Traditional Cool Downs
•Slow jogging and walking for teo to five minutes causes a gradual decrease in the heart rate, and blood pressure.

•Slow, static stretching of the muscles should be used after the training session. Hold stretches 30 seconds or more during the cool-down to improve flexibility. These movements are slow and controlled to avoid injury.

•Repeat the stretches done in the warm-up to help ease muscle tension and any immediate feeling of muscle soreness.

•Be careful not to overstretch. The muscles are warm from activity and can possibly be overstretched to the point of injury.

•Use partner-assisted or PNF techniques.

Example: Traditional Warm UP
1.Neck Rotation
2.Arm Rotation
3.Internal Rotator Stretch
4.Triceps Stretch
5.Standing Toe Touch
6.Static Toe Touch
7.Sitting Butterfly/ Groin Stretch
8.Hip-Flexor Stretch Standing or Seated
9.Quad Stretch
10.Calf Stretch
11.Anterior Tibialis Flex (shin)

Exercises to Avoid

•Ballistic stretching which uses momentum or bouncing to force a muscle group past a point to normal use. This is dangerous because of risk of injury
•Yoga plow
•Inverted cycling
•Full neck circles
•Seated hamstring stretch with opposite leg tucked underneath and behind
•Duck walk/ deep lunges
•Any motion where the knee is extended past the toes causing risk of knee damage
•Quad stretch laying on back with both knees tucked underneath

Traditional Warm-Ups
•Slow jogging and walking for two to three minutes causes a gradual increase in the heart rate, blood pressure, circulation, and increases the temperature of the active muscles.

•Slow joint rotation exercises to gradually increase the joint’s range of motion. Each major joint should be worked for 5 to 10 seconds.

•Slow, static stretching of the muscles should be used before the upcoming activity. Hold each stretch position for 10 to 15 seconds. Do not bounce.

•Use callisthenic exercise to increase the intensity level before the physical training session.

•Slowly mimic the activities to be performed during the physical training session. Lift a lighter weight to warm-up before lifting heavier ones. This helps prepare the neuromuscular pathways.

Example: Traditional Warm UP
1.Jog 3-10 minutes
2.Neck rolls (10 sec.)
3.Shrugs (10 sec.)
4.Cross – chest arm swing (10 sec.)
5.Vertical arm raises (10 sec.)
6.Arm circles (10 sec.)
7.Hanging toe touch
8.Lunge position stretch (10 sec each leg)
9.Butterfly, groin stretch
10.Push-up position calf stretch
11.Jumping jacks
12.Push Ups

Dynamic Warm-up

This can be performed in the gym, or any outside area. Use the following exercises for ½ the distance or basketball court, then jog the rest of the distance. This is warm up most often used before your WOD.

Example: Dynamic Warm UP
1.High knees
2.Butt kicks
3.Bounding or Skipping
4.Carioca
5.Back pedal
6.Air Squats
7.Step slide
8.Walking Lunges
9.Tin Man/ Frankenstein march
10.Knee hug
11.Quad walk
12.Over the fence leg/ hip rotations
13.Inchworm/ Hamstring walk
14.Scorpion
15.Iron Cross