Friday Fitness Fact – Bundle Up!

If you played sports in your youth, you probably remember at least of your coaches harping on the concept of wearing a jacket after games and practices. I know I was always annoyed with it and never understood it. Really it is a simply concept and one that you should adhere to now, with your daily workouts. This is very important in the winter months but should also be practiced year round in temps of less then around 80°F.

Muscles are like Rubber Bands

Essentially, your muscle is a rubber band that is attached to two bones and works to pull them together or push them apart. Here is a short physics lesson:

• When Rubber is heated up it becomes very stretchy and is easily moves. Hence, the need to properly warm up prior to exertion.
• When heated rubber is rapidly cooled is becomes brittle and is prone to either freezing up on itself or breaking into pieces.

So what does this have to do with wearing a jacket? It is as simple as this – when you warm up your muscles they become pliable and work better to move your body during exercise. Once you are done exercising, a period of time is required to return the muscles to their normal temperature. If you go out into the cool weather without some way to keep your muscles warm (i.e. a jacket) your muscles can tighten up. Although they will not snap or break like a rubber band, there increased tightness can result in longer recovery times. It can also cause you to strain, sprain or tear a muscle doing any number of normal movements like getting into your car on the way home from the gym.

“But I am So Hot”

I fully understand that after a good workout your may be too sweat or warm to want to put on a jacket, gloves, scarf and hat before you head home. This is one of those time when I just have to put it bluntly, SUCK IT UP! Something as simple as a sprain ankle can put a real dapper on your effort to get fit. Anyone that has been working out for a while can tell you that a few weeks off really slows your momentum when you are trying to get into shape. Not to mention the problems it could cause in your everyday life. If you are the primary care provider for your children, you need all your faculties. So please heed this warning – Bundle Up after your Burn that Fat!!

Don’t Forget About your Kiddos

You should also be echoing those coaching, reminding your children to put on their jackets and coats after practices and games. Children can be very resilient but a sprain or strain in the teen years can effect them for the rest of their lives.