Cooling down

The last, but still compulsory part of each single workout intended to reduce load level gradually and normalize basic functions in the athlete's body is called

cooling down. Its specific objectives are:

- to reduce body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure back to resting levels;

- to remove acid metabolites and other waste products from the muscles to the circulatory system for further clearance;

- to facilitate recovery of the endocrine system first, by reducing adrenaline and noradrenaline levels in order to prevent restlessness and sleep disorders at night;

- to reduce emotional tension and positively affect athletes' mental recovery. Generally speaking, cooling down is both an influencing factor and a relevant

condition for effective restoration of the athlete. Despite its obvious importance there have been many cases in which this indispensable part of the workout has been

ignored, even by successful high-performance athletes. Usually a lack of time is cited as the reason for such mistaken behavior. The previously mentioned study of

professional soccer players (Figure 5.2) has shown the role of rational warming-up and cooling down in the protection of athletes' health. As further support, the following study outcomes can be cited.

Case study. Forty-eight adult soccer players were subdivided into three groups,

which were tested with respect to range of motion (ROM) in lower extremities before, immediately after, and 24 h after different type of workout. The regular soccer workout caused significant decrease of all ROM indices. A similar workout that included a stretching series in warm-up induced more favorable responses immediately after the session. The third version, where the stretching series was inserted in the cool down, provided significant benefits of ROM immediately after workout and 24 h later. The authors stressed that tight muscles with reduced ROM predisposed athletes to higher risk of injuries (Moller et al., 1985).

In general, the cooling down repertory can be subdivided into three large groups: (1) low intensive exercises, usually slow locomotions like jogging, walking, swimming etc.; (2) breathing and relaxation exercises; (3) and stretching exercises. The particularities of these activities are summarized in Table 5.11.

Table 5.11

Modes and expected effects of various cooling down activities Mode of

activity

Expected effects Comments

Low intensity exercises

Reduction of body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure; removal of blood lactate and other acid metabolites; decline of adrenaline and noradrenaline level; normalization of blood volume and electrolytic balance

This activity is particularly desired after highly

intensive exercises, matches in ball games, fights in combat sports and exhausting long races Breathing

and relaxation exercises

Gradual decline of pulmonary ventilation, reduction of excitation of the central nervous system, recovery facilitation of previously active muscle groups, decline of emotional tension

Combined breathe-relax exercises can accompany jogging or skipping; muscle shaking can be performed in pairs Stretching

exercises Reduction of training induced stiffness and tightness of muscles, lengthening of previously shortened muscles, increase of muscle and connective tissue elasticity, enhancement of flexibility

These exercises are particularly desirable after plyometric activities, which often elicit delayed onset muscle soreness

The common pattern of cooling down usually starts with slow locomotion that leads to elimination of waste products from the muscles. It has long been known that such activity facilitates recovery and causes faster lactate removal from the athlete's muscles (Bonen & Belcastro, 1976). It is known that highly intensive and prolonged exhausting exercises cause a decrease in circulating blood volume due to water accumulation in intra- and extra-cellular compartments of the muscles (Sejersted et al., 1986). Recovery of the water-electrolyte balance may persist for a long period that

in extreme cases (marathon running, for instance) can reach two days and more (Viru, 1995). A rational cooling down procedure can profoundly accelerate this process. Restoration of the endocrine system is a more prolonged process and takes varying periods of time according to each hormone. Exhausting workouts cause pronounced secretion of catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline), which decline rapidly in the restoration period (Hagberg et al., 1979; Jezova et al.,1985). Nevertheless, in extreme cases like marathon or triathlon races increased catecholamine levels can remain for 24 hours and even more (Viru,1995). The increased post-exercise level of catecholamines can cause a number of negative effects like restlessness, sleep disorders etc. A rational cooling down can prevent or at least diminish these unfavorable responses in athletes.

Breathing and relaxation exercises can be performed independently of other activities or they can be combined with slow locomotions like jogging, walking or swimming. The independent option can be realized in drills such as breathing deeply with subsequent relaxation of upper body muscles combined with accentuated

expiration. Active arm and leg relaxation can be performed while sitting or lying with the help of a partner who shakes the relaxed extremity at varied frequencies and amplitudes. The combined option can be realized by jogging combined while breathing deeply and shaking arms or legs.

Stretching exercises have frequently been indicated as the primary and most important component of cooling down. Special emphasis has been placed on their role in eliminating post-exercise muscle stiffness and tightness, enhancing muscle and connective tissue elasticity (Shrier & Gossal, 2000). It is commonly believed that stretching can prevent delayed onset muscle soreness that is especially common following exercises with strong eccentric muscle contractions (so called plyometric exercises). This suggestion is supported by several studies (Hartfield, 1985) and contradicted by others (High et al., 1989). In any case the role of stretching exercises in preventing muscle injuries is generally considered to be very important. The stretching protocol is varied and sport-specific. Nevertheless, prominent coaches in different sports recommend performing static stretching and so called hold-relax exercises (passive muscle lengthening with subsequent relaxation) first. These can be followed by dynamic ballistic stretching exercises.

The total duration of cooling down depends on the character and amount of the preceding workload. For instance, blood lactate removal after a 4-min exhausting time trial requires about 20 min of restoration (Juel at al., 1990). This time span approximately corresponds to the cooling down duration. However this period can be insufficient when the workout consists of a number of highly intensive anaerobic series. Usually cooling down lasts about 10-20 minutes; obviously, this duration is not enough after sessions with extreme workloads.