Every time a person goes in for any kind of physical activity, they are required to do two things. These two things will help a person get more out of their activities, workouts, or whatever the case may be. They must do a warm-up beforehand and a cool-down afterwards. 

You may be asking, what is a warm-up and what does it consist of? A warm-up consists of stretching and preparation for physical exertion or a performance. A warm-up is always done before any physical activity such as playing sports and working out. All athletes conduct warm-ups before any big games or working out. The main purpose of conducting a warm-up before any physical activity is to gradually prepare your cardiovascular system for your activity by raising your body temperature and increasing blood flow to your muscles. It also helps reduce soreness to the body and lessens the risk of injury so you don’t pull any muscles. 

Now that you know what a warm-up is and how it’s supposed to be done before the workout. What are you supposed to do after the workout? That is called a cool-down. A cool-down is to allow the body to gradually transition to a resting or near-resting state. A cool-down helps bring your heart rate and breathing back to a normal state after an intense workout. A cool-down can also help reduce your chances of getting muscle cramps and stiffness from your workout. When you do a cool-down while the muscles are still warm from your physical activity, it helps prevent lactic acid buildup. Lactic acid buildup is muscle ache, nausea, stomach pain, rapid breathing, and burning due to there not being enough oxygen in the muscles to break down.

There are so many different types of warm-ups and cool-downs that you can do. According to researchers, the most effective warm-ups consist of low-intensity exercises done for approximately 10 minutes. This includes activities such as walking, jogging, or jumping jacks. A cool-down is supposed to range from two to five minutes to get the full effect. Below, you will find different examples of the most effective warm-ups and cool-downs. 

This warm-up is known as marching in place while swinging your arms. In the image, it shows a diagram with each different motion as you do the warm-up. It can also be identified as a cool-down.

1. Stand straight with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle with your feet apart
2. Bring the right elbow forward at the same time as you bring your left knee up and keep alternating sides
3. Keep repeating until you complete the warm-up https://www.skimble.com/exercises/68384-walk-or-marching-in-place-how-to-do-exercise

This exercise is known as squats. This can also be used as both a warm-up and cool-down. In the image, it shows a diagram which represents what motions to do in order to complete this exercise effectively.

1. Stand straight with legs apart
2. Lower down while keeping a straight back as if you are sitting on an invisible chair
3. Straighten your legs to stand straight again
4. Keep repeating until you complete exercise

https://strengthgang.com/bodyweight-squats/

Along with these examples and diagrams of different warm-ups and cool-downs you can do, below is a list of many different kinds of warm-ups and cool-downs. There are so many with no limitations. 

1. Jumping Jacks – Warm-up
2. Walking Jacks – Warm-up
3. Child’s Pose – Cool-Down
4. Mountain Climbers – Warm-up
5. Swinging Toe Touches – Warm-up
6. Leg Swings (Forward) – Warm-up
7. Seated Forward Bend – Cool-Down
8. Leg Swings (Side to Side) – Warm-up
9. Shoulder Shrugs – Warm-up
10. Knee To Chest Pose – Cool-Down
11. Walk Briskly (5 to 10 minutes) – Cool-Down
12. Upper Body Stretch – Cool-Down