How important is a cooldown jog after hard running?

It's not.

Just cooldown on the couch.

Work hard, relax hard.

That's how we (CrossFitters) roll.

One word: vital.

BOO-YAH

Most coaches advise a cool down run. Supposedly it helps speed recovery from the hard effort, prevent soreness the next day, etc.

But why? I've actually always wondered this myself.

Excuse to get more miles in.

I'm not going to go search for it, but there has been at least one good study that found no benefit to a cool down. Doesn't mean there is no benefit - just that the study didn't find one.

So, the list of unproven things LD runners do is pretty long:

stretching

wear orthotics

wear stability shoes

cool down

take ice baths

ice injuries

funny - I've believed in each of these at one point or another. Keep in mind the placebo effect is real.

I have not seen any physiological study that shows it does much of anything for a runner.

However, I feel it is vital for a team for the sake of

1) discipline (who really feels like running after a hard workout or race)

2) team unity (talking and bonding when talking about the effort & races)

3) form & mechanics (good mechanics when very tired are good muscle memory drills).

Also, common sense and trail & error experience tell me that they are good for you regardless of studies.

A coach I worked with for a while told me that it was bad to end a hard run/intervals abruptly because a cool down jog helped clear lactate / acid, aiding in general overall recovery with less residual soreness and heavy legs.

Seriously??? wrote:

Proper warmups are obviously very important. But what constitutes a proper cooldown? Every now and then due to time constraints I have had to jump into the car or house right after hard running, and I don't feel like I missed something important. I need to stay mobile after such running, ie walk the dog or walk to a store vice just sitting around.

But what do I really miss if I don't jog 10min after hard running?

Your thoughts are very much appreciated, letsrun.

(PS: yes, I am an experienced competitive runner.)

It just allows your muscles to relax and stretch gently while jogging. I'm sure it does something at the capillary level but I'm not sure what.

Xfit_guy_the_real_1 wrote:

It's not.

Just cooldown on the couch.

Work hard, relax hard.

That's how we (CrossFitters) roll.

Do you still do the girlie pushups?

agip wrote:

I'm not going to go search for it, but there has been at least one good study that found no benefit to a cool down. Doesn't mean there is no benefit - just that the study didn't find one.

So, the list of unproven things LD runners do is pretty long:

stretching

wear orthotics

wear stability shoes

cool down

take ice baths

ice injuries

funny - I've believed in each of these at one point or another. Keep in mind the placebo effect is real.

You forgot long runs, easy runs and recovery runs. Mileage is just bogus isn't it? I mean the ex phys "scientists" say so.

As most people have already said, it usually has little to do with the workout itself. Just a way to get a couple of more miles in to boost your weekly total. Heck, you can get 5 more miles a week with a 2.5 mile cool down run after two workouts a week. It does add up.

Let me answer that by asking another question! What is the component of the healing process in the body? Blood!

After a hard workout you've accumulated some/or much lactate in your body. Easy running helps the blood supply and thus help clearing lactate.

Also, your muscles will be less tensioned.

It's all about getting blood down there!

This is info found from the books of Arthur Lydiard, Jack Daniels, Runners World and Bill Bowerman!

Hi! Lance Armstrong here. Let's talk about cooling down.

Most fitness fanatics believe that cooling down after exercise is just as important as the workout itself. While a proper cool down can benefit your body, these benefits are often misunderstood among casual exercisers and fitness professionals alike. Learning about the exact science behind the cool down will help you understand just what those extra minutes of exercise can and cannot do for your body.

One of the most important functions of the post-exercise cool down is to prevent dizziness. Strenuous exercise causes the blood vessels in your legs to expand, bringing more blood into the legs and feet. When you stop exercising suddenly without taking time to cool down, your heart rate slows abruptly and that blood can pool in your lower body, causing dizziness and even fainting. The risk is greater for serious athletes, whose heart rates slow down faster and whose veins can hold more blood; for casual exercisers, something as simple as walking from the treadmill to the locker room may be enough to prevent dizziness.

Live Strong,

-Lance

http://www.livestrong.com/article/414362-why-does-the-body-have-to-cool-down-after-exercise/

I seriously think that crossfitters shouldn't reply on threads like this. They know almost nothing about running in specificety and emphasize on the totally wrong thing for runners!

Seen several threads where crossfitters recommend, like, 20-40 mpw for a marathon.

I've seen a lot of other things that don't make sense at all!!

You're welcome.

oddgs wrote:

I seriously think that crossfitters shouldn't reply on threads like this. They know almost nothing about running in specificety and emphasize on the totally wrong thing for runners!

Seen several threads where crossfitters recommend, like, 20-40 mpw for a marathon.

I've seen a lot of other things that don't make sense at all!!

You kidding?

You know all you need to run a sub-2 hour marathon is 10-20 mpw of HIIT with 7+ WODs of lifts for time and kipping pullups. You'll be an elite runner in no time, blowing away all those stupid hobby joggers who think mileage is important.

That and paleo.

For me it's usually just about getting in more miles. Whether it actually helps me with recovery depends on what kind of race I did. If it's a middle distance race, I find that not cooling down seems to correlate with very tight muscles and even some awful cramps. A light jog seems to be a way of stretching the muscles out and releasing some of the tension that high speed efforts require. With races 10k and longer, it seems to make no difference at all in terms of recovery.

Everyone. An easy jog feels really nice after you just obliterated yourself. Have you ever actually done a hard workout?

Your mechanics a recovery pace have little to do with your mechanics at race pace.

Amen. Science is great, but training is still more art than science.

You don't need to go jogging to clear lactate. Blood lactate levels will plummet after the workout or race regardless. Now, it's true that levels will stay SLIGHTLY elevated for a day or so, and that easy running can get them lower, but it's not because the lactate hasn't cleared properly after the hard effort. It's because after a strenuous effort you continue to produce slightly more for a period of time.

Context is Key wrote:

http://www.scienceofrunning.com/2012/09/rethinking-cool-down-and-xc-coach-at.html

You're welcome.

This is great, thanks.

Magness has looked into it. Points to consider from him.