Cool-down exercises: 10-minute routine

Why do you need to cool down after exercise?

If you've just completed a workout, it may be tempting to sit down as soon as you finish.

However, when you exercise, your heart rate and blood pressure can climb higher than normal. So, if you stop suddenly, they may drop too quickly, leaving you feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

Adding a cool-down to the end of your workout keeps blood flowing around your body. This helps to bring your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate down gradually.

If you have a cardiovascular disease, such as angina, heart failure or an abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), and have no limits to your exercise, you should try to cool down for at least 10 minutes after exercising.

Doing a cool-down routine will also help your body flush out a waste product called lactic acid that can build up in the muscles during exercise causing stiffness.

• A cardiac nurse explains what your heart rate should be during exercise.

How intense should a cool-down routine be?

You should start your cool-down routine at the same intensity you were working at during your exercise workout.

This will probably be a moderate intensity, where you are a little out of breath but still able to comfortably talk.

By the end of your cool-down routine, you should be at a light intensity, which means you’ll feel slightly warmer than normal, but still able to easily hold a conversation.

Exercise specialists use the BORG rate of perceived exertion scale from 6 to 20 to work out how intensely you should be exercising. You may have used if you’ve been through cardiac rehabilitation.

According to the BORG scale:

• moderate-intensity exercise is around a 11 to 14
• light-intensity exercise is 7 to 10.

What does this cool-down routine involve?

This cool-down routine contains 5 rounds and lasts around 10 minutes.

For the first round, you’ll be performing full body exercises with both upper and lower body movements.

After that, each round will be slightly less intense. We’ll also add some stretches in round 4 to increase flexibility.

Try not to stop moving between rounds or while you’re stretching. Gently march on the spot to stop your heart rate from dropping in between exercises.

You can do each exercise either standing up or sitting down. You can also hold onto a stable surface like a wall or sturdy chair for balance if you need to.

I’ll be demonstrating each exercise standing up, while Stefano, who has been through cardiac rehab, will show you how to do them sitting down.

Stop immediately and contact your doctor if you feel unwell, very short of breath, chest pain, dizziness or heart palpitations.

Round 1 exercises

For the first round, try these 4 exercises with upper and lower body movements.

1. Heel digs with punches

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your side.
2. Bring 1 foot forward, keeping it straight at the knee, and tap the heel into the floor in front of you.
3. As you bring your foot forward, move both hands in fists straight in front of you to perform 2 punches.
4. Bring the leg back and move your fists back to your sides while keeping your arms bent.
5. Repeat the entire movement on the other leg.
6. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

2. Tap backs with bicep curls

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your sides.
2. Move 1 leg back and tap your toes on the floor behind you or underneath you if you’re seated.
3. As you move your leg back, bend both elbows to move your hand up towards your shoulder and perform a bicep curl.
4. Move your leg back in line with your other leg and lower your arms back down to your sides.
5. Repeat the entire movement with the other leg.
6. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

3. Side steps with arm raises

1. Sit or stand with your feet together.
2. Step your right foot out to the side while raising both arms out to the side.
3. Then bring your left foot next to it so your feet are back together while lowering your arms back down to your sides.
4. Tap your left foot out to the left side while raising your arms.
5. Bring your right foot next to your left and lower your arms.
6. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

Round 2 exercises

In this round, you’ll perform the upper body movement with 1 arm at a time.

1. Heel digs with alternating punches

1. Tap your right heel into the floor as you punch your left arm forward, then bring your leg and arm back.
2. Tap your left heel in front while punching your right arm forward, then bring your leg and arm back.
3. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

2. Tap backs with alternating bicep curls

1. Move your right leg back and tap your toes just behind you as you perform a bicep curl with your left arm.
2. Move your leg back in line with the other and lower your arm.
3. Repeat with your left leg and right arm.
4. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

3. Side taps with arm raises

1. Sit or stand with your feet together.
2. Move your right leg out to the right, raise both arms out to the sides.
3. Move your leg and arms back to the start.
4. Repeat on the other leg.
5. Repeat 16 to 20 times on both sides.

Round 3 exercises – cool-down stretches

Keep lightly marching on the spot as you stretch to keep your heart rate and blood pressure raised.

1. Chest stretch

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands on your lower back and squeeze your elbows towards each other.
3. Or interlace your fingers behind your back and pull the arms straight behind you.
4. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.

2. Cross body stretch

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold your right arm straight out in front of you, then use your left hand to pull it across your chest to the left side.
3. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat on the other side.

3. Hamstring stretch

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Place the heel of 1 foot forwards, keeping the knee straight.
3. Send the hips and bottom backwards and move your upper body forwards slightly, keeping your back straight.
4. Rest your hands on your bent leg and hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
5. Repeat on the other side.

4. Side bends

1. Sit or stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by your side.
2. Bend to 1 side, sliding your arm down your leg toward your knee, so your shoulder moves down towards the side of your knee.
3. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Round 4 exercises

For your final round, perform these lower body movements at a slow, steady pace. Keep your arms still, either by your side or on your hips.

1. Heel digs

1. Tap 1 heel into the floor in front of you.
2. Bring the leg back and then repeat on the opposite leg.
3. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

2. Tap backs

1. Tap your toes on the floor just behind or underneath you.
2. Move your leg back in line with your other leg.
3. Tap the toes of your other leg behind you.
4. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

3. Side steps

1. Step your right foot out to the side, then bring the left foot next to it so your feet are back together.
2. Tap your left foot out to the left, then bring your right foot next to your left.
3. Repeat 8 to 16 times on both sides.

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