The very first thing that comes to mind when you go to the gym is the workout you will go through but you might end up hurting your body without even realizing it in the event that you do not warm-up or if you skip cool-downs. If your workout starts with cold muscles, injuries can happen. The same goes for the cool-downs. This is something that is true for professionals and beginners.
Warm-Ups
A warm-up is really important because it will pump oxygenated, nutrient rich blood towards the muscles while breathing and heart rate are sped up. You need to be sure that you will warm your muscles for a minimum of 10 minutes before workouts. It is a really good idea that you start slow and you gradually pick up your pace. In most situations you will use full motion range exercises or cardio. Examples include lunges and jumping jacks.
Cool-Downs
When the workout is over, you need to spend around 10 minutes so that you can cool-down properly. A sequence of really slow movements works best. You want to go through a cool-down because it helps prevent dizziness and muscle cramps as heart rates and breathing are gradually slowed down. Effective cool-down routines will incorporate various stretching exercises in order to lengthen and relax your muscles as motion ranges are improved. We recommend holding a stretch up to half a minute. If you can hold it for a longer period of time without discomfort, it will be beneficial since it can improve flexibility.
The huge problem with people that only now start working out is that they do not understand how important warm-ups and cool-downs are. They just go to the gym every day or 5-6 days per week, change, then work out. That is a really bad idea. At first, you will not feel bad since the body can withstand the strain. However, after you work out for some time, problems appear and you can easily end up with injuries, without even knowing why that happens.
Do work with a personal trainer in the event that you do not know how to warm-up or cool-down. Alternatively, look online so that you can find some routines that you can use.