# No Cool Down after Workout **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 15, 2012, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896 "2012-02-15T03:41:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![redtail23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3e96dc/32.png) [@redtail23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/redtail23)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896/21 "2012-02-15T23:39:34Z")
I can say that I didn’t used to bother to cool down and didn’t have any problems. This last time I started exercising again (I’m not very good about it), I’ve been walking on a treadmill. Not particularly strenuous, not for tremendously long stretches (30-40 mins), and I’d do a minute or so of slower walking at the end to finish. Kept being dizzy and lightheaded when I got off the treadmill. Asked my doc, he said to do a real 5 minute cool down to let my blood pressure drop more slowly. Seems to have helped. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896/22 "2012-02-16T02:30:23Z")
I also don’t “cool down.” I tend to do very short warm ups as well. I’d rather spend most of my exercise time more productively. Here’s [Mayo’s](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise/SM00067/NSECTIONGROUP=2) take on it: > [@](#): > > There’s some controversy about whether warming up and cooling down offer health benefits. But proper warm-ups and cool-downs pose little risk, so if you have the time, consider adding them to your workout schedule … Cooling down may be most important to the best athletes, such as well-conditioned marathoners. For them, cooling down is important because it helps regulate blood flow. For others, cooling down may simply become an enjoyable ritual as part of an overall exercise program. Me? I’m not so much a “best athlete.” Maybe if I got dizzy like **redtail23** did I would; it makes sense that cool down would help prevent that. There is at least [some decent research](http://www.mendeley.com/research/warmup-reduces-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-but-cooldown-does-not-a-randomised-controlled-trial/) that warm ups reduce injury and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) while not so much so for cool downs: > [@](#): > > CONCLUSION: Warm-up performed immediately prior to unaccustomed eccentric exercise produces small reductions in delayed-onset muscle soreness but cool-down performed after exercise does not. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896/23 "2012-02-16T03:31:55Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > What do you mean by “work hard all day”? Deliver 300-400 cases of beer and 40-60 kegs. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896/24 "2012-02-16T04:10:12Z")
I found [one theoretical concern](http://www.springerlink.com/content/lv0yuwr0lfy0gamf/) anyway: the active cool down period is supposed to help prevent venous pooling and some think that preventing such may reduce the risk of having “an occlusive event.” Theoretically. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 9:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896/25 "2012-02-16T09:42:35Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > There is at least [some decent research](http://www.mendeley.com/research/warmup-reduces-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness-but-cooldown-does-not-a-randomised-controlled-trial/) that warm ups reduce injury and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) while not so much so for cool downs: The present consensus is that one should not stretch before warming up. When I began running, we runners would all stretch for 10-15 minutes before the run. Then the scientific establishment stated that not only that did not prevent injury, but can actually injure cold muscles, ligaments, tendons. The present advice is to stretch after a short warm up. So, yes, warm up first, but stretch only after the warm up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-cool-down-after-workout/612896.md?page=1)