Cool Down
Stretching is not a legitimate means of cooling down. It is only part of the process. After you have completed your workout, the best way to reduce muscle fatigue and soreness (caused by the production of lactic acid from your maximal or near-maximal muscle exertion) is to perform a light cool-down. The cool-down is similar to the second half of your warm-up (but in the reverse order). The cool-down consists of the following phases.
- sport-specific activity
- dynamic stretching
- static stretching
Ideally, you should start your cool-down with about 10-20 minutes of sport-specific activity (perhaps only a little more intense than in your warm-up). However, you may not always have 10-20 minutes to spare at the end of your workout. You should, however, attempt to perform at least 5 minutes of sport-specific activity in this case. The sport-specific activity should immediately be followed by stretching. First perform some light dynamic stretches until your heart rate slows down to its normal rate, then perform some static stretching. Sport-specific activity, followed by stretching, can reduce cramping, tightening, and soreness in fatigued muscles and will make you feel better.
According to The Health for Life Training Advisor,
"light warm-down exercise immediately following maximal
exertion is a better way of clearing lactic acid from
the blood than complete rest." Furthermore, if you are
still sore the next day, a light warm-up or warm-down is
a good way to reduce lingering muscle tightness and
soreness even when not performed immediately after a
workout.
The following information has been taken from Brad Appleton's Stretching and Flexibility: Everything you never wanted to know. Copyright © 1993-1998 by Bradford D. Appleton. Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document at no charge or at a charge that covers reproducing the cost of the copies, provided that the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies. (Some text formatting has been altered on this document to provide emphases where deemed necessary. Links to additional information have also been added.)