Newsletter -7 Cool Down

The Cool Down (warm down)

Most of you know this takes place at the end of training.

To this day I still get comments from parents and players that are new to our program that they never did any form of a cool down. This is important from both an injury prevention and recovery perspective.

A cool down helps to utilize any build up of lactic acid for energy. This will aid in the reduction of immediate soreness in the muscles.
Generally speaking, lactic acid is out of the system 90 minutes to two hours after intense exercise.

The soreness you feel the next day is not from lactic acid build up. The soreness occurs from small (micro) tearing of soft tissue (ligaments and tendons) that cause inflammation.

Generally this occurs when the muscles have been overworked or a coach decides to put the athletes through a "mental" workout.

The cool down should include some of the movements from the dynamic warm up, followed by movements of the active warm up and finally some "static" stretching.

Cheers!
Yours in Youth Soccer Fitness

Mike Grafstein
B.Ph.Ed,CAT(C),CSCS,YCS,RMT ,
www.youth-soccer-fitness.com
www.youthsoccer-power.com
www.soccer-nutrition.com