“My muscles didn’t like getting out of bed this morning!”
Does this sound familiar?
This was a quote from a walker after our Christmas Nordic Walk. She rushed off before the stretching session.
The cool down is as important as the warm up!
We all know that the warm up prepares our muscles for the exercise we are about to enjoy. However the cool down is just as vital to help muscles to recover quicker.
When you do any exercise, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and this can lead to muscle soreness (also known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)).
The cool down after Nordic walking helps return your body to its resting state. It increases blood flow to your muscles and joints, which can help prevent soreness and allow your joints to move through their full range of motion. After your Nordic walk, you should always perform static stretches to reap these benefits.
What I would like to hear after every Nordic walk is “I wasn’t aching at all it shows how worthwhile taking the few minutes to stretch/cool down is!”