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You can do cooldown exercises at the end of your workout to ease yourself out of strenuous activity. Cooldown exercises and stretches lower your chance of injury, promote blood flow, and reduce stress to your heart and other muscles.
Plus, you’ll bring your heart rate, body temperature, and blood pressure levels back down to their normal levels before you continue carrying on with your usual activities.
Dedicate at least 10 minutes of your workout to cooling down. Read on to learn some of the best ways to do so. From here, you can choose the exercises that appeal to you the most and put them together to create your workout recovery and relaxation routine.
For everyone
Do these exercises at a slower speed and lower intensity than your normal workout. Breathe deeply while cooling down to deliver oxygen to your muscles, release tension, and promote relaxation.
1. Light jogging or walking
This is one of the most straightforward ways to cool down. Do 3 to 5 minutes of light jogging followed by 3 to 5 minutes of brisk or easy walking.
2. Upper body stretch
- From a standing or seated position, interlace your fingers and press your palms up toward the ceiling.
- Draw your hands up and back as far as you can while maintaining a straight spine.
- Then place your left arm in front of your right and turn your palms to face each other, stretching your hands up and back.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
3. Seated Forward Bend
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- Sit with your legs extended in front of you.
- Lift your arms.
- Hinge at your hips to fold forward.
- Place your hands on your legs or the floor.
- Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
4. Knee-to-Chest Pose
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- Lie on your back with your left leg bent or extended.
- Draw your right knee in toward your chest, interlacing your fingers around the front of your shin.
- Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Do each side 2 to 3 times.
5. Reclining Butterfly Pose
- Lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees out to the sides.
- Place your arms alongside your body or overhead.
- Hold this position for up to 5 minutes.
6. Child’s Pose
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- From tabletop position, sink back to sit on your heels, reaching your arms forward or alongside your body.
- Allow your chest to fall heavy into your thighs, breathing deeply.
- Rest your forehead on the floor.
- Hold this position for 1 to 3 minutes.
After running
7. Standing quadriceps stretch
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- From a standing position, bend your right knee to bring your heel toward your buttock.
- Hold your ankle with one or both hands.
- Keep your knees in alignment next to each other, and don’t pull your knee out to the side.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Do each side 2 to 3 times.
8. Downward-Facing Dog
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- From tabletop or plank position, move your hips up and back, keeping your spine straight.
- Spread your fingers and press your weight evenly between hands.
- Pedal out your legs by pressing one heel into the floor at a time.
- Hold this position for 1 minute.
9. Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
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- While seated, extend your right leg and press your left foot into your right thigh.
- Align your breastbone with the inside of your right leg as you raise your arms overhead.
- Hinge at your hips to fold forward, placing your hands on your body or the floor.
- Hold this position for up to 1 minute.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
For seniors
10. Standing Forward Bend
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- From a standing position, slowly hinge at your hips to bend forward.
- Lengthen your spine, and allow your head to fall heavy toward the floor, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
- Place your hands on the floor, hold opposite elbows in front of or behind your thighs, or interlace your hands behind your back.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds.
If your hands are unable to reach the floor, you can modify this stretch. Place hands on a block or sturdy object instead of the floor. You’ll still reap the same benefits.
11. Shoulder stretch
- From a standing or seated position, lift up your right elbow and place your hand near your neck or spine.
- Place your left hand on your right elbow to gently press your right hand further down your spine.
- To deepen the stretch, bring your left arm alongside your torso and reach your left hand up to clasp your right hand.
- Hold a towel or resistance band to allow you to reach further.
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
12. Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
- Sit with the right side of your body next to a wall.
- Swing your legs up along the wall as you lie down on your back.
- Place your hips against the wall or a few inches away.
- Place your arms alongside your body, on your stomach, or overhead.
- Hold this position for up to 5 minutes.
13. Corpse Pose
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- Lie on your back with your arms alongside your body, palms facing up, and your feet slightly wider than your hips, with your toes splayed out to the sides.
- Relax your body, and let go of any tightness or tension.
- Allow your body to fall heavily to the floor as you breathe deeply.
- Stay in this position for 5 minutes or longer.
For kids
14. Spinal twist
- Lie on your back with your left leg bent or extended.
- Draw your right knee in toward your chest.
- Extend your right arm over to the side and place your left hand to the outside of your right knee.
- Gently twist over to the left side.
- Hold the twist for 30 seconds.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
15. Marching arm circles
- March in place with your arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height.
- Circle your arms forward 8 to 10 times.
- Circle your arms backward 8 to 10 times.
16. Body shakes
- Gently shake your right arm, then your left arm, and then both arms at the same time.
- Then, shake your right leg, then your left leg.
- Next, shake your head, your hips, and your whole body.
- Shake each body part for 15 seconds.
Benefits of cooling down
Cooldown exercises start the recovery process, increase flexibility, and promote relaxation.
- A gradual cooldown keeps your blood circulating and prevents it from pooling in your veins, which can cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy.
- Cooling down allows your body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate to return to their normal levels.
- Stretching your muscles while they’re still warm can help to reduce lactic acid buildup, reducing your chance of muscle cramps and stiffness.
- In addition, stretches elongate the connective tissue around your joints, increase mobility, and improve range of motion.
All of these benefits work to improve your body’s overall function and flexibility, allowing you to feel better, perform at a higher level, and have less chance for injury.
When to see a pro
Consider seeking out a personal trainer if you want assistance with modifications or to take your workouts to the next level.
An exercise professional can help you to develop a specific cooldown routine based on your needs. They may adjust the type of workout you do according to any injuries, areas of concern, or goals you have in mind.
A professional can make sure you’re doing the exercises correctly and provide valuable feedback so that you’re staying safe while maximizing your workout potential.
The bottom line
Set yourself up for success by setting time aside to gradually cool down after you exercise. This gives your body a chance to recover, regulates your bodily systems, and helps to ease you back into the normal pace of your daily life.
Allow yourself enough energy to complete your cool down without pushing yourself beyond your limits. Go only to your edge and never bounce or force your way into any position.
On days when you’re not feeling especially active or energetic, you can swap out part of your workout and focus on more of these cooling, relaxing exercises to benefit your mind and body.
When we finish a workout, our first instinct is to get out of the gym as quickly as humanly possible. But as much as we want to head straight to the shower, we know we should be doing some cool-down exercises. Why? Well, we can think of a few good reasons. Cooling down can be just as important—if not more important—than the actual workout. According to the American Heart Association, “After physical activity, your heart is still beating faster than normal, your body temperature is higher and your blood vessels are dilated. This means if you stop too fast, you could pass out or feel sick.”
Beyond that, cooling down via stretching can reduce the buildup of lactic acid, which can help prevent cramping and stiffness. These exercises can also prevent—or at least minimize—delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, the pain and stiffness in the muscles you feel anywhere from 24 to 72 hours after exercise. “One of the biggest post-workout mistakes that I see people make is skipping a cool-down stretch or leaving before the end of a group fitness class,” says Jonathan Tylicki, certified personal trainer and director of education for AKT. “Stretching will help prevent soreness, relax the nervous system, promote mobility and flexibility and can even improve your next workout.”
Here are a bunch of cool-down exercises to try—along with a few other post-workout tips.
