Inhale and draw your right knee as far to your left wrist as you can. Next, exhale and drive that right leg up and back behind you, as you drop your head through your arms. Do as many slow and controlled reps as you desire, then repeat this on the left leg.
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7
Child’s Pose
Good for: back, chest, shoulders
How to do it: From a tabletop position, place the tops of your feet to the floor. Inhale, then exhale as you sink your butt to your heels and lay your torso on your thighs. Lengthen your arms in front of you. Hold and breathe.
8
Sumo Squat Stretch
Good for: groin and inner thigh muscles
How to do it: Stand with your feet wider than hip-distance apart. Sink into a squat and bring your elbows inside your thighs, right above the knees. Press the knees apart and hold.
9
Wrist Rolls
Good for: wrist muscles
How to do it: Clasp your hands together in front of your chest. In a circular motion, roll your left hand over your right, then your right hand over your left. Continue rolling in this direction for as long as you desire, then switch directions.
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10
Overhead Shoulder Stretch
Good for: triceps, shoulders, back
How to do it: From a standing position, inhale, then reach both arms overhead. Bend the left arm behind you and grab it with your right hand. Exhale as you pull that elbow down. Make sure to relax the shoulders away from the ears. Hold, breathe, then switch sides.
11
Standing Figure Four
Good for: hips, glutes, hamstrings
How to do it: Stand up tall. Shift your weight to your right leg, and keep a slight bend in the right knee. Then pick up your left foot and place it over the right knee. Slightly lean your torso forward and sit into the position until you feel a stretch. Hold and breathe. Then repeat on the other side. If you need some extra balance support for this one, do this in front of an elevated surface, like a chair or table. This can also be done on the floor (see here).
12
Lunge Stretch
Good for: hips, ankles, calves
How to do it: From a standing position, step your left leg forward and your right leg back. Bend the left knee until its right over your left ankle. Keep the back leg straight. Drop your hips toward the ground until you feel a stretch. Hold. Switch sides.
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13
Standing Forward Bend
Good for: hamstrings, calves
How to do it: Stand tall and inhale. As you exhale slowly bend over and reach for your toes. If your hamstrings feel particularly tight, bend slightly bend your knees. Hold for your desired time.
14
Standing Quad Stretch
Good for: hips, quads
How to do it: As you stand, shift your weight to your left leg. Lift your right heel to your bum and grab the top of the right foot with your right hand. Bring your left arm up towards the sky and stare at a fixed point in front of you for balance. Squeeze your right glute muscles to accentuate the stretch and hold. Switch and repeat on the other side.
15
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