8 Cooldown Exercises to Soothe Your Muscles After a Workout
Key takeaways:
Cooling down after exercise can ease muscle soreness, aid recovery, and help bring your heart rate back down.
Cooldown exercises should include lower-intensity cardio and static or passive stretches that target the muscles you used during your workout.
Examples of cooldown exercises include the overhead triceps stretch, seated forward bend, and knee-to-chest stretch.
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Cooling down after exercise might be the last thing you want to do. After all, it’s hard enough to find time to squeeze in a workout. But taking a few extra minutes to cool down is key to your postworkout recovery. Skipping it can lead to muscle stiffness and injuries that derail your fitness plans.
An effective cooldown routine should include 5 to 10 minutes of lower-intensity exercise and static stretches. Light cardio keeps your blood flowing as you slowly lower your exercise intensity. Static stretches should target the muscles you engaged during your training. For example, you’ll want to focus on your quads, hamstrings, and glutes after cycling. Focus on shoulder, arm, and back stretches after an upper-body strength-training workout.
Static stretches involve holding poses in a fixed position to lengthen your muscles. You’ll save dynamic stretches, which include active movements, for your warm-up routine. Experts suggest holding static stretches for about 15 to 30 seconds at a time. Stop if any cooldown exercises cause pain or discomfort.
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1. Cross-body shoulder stretch
The shoulders are the most mobile joints in the body, so it’s important to stretch them after upper-body workouts.
Step 1: Stand with your back straight, arms at your sides, and feet shoulder-width apart.
Step 2: Raise your right arm in front of you, bringing it parallel to the floor with your palm facing down.
Step 3: Use your left hand to hold your right arm above the elbow. Gently pull your right arm toward your left side to deepen the stretch.
Step 4: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Step 5: Release the stretch and then switch sides.
2. Overhead triceps stretch
As the name suggests, the overhead triceps stretch targets the triceps on the back of your upper arm. It’s a great addition to your cooldown routine after swimming, rowing, or lifting weights.
Step 1: Stand with your shoulders down and back, and your feet hip-width apart.
Step 2: Lift your arms above your head and bend your right arm, placing your palm in the middle of your upper back.
Step 3: Use your left hand to grasp your right elbow and gently apply pressure to deepen the stretch in your right tricep.
Step 4: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds before switching sides.
3. Butterfly stretch
The butterfly stretch mainly targets the groin and adductor muscles in your inner thighs. It also engages the lower back and can help open up tight hips.
Step 1: Sit on the floor with your back straight, knees bent, and feet flat.
Step 2: Allow your knees to fall out to the sides as you place the soles of your feet together in front of you. You can hold your feet together with your hands.
Step 3: Keep your back straight as you bend toward your feet, resting your elbows on your inner thighs.
Step 4: Press down gently with your elbows to deepen the stretch.
Step 5: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat 2 to 4 times.
4. Standing quadriceps stretch
With the standing quadriceps stretch, you activate the muscles that run along the front of the thigh. It can help relieve knee pain and muscle tension. And it’s a good cooldown exercise after running or doing lower-body strength training.
Step 1: Stand upright with proper posture. You can hold the back of a stable chair or counter for support.
Step 2: Bend your right knee to bring your heel toward your buttocks.
Step 3: Gently pull the top of your foot to bring your heel closer and deepen the stretch. Try to keep your knees aligned with one another.
Step 4: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then switch to the left side.
Step 5: Repeat 2 to 4 times on each side.
Warm up first. A proper warmup can prevent injuries and boost your performance. Try these warm-up exercises before your next workout.
Refuel after exercise. Proper nutrition after exercise can help your body recover and recharge. Here are some of the best foods for muscle recovery.
Practice active recovery. This training method involves doing lower-intensity exercises after vigorous workouts. Learn how to practice active recovery after your cooldown or on rest days.
5. Standing hamstring stretch
This stretch activates the hamstrings at the back of your thighs. The standing hamstring stretch can help you release tight muscles, boost flexibility, and ease knee pain.
Step 1: Stand behind an exercise step or yoga block with good posture.
Step 2: Lift your right leg and place your heel on the step with your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Keep your right knee straight.
Step 3: Extend your arms straight up and hinge from your hips to lean toward your right leg.
Step 4: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, feeling the stretch in your right hamstring.
Step 5: Switch to the left side.
Step 6: Repeat 2 to 4 times on each side.
6. Wall calf stretch
The wall calf stretch lengthens the muscles in the back of your legs, which can help relieve tight calves.
Step 1: Stand about arm’s length away from a wall with your feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides.
Step 2: Place your palms flat against the wall, shoulder-width apart, between chest and shoulder level.
Step 3: Step your right leg back, keeping both feet flat on the floor.
Step 4: Bend your left leg and lean forward as you press your weight into your hands.
Step 5: Press your right heel down, feeling the stretch in your right calf.
Step 6: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then switch sides.
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7. Seated single-leg forward bend
A regular yoga practice helps keep your muscles flexible. This beginner-friendly pose allows you to stretch your hamstrings, calves, and lower back from a seated position. It may be a better option for those with balance problems.
Step 1: Sit upright with your legs extended, heels on the floor, and toes pointing toward the ceiling.
Step 2: Bend your right leg, bringing your heel toward your groin and allowing your knee to fall to the side. You can rest your right foot on your left thigh. Keep your left leg straight and angle it slightly to the side as if forming one side of the letter V.
Step 3: Inhale as you lift your arms toward the ceiling.
Step 4: Exhale as you bend from the hips, leaning toward your left foot. Rest your hands on your left shin, ankle, or toes, depending on your flexibility.
Step 5: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and then switch sides.
8. Single knee-to-chest stretch
The single knee-to-chest stretch loosens the back, hip, and glute muscles. It can help with low back pain and spinal mobility.
Step 1: Lie flat on your back, keeping your legs straight and your heels on the floor.
Step 2: Bend your right knee, bringing it as close to your chest as you can. You can hold the back of your right thigh to gently pull your knee closer.
Step 3: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, keeping your left leg straight and your low back pressed into the floor.
Step 4: Switch sides.
Step 5: Repeat 2 to 4 times on each side.
Why is cooling down after exercise important?
Just like a warm-up prepares you for exercise, a cooldown helps you recover afterward. The benefits of a cooldown include the following:
Jumpstarts active recovery: Lowering your exercise intensity and doing static stretches helps you ease out of a workout. As you cool down, your blood pressure and heart and breathing rate slowly return to pre-exercise levels. This jumpstarts the recovery process and helps remove metabolic waste that builds up in your muscle cells during exercise. And it may help you avoid postworkout side effects, like headaches or dizziness.
Lessens muscle pain and stiffness: Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is another side effect of exercise. The evidence on how stretching affects muscle pain is mixed. And some experts say that static stretching after exercise won’t help. But research suggests that cooling down with light cardio may lessen DOMS.
Boosts flexibility and range of motion: Targeted static stretches help lengthen and relax your muscles after the physical stress of exercise. This may boost flexibility and range of motion, allowing you to move more efficiently in your daily life and future workouts.
Frequently asked questions
There may be several reasons why you struggle to cool down after exercise, including the following:
Humidity or hot environments
Tight, heavy, or nonbreathable clothing
Inadequate cooldown routine
Stay hydrated to help your body cool down, and try not to overdo it while exercising. Wearing moisture-wicking clothes, exercising in cool environments, and taking 5-10 minutes to cool down can make the transition out of your workout smoother.
There aren’t any official guidelines on the three stages of a cooldown. But some experts suggest breaking the cooldown into the following stages:
Light exercise (immediate): End your workout by gradually reducing exercise intensity to slow your heart rate.
Stretching (intermediate): Switch to static stretches to reduce muscle tension and increase flexibility.
Relaxation or mindfulness (late): Try deep breathing to relax your body and mind as your heart rate returns to normal.
The bottom line
A cooldown routine after exercise can help your heart return to resting levels and aid in workout recovery. This key step in your workout doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Try adding 5 to 10 minutes of cooldown exercises that include lower-intensity cardio and static stretches that target the muscles you used during your workout.
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References
Afonso, J., et al. (2021). The effectiveness of post-exercise stretching in short-term and delayed recovery of strength, range of motion and delayed onset muscle soreness: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Frontiers of Physiology.
American Council of Exercise. (n.d.). Overhead triceps stretch.
American Council of Exercise. (n.d.). Seated butterfly stretch.
American Council of Exercise. (n.d.). Standing dorsi-flexion (calf stretch).
American Heart Association. (2024). Warm up, cool down.
Art of Living. (2018). One-legged forward bend (Janu Shirasasana).
Medeiros, D. M., et al. (2016). Influence of static stretching on hamstring flexibility in healthy young adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice.
Olsen, O., et al. (2012). The effect of warm-up and cool-down exercise on delayed onset muscle soreness in the quadriceps muscle: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Human Kinetics.
Page, P. (2012). Current concepts in muscle stretching for exercise and rehabilitation. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.
Penn, S. (2016). Cool-down. Advanced Personal Training.
