The Center for Disease control states the importance of warming up your body and cooling it down after vigorous workouts.

“Warming up is important for preventing injury as well as gaining maximal benefit from the exercise, because loose, warm muscles will respond better to the challenge of lifting weights,” the CDC website states. “To get your muscles warm and loose for strength training, walk for five to 10 minutes outside if weather permits, or inside around the house or on a treadmill if you have one. Walking will help direct needed blood flow to your muscles and prepare your body for exercise.”

Cooling down is equally important. Much of winding down from a workout comes in the form of stretching. The CDC has examples of quadriceps stretches, hamstring/calf stretches, chest and arm stretches and neck stretches on it’s website http://www.cdc.gov under the exercising section.