The purpose of the cool-down is the reverse of the warm-up. It is important to cool down to redirect your blood flow back to normal. This process will bring your body temparature back down also. Not cooling down properly can lead to dizziness, nausea, and fainting. Here are some good cool-down stretches you can do after a good workout.
Cool-Down Stretches
Ball Upper-Back Stretch
Primary Muscle Group: Upper Back
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise:
Preparation: Stand tall with your feet under your hips. Your arms and ball should be extended at chest level.
Breathing: Exhale as you curl forward, inhale as you rise back to standing position.
Execution: Bring your naval in towards your spine and curl forward, keeping your arms by your ears. Inhale and rise back to start. Repeat the curl and rise for about 1 minute.
Comments: This is a great tension reliever in that space between your shoulder blades.
Lat Extension Stretch
Primary Muscle Group: Mid Back - Lats
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Mid Back - Lats
Preparation: Get into a kneeling in position with your arms extended out in front of you and together at the hands. You should be just slightly bent at the hip joint with back and head straight.
Breathing: Breath normally through the entire stretching movement.
Side Lying Quad Stretch
Primary Muscle Group: Quadriceps
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise: Quadriceps
Preparation: Lie on your side with your elbow bent and supporting your head.
Breathing: Breath normally through the entire stretching movement.
Execution: Begin exercise movement by grabbing your top leg that is not on the floor. Grab your foot and pull back bending your knee joint to stretch the front quadriceps muscle. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on opposite leg.
Ball Hamstring Stretch
Primary Muscle Group: Back of thigh
Muscle Groups Worked in This Exercise:
Preparation: Sit on the ball with your legs spread in a wide "V" with your toes pointing up.
Breathing: Exhale as you bend forward, inhale as you return to start.
Execution: Bend forward from your hips and slide your hands down your legs until your fingers touch the floor. Keep your back long and flat. Hold for 20-30 seconds and breathe normally. Keeping your back long and flat, shift your upper body and bend your abdomen over your left thigh and hold for 20-30 seconds and breathe normally. Exhale and walk your hands over to the right and hold your abdomen over your right thigh for 20-30 seconds, breathing normally. Return to center position and inhale as you rise.
Comments: This is a great back of the thigh stretch on the ball!