Gym-goers need cooldown activities to recover and rest after a workout. Ten great gym cooling exercises:
1. Walking or Light Jogging
To slowly drop your heart rate and cool down your muscles, walk or lightly jog on a treadmill for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Static Stretching
Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds as you do passive stretches for major muscle groups. Pay attention to your hips, chest, back, shoulders, hamstrings, and quads.
3. Dynamic Stretching
To improve your range of motion and flexibility and to get more blood flowing, do dynamic stretches like leg swings, arm circles, trunk twists, and hip circles.
4. Foam Rolling
You can rub and relax your muscles with a foam roller. Spend extra time rolling over knots or trigger points and slowly going over areas that feel tight or hurt.
5. Deep Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing exercises, like diaphragmatic breathing or belly breathing, can help you relax, lower your stress, and speed up your healing.
6. Yoga or Pilates Poses
Gentle yoga or Pilates poses like child's pose, cat-cow stretch, spine twist, and pigeon pose can help you relax and stretch your muscles while also making you more flexible and improving your posture.
7. Light Resistance Band Exercises
Some light workouts that work your upper and lower body that you can do with a resistance band are bicep curls, shoulder raises, leg extensions, and glute bridges.
8. Cooling Down with Cardio Machines
For a few minutes, use a low-impact exercise machine like an elliptical or a stationary bike to keep moving and slowly lower your heart rate.
9. Balance and Stability Exercises
To improve your proprioception and keep you from getting hurt, do balance and stability exercises like single-leg stands, heel-toe walks, or standing on a balance board.
10. Meditation or Mindfulness Practice
Do some mindfulness, meditation, or relaxation techniques for a few minutes at the end of your cooldown to clear your mind, lower your stress, and improve your general health.
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