Increasing Performance

A different answer for cool downs

Brad Gilbert Director of Sport

Increasing performance in the future

Children’s bodies are different to that of adults. They are constantly under stress with growth and development.

This can cause muscle tightness, limited flexibility, and possibly injuries. Warming up and cooling down properly can help mitigate some of the factors above.

Warming up properly helps to raise our core temperature and increase the blood flow around the body.

With this, your son may have greater range of motion and better performance, as well as decreasing his chance of injury.

Most boys will be able to tell you that they warm up before every sports match. Ask them if they cool down, and I am sure you would get a different answer.

Cooling down is just as important and should be a gradual decline in temperature and heart rate back to baseline activity.

Static stretching of the muscles that have been predominately used should be included in a cool down. This helps to flush out the lactic acid and reduce muscle soreness and fatigue, which can help with performance in the future.

I challenge you to have a chat to your son and come up with a cool down routine for their favourite sport.

Brad Gilbert Director of Sport