Warm up before exercise

Doing a warm up prepares your body for activity and reduces the chance of injury. The warm up should last about five to 10 minutes - the longer the activity the longer the warm up. A warm up doesn’t have to be complicated or strenuous, something as simple as a gentle jog, light skipping or a brisk walk.

When warming up move in different directions - forwards, backwards and side to side to make sure that all your body is warm. When you body is feeling warmer then do some dynamic stretching.

Follow the Kickstart dynamic stretching exercises on the Stretching page.

Cool down after exercise

A cool down after activity is just as important as the warm up, but many of us skip it. Spending around 10 minutes on a cool down helps the body to recover and helps prevent soreness the next day. The cool down should be similar to the warm up but think about slowing your movements down. For example you could start by gently jogging, then slow down to a brisk and then a gentle walk. Follow your cool down with some more stretching.

Follow the Kickstart static stretching exercises on the Stretching page.