The Importance of Warming Up and Cooling Down

Dear Awesome Humans,

Yoga is predominantly a low impact workout. But it can be quite a vigorous one depending on your routines. Just because yoga isn’t a high impact sport, it doesn’t mean that you don’t need to warm up and cool down. Warming up and cooling down properly during yoga is important to protect your body from injuries.

It takes approximately 20 minutes of warm up exercises for your body to get ready for those serious poses. The ones that require to juggle between strength, balance, and flexibility. Jumping straight into the deep end not only can end up with you getting hurt, but also will not give you enough time to fully maximise what your body and muscles can actually do.

A good warm up will not only help you avoid injury – it can also help you increase your flexibility.

The good news is that you don’t have to look for a whole new warm up routine that’s separate from yoga. Simple poses and a gentle start that eventually kicks up your heart rate is a good way of working warming up into your routine, making sure your body is ready for those complicated poses that have you locking and stretching, and holding your body up.

You can try this 15 Minute Yoga Warm Up | Pre-Workout Stretch & Flow by Jessica Richburg 

We recently launched our new collection with additional pieces that can support your activities in the 'in between' stages of your workout. Because our bodies are great at adapting, but it doesn’t really enjoy abrupt change.

Keeping your body physically warm with this ethically produced Wonderland Leg Warmer can also help, but you still need to properly warm up before you work out!

A cooling down session after your workout is a gentle reintroduction of your ‘normal’ pace. Much like warming up, you don’t have to fit in a whole new cooling down routine. Take 10 – 15 minutes to slow down your workout with gentle movements to lower your heart rate back to your normal rhythm or your resting level.

Holding our bodies in set positions also dictates our blood flow, so cooling down is also helpful for those who find that they get a little lightheaded after a session. It’s also great for those who are planning on switching over to a different workout.

Try this 10 MIN STRETCH & COOL DOWN ROUTINE || Feel Good Flow by Nicole McPherson

Throwing on the light and breathable naturally dyed Seabreeze Outerwear can also help you slowly regulate your body heat back to your resting pace as you cool down. Keeping you comfortable as you go about your activities.

Have you been doing your warm ups and cool downs properly?