niix fit cooling down | Soak&Sleep

Cooling down post workout is a good way to avoid feeling tight. They can be done directly after working out or later in the day. It is thought, that stretching can be effective at any stage post workout. Ideally you should always finish off a workout with a short cool down, no matter how long the session was. Here are some ideas for performing your cool down. Stretches need to be held for 40secs or more to be effective.

  • Walk / jog on the spot for 2 – 3 minutes. Focus on deep breathing and lowering your heart rate. Once you have got your breath back, perform these cool down stretches:

Warrior Quad Stretch:

Kneeling on the floor bring one leg forward, whilst allowing the back leg to lengthening down the front of the quad and hip flexor. Hold for 40 seconds. Swap legs.

Standing Glute Stretch:

In a squat position bring your foot across to rest on the opposite knee. Engage your core and stand tall. Hold on each leg for 40s.

Standing Hamstring Stretch:

Prop your foot up onto a stable surface.  Extend your leg to a lengthened position and reach your arms forward towards your calves, ankles or toes. Breathe deeply and hold on each leg for 40seconds. Aim to keep your hips square and abdominals connected.

Arm Cross Shoulder Stretch:

Standing in neutral spine & pelvis with your feet hip width apart, cross your left arm across your body at chest height and use your right forearm to gently pull it inwards to feel more of a stretch across your shoulder and back. Hold for 40 seconds each arm. 

stretching
cooling-down

Overhead Triceps Stretch:

Standing in neutral spine & pelvis with your feet hip width apart, lift hand overhead, keeping your biceps close to your ear. Bend your arm at the elbow and allow your hand to fall behind your head, or to touch your back at the space between your shoulder blades, if flexibility allows. Use your other hand to gently push your elevated elbow behind you for a deeper stretch. Hold for 40 seconds each arm. 

When practising any stretches or exercises, it is important to listen to your body.  If something doesn’t feel right, it usually isn’t. 

If you want to more ways to exercise & sleep better, then head over to niix.fit's Instagram, or their website.  For anything else head over to our website - Soak&Sleep.