Your heart rate and blood pressure will drop rapidly after completing a session if you stop too suddenly, causing feelings of dizziness or light-headedness. To prevent these feelings, we recommend walking or jogging slowly for 5 to 10 minutes after your training session to allow your body to return to its resting levels gradually.
Since your muscles will already be warm from your workout, now is a good time to do some static stretching to improve your range of motion and relieve built up tension in your muscles. Increased flexibility will reduce your risk of strains and tears throughout your training.
Important Areas to Stretch
Hamstrings
- Sit on the floor with one leg extended out in front of you and the other bent so that the sole of your foot touches the extended leg
- Whilst leaning your upper body forward, reach your arms out along the extended leg and aim to move your chest towards your thigh
- Once you feel a mild stretch, hold your position for 20-30 seconds
- Do this for each leg
- Make sure that you are not rounding your upper back during this stretch!
Quads
- Whilst standing, flex your foot and hold it there with your hand
- Keep your body straight
- You should feel this stretch through the front of your leg
- Hold your position for 20-30 seconds and repeat as many times as you feel is necessary
- Do the same thing for the other side
Calves
- Stand on a step and hold onto a railing for balance
- Bend one of your legs slightly and make sure your whole foot is on the step
- Place just the top of your other foot on the step and extend that leg
- Your ankle should be reaching towards the step below and you should feel a stretch in your calf
- Hold this position for 20-30 seconds and repeat as many times as you feel is necessary
- Repeat for the other side
Hips and Back
- Kneel on the ground
- Bring one leg forwards, placing your foot flat on the ground, aligning your ankle and knee
- Place your hands on this thigh and lean your hips forward until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of your thigh
- Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat as many times as you feel is necessary
- Switch sides