Cooling down after an exercise session is as important as warming up before the workout.

Your warm up helps get your body and mind prepared for the forthcoming physical exertion while the cooling down brings the body and brain activity back to normality.

During the workout, the heart and breathing increase and the body produces lactic acid as the muscles increase their normal work load while the blood flow is concentrating on the working muscles. Correctly carried out a cooling down routine, immediately after a strenuous workout, will allow the body to flush out excess lactic acid build up in the muscles together with other natural toxins and waste products that have become abnormally present as a result of exercise.

As the blood circulation and heart rate return to normality those parts of the body, organs, muscles, tendons and ligaments, not directly involved in the exercise routines will get the oxygen and nutrients that they may have been starved of during the workout and which they require for growth and repair.

It is more beneficial to the body if this return to normality is gradual via the cooling down routine than a transition from high activity to body rest without a pause.

Not only does a correctly executed cooling down routine help the gradual removal of waste products arising from the workout but will also reduce the risk of painful muscle strain and soreness occurring, most frequently the following day after the workout.

It is important to understand the effect that can happen to the body if after a strenuous exercise work out you do not carry out a cooling down routine. Lactic acid, a chemical produced due to muscle fatigue, remains in the muscles along with other waste and can become a cause of acute pain.

Blood vessels that have expanded during the workout have filled and caused swelling known as “blood pooling” as the heart rapidly slows down. Dizziness, even passing out can happen if a gradual cooling down is ignored.

The most vulnerable to these symptoms are those who work out the hardest, to or near the limits of their endurance and are at their peak of physical fitness. This is because their heart rates are already slow and their veins have a bigger capacity to pool blood particularly in the legs.

There is a counter argument to cooling down in the case of the majority of those who regularly carry out a modest level of physical training. In most instances it is unlikely that when the workout is finished there will be a period of total inactivity.

Walking to the changing room or your car, having a shower, just standing around chatting will give the benefit of cooling down. Just a point of view but taking the trouble to cool down after any exercise workout is a case of “better safe than sorry” and for most of us just five minutes will do the trick.

Carrying out a warm up before any physical activity above the norm is important as it triggers the heart to gradually pump increased oxygen rich blood to the muscles.

In this way your body becomes safely prepared for the strenuous demands that your exercise routines should put upon it.

The effect is to warm up the muscles so that they are better able to cope with the impact, shocks, stretches and possible injuries that may occur during your workout.

On another level a good warm up will bring to your attention any minor injury or illness that you may have previously experienced and ignored as likely to be inconsequential during your workout. While warming up these problems should become more apparent and any longer term injury or sickness can be avoided before it is too late.

A Proper Warm Up will :

• Send increased oxygen and nutrients to muscles.

• Muscles become more relaxed and prepared for stretching due to the increase in blood flow through the tissues.

• The heart is gradually prepared for the increase in its work rate which will happen when you start your physical workout. This will slow down the onset of breathlessness and allow you to get more benefits from a longer exercise routine.

• Any increase in blood pressure will be slowed down.

• Can sharpen up your reaction times and coordination.

• Helps focus you mentally and physically in preparation for your workout.

The average weight of an adult human head is around ten and a half pounds (4.5 – 5 kg) when measured from the third vertebrae. This heavy weight is supported by the neck muscles constantly working hard during waking hours.

As a result many of us suffer from painful and strained muscles in the neck area, known as the cervical spine, caused by a variety of reasons.

These may involve tendonitis where the tendons have become torn, muscle and ligament problems, nerves or cartilage injuries.

As the neck contains a large number of muscles to allow the head a great deal of movement at the expense of stability so it is not surprising that neck pain, strains and sprains occur and and reoccur with some frequency amongst the vulnerable.

Amongst the more common initial causes are whiplash where the head is flung backward or forward or sharply twisted. A heavy impact on top of the head can cause the neck to compress and also damage the muscles. In such cases ongoing problems will often reoccur despite initially successful treatment alleviating the neck pain.

Other major causes are bad posture when either awake or asleep, sitting at a computer with a badly adjusted monitor or for simply too long without a break, and any job or workplace requiring lengthy repetitive or lengthy neck stretching. Even stress can be a factor in the onset of an aching neck.

If you suffer from any neck pain or strain it is recommended that you see your medical advisor before carrying out any exercises that may relieve the pain just in case there is a serious underlying problem that may be seriously aggravated by such unsupervised activity.

The chances are that you will be given some pain relievers and the all clear to carry out exercises that can give relief from aches and pain and prevent further neck strains.

Here are some yoga poses that can reduce and alleviate the discomfort of neck pain, strains and sprains.

There is an old saying in bodybuilding circles: the legs are the foundation for the body. One of the worst mistakes people that hit the gym make is that they will build up the muscles in the upper torso and avoid performing effective leg exercises.

This is not a good idea because weak leg muscles will not support a muscular upper body. In fact, you may suffer knee problems due to such a lack of symmetry. And speaking of a lack of symmetry, having a well developed torso and underdeveloped legs does not exactly present a proper aesthetic look.

Description of Muscles in the Legs

The leg is comprised of a greater number of muscles that you initially assume. Of course, the calf muscles and the quadriceps are the most obvious muscles. There are muscles in the hips, the feet, and even in the knee region. All of these muscles perform the basic functions a bipedal creature needs to perform. The stronger and more enhanced the muscles of the leg are, the greater they will be able to perform effectively.

• Quadriceps - front of thigh
• Illiopsoas – connect the lower spine and hip to the top of the thigh.
• Adductors - inside of the thigh which help move the leg towards the middle of the body.
• Hamstrings – rear of the thigh
• Gastrocnemius and Soleus – rear of the lower leg
• Tibialis Anterior – Lying mainly on the front of the lower leg

Benefits of Targeted Leg Exercises

The benefits of targeted leg exercises are varied. Yet, they all yield the same results.

• Improve the strength and endurance of the legs which in turn, yields a ripple effect of various improvements in the body as a whole and not just the legs.
• Stronger leg muscles are not prone to becoming tired. Such enhanced endurance aids those that need to walk great distances or stand for extended periods of time.
• The potential to suffer injuries will be reduced. No, this does not mean you will be invulnerable from injuries in any way. Rather, the strength of the leg muscles can withstand more impact which limits injury potential. Stronger muscles in the knee, for example, may prevent ACL or MCL tears under certain circumstances.
• Working out the legs can actually increase the body’s growth hormone potential. That means you will experience muscle growth throughout the body when you work the legs regularly.

Leg Exercises

Barbell Squats – This involves performing squats with a barbell with heavy (or light or moderate) weight on it. This exercise can grow the quad muscles tremendously.

Bodyweight Squats – These squats are performed at very high repetitions and they will enhance endurance significantly.

Leg Extensions – These are isolations exercises that help define the quads and can also aid in rehabbing injuries.

Calf Raises – Frequently overlooked, these exercises enhance strength allowing the calves to support the body.

Butterfly Hip Abductor Flyes – This machine exercise does not exactly enhance your look but it will greatly reduce the potential for painful groin injuries.

Lunges – Performed either with or without a barbell and either in place or walking, these exercises strengthen all the muscles in the leg. That is why they are frequently employed in athletic training regiments.

When we think of strengthening exercises, we often assume this refers only to the development of the compound muscles in the body. This is not always an accurate assessment. You can strengthen other components of the body.

For example, you can employ a variety of exercises for the express purpose of enhancing the strength of the muscles in the feet. And this would certainly be a wise move.

The feet have the unenviable task of supporting your body weight. By increasing the strength levels in the muscles in the feet, you will be able to move without discomfort or limitations.

How is this so? The answer can be found in a description in the physiology of the feet.

Description of Muscles in Foot

The foot is primarily comprised of muscles, tendons, blood vessels, and bones. In terms of the muscles, there are 20 specific muscles.

These muscles include

• The anterior tibial
• The posterior tibial
• The peroneal tibial
• The flexors
• The etensors

These muscle all tie together to perform the basic function of the feet. In short, the muscles not only support the ability for the toes to move, the stabilization of the toes and ankle to the ground, the ability to move the foot upwards, arch support and movement of the foot but essentially allow the foot to do what it is intended to do when you wish to use your feet!

And, of course, if you do not work to strengthen the muscles, you will not get the most benefit out of your feet.

Benefit of Feet Exercises

It would be difficult to list all the benefits since there are so many but probably the most obvious benefit would be a reduction in the fatigue of the muscles when you use them.

In other words, if you need to stand all day or walk a great deal, you can do so without becoming too tired or sore.

Cramps and foot pain will dissipate as the strength of the foot is enhanced and increased. You could even gain greater range of motion with the foot which will also reduce injuries.

If you were to sum up the main benefits of performing feet exercises, it would be they can improve the quality of your life. This is why regularly performing these exercises is a huge plus.

The effects of exercise on the muscles can be rather multifaceted. Most people assume that when you exercise the muscles, you will solely develop significant mass. This is certainly a potential outcome if you wish to follow a path that would promote mass building. Also enhancing the size of one’s muscle mass is most definitely a valuable help to the human body.

But, why does the body’s muscle mass grow when you lift weights?

Basically, the process of lifting weights stresses the muscles and makes them really struggle to finish the exercise. Since the muscles would prefer not to deal with such stress in the future, the muscles will grow larger.

Again, while mass building is the desired approach many seek when working out in the gym, others would prefer not to amass mass. They would prefer a leaner and more defined physique intended to deliver a different aesthetic appearance.

Would such an outcome rely on a completely different exercise strategy than a mass building one?

Actually, it would rely on a slight modification to the traditional mass building program.

Rather than lift moderately heavy weights for marginally low reps, the process would entail lifting low weights for very high reps.

This engages the muscles while not overworking them to the point significant mass development is initiated. Also, the enhancement of calorie burning will be enacted through such a workout program.

Of course, when mass building and definition are combined you achieve a total bodybuilding workout. For many, this is a desired workout program. However, there are other benefits and approaches with working out the muscles….

Strength Training:

This entails lifting an enormously high amount of weight for very low reps. This will immediately increase and enhance physical strength levels that can reduce strain on the body when it performs tasks. This, in turn, reduces the potential for suffering injuries.

Endurance Training:

Also known as muscular endurance training and it entails exercising the muscles so they do not tire easily. While many people assume that this is exclusively needed for athletic performance, this is not the case at all. Improving muscular endurance will enhance the quality of your life since the body is performing at peak performance in all it does.

Of course, there are other great benefits that can be derived from exercising the muscles. There is a significant increase in metabolism when the muscles are enhanced. This is because lean muscle will require a great many calories to maintain size and shape. As a result, the metabolism will become a calorie burning furnace as a result.

Additionally, the human body will become much more oxygenated due to the development of the muscles. This is due to the enhanced lung capacity that weight lifting and exercise promote. A similar effect will take place on the heart. Specifically, the heart will be able to hold a greater amount of blood while also being able to pump the blood more efficiently and effectively.

The bottom line here is that exercising the muscles will yield a great many helpful improvements on the body. That is why it is a process that is perfect for those wishing to improve their overall health and fitness.

The year 20011 is almost at an end. If you are one of many, you will want to start 20012 with some good solid new year resolutions and that includes exercise.  Resolutions that we will keep if we want to be fit and healthy and feel good.

• We ARE going to get fit and healthy

• We ARE going to lose weight

• We ARE going to feel better

• We ARE going to eat more nutritious  food

Take a look at these Body Exercise Programs that will help to give you the body you want.

Super Lean Thighs

Flat Tummy

Upper Arms

Butt Exercises