PHASES OF EXERCISE

1. Warm up Exercise
The initial phase of any exercise program Warm up activities should be conducted
before an intense work-out. It will help you perform better and will decrease aches
and pains. It prepares the muscles for exercise and allows oxygen supply to ready
itself for whatever strenuous activities to be worked at. Muscles perform best when
they are warmer than normal body temperature. They should consist of flexibility
exercises that stretch all the major muscle groups. Light paced jogging can also
prepare the heart muscle prior to the workout.
It is the light physical activity which prepares the body physiologically for exercise by
increasing body temperature, stretching ligaments and muscles, and increasing
flexibility. Normally, the warm-up takes about 5-10 minutes. If the individual is
already warmed-up is the onset of a light sweat.
General body warm-up activities may include:
- Stationary Jogging Benefits of Warm-up
- Light Jogging 1. Increase range of motion
- Brisk Walking 2. Improves coordination and movement efficiency
- Slow Rope Skipping 3. Decreased risk of injury
- Stair Climbing 4. Increased power output available from muscles
- Neck Stretch
- Arm and shoulder stretch
- Triceps and shoulder stretch
- Side stretch
- Chest stretch
- Shoulder stretch
- Quadriceps stretch
- Forearm stretch
2. Work-Out Exercise
A workout is an episode in which someone tries to influence fitness by maintaining or
improving cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility,
body composition, or some combination of these. This phase should follow the principles of
training with regard to frequency, intensity, and time. Reaching the target heart rate and
maintaining the intensity of the workout in the specified time are important guidelines for
this phase. It takes 30 minutes to 1 hour to workout.
Refers to the contents of the developing phases of the exercise program. These include: a.
Flexibility Exercises involves stretching all major muscle groups of the body with special
attention to the specific muscles that are used in daily physical activities.
b. Strength and Endurance exercises combine both calisthenics, weight training,
prolonged and continue activities.
3. Cool-down Exercises
Serve to taper on the body from the stress of exercise gradually. It helps in returning
blood to the heart for re-oxygenation. After the workout, cooling down should be
accomplished by walking for a few minutes. This can help prevent soreness the next day by
massaging the waste products of exercise into the circulatory system. When the person
stops exercising, the heart continues to pump blood to the muscles at a vigorous rate. If no
cooling down activity is done, there is a little action to send the blood back to the heart and
pool in the veins. This pooling may cause light-headedness, which can be prevented by
proper cooling down. The walking might be followed by stretching exercises to undo the
tightening of muscle groups from strenuous activity.
Phases of Cool-Down
1. Body Cool-Down involves an activity that will allow the heart rate to gradually return to its
normal rate.
2. Cool-Down Stretch involves stretching specific body parts for 5-10 minutes to prevent
muscle from tightening too quickly.
Benefits of Cooling Down
1. Improved performance
2. Improved muscle joint flexibility
3. Decreased cardiovascular problem
4. Decreased incidence of muscle joint injury.