Don’t Skip Your Warm-Up or Cool-Down Post Exercise!

Are you guilty of skimping on your warm-up or cool down routine? On the days you’re pressed for time, you may be very tempted to skip your warm up and cool down routine. But is that really a smart use of your time? While it’s true that your pre or post-exercise activities won’t burn hundreds of calories or get you the six-pack abs you’ve always wanted, they still play a very important role in your workout. Here’s why… When done correctly, warming up and cooling down before and after exercise may reduce risk of injury and increase your athletic performance. (This applies to seasoned pros, beginners, and everyone else in between!) According to Richard Stein, M.D., professor of cardiology in NYU’s Department of Medicine, “Warming up and cooling down are good for your exercise performance—you’ll do better, faster, stronger. Stretching