Cool Down?

[Christopher Cavanagh]

So,I just started CF this week and I'm still tuning in my warm-up routine based on my ability. My question though, is what to do for cool down? So far I have been just stretching, which I think is a good start, but as I have been reading through all the now archived journals, I see there are numerous other things to perhaps do. Things like L-sits, practicing handstands, etc. Should I do some of these exercises as well? What are other people's routines?

[Jason Scheffler]

A cool down for me is usually me being curled up in a ball on the gym floor in a puddle of sweat desperately gasping for breath.

If you can do more after the WOD you aren't training hard enough, unless of course it's a strength day and even then those 1rep max days are brutal. heh

Have you thought about doing the skill work before the WOD?

[Marcus Allen]

Originally Posted by Jason Scheffler

A cool down for me is usually me being curled up in a ball on the gym floor in a puddle of sweat desperately gasping for breath.

If you can do more after the WOD you aren't training hard enough, unless of course it's a strength day and even then those 1rep max days are brutal. heh

Have you thought about doing the skill work before the WOD?

I think that is CFCD as RxD!

[Michael Blazek]

Originally Posted by Jason Scheffler

A cool down for me is usually me being curled up in a ball on the gym floor in a puddle of sweat desperately gasping for breath.

This sounds like my cool down... Sweat angels mean success in a WOD!

[Justin McGinley]

I catch my breath, drink some water, stretch, and go home.

If you are going to do skill work, do it before the WOD.

[David Sumner]

Chris,
If you need to increase flexibility, which most people new to Crossfit need to work on in order to perform the movements with proper form then definitely take the time to stretch after your workouts. No better time to increase flexibility of your lower back, shoulders, hips, hamstrings than after a workout while your muscles are still warm. PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) stretching helped me with my hip and hamstring flexibility issues that limited my range of motion in any type of squat.

You can find information about PNF stretches on the web. But, the basic idea behind them is to stretch a muscle as far as you can without pain, hold for a few seconds. Relax the stretch of the muscle(s) for a few seconds. Then reapply the stretch and this time contract the muscle(s) being stretched to resist the force being used to stretch the muscle(s). Hold for 10-15 seconds. Release the tension on the muscles for a few seconds. Then, resume a deep stretch of the muscle(s). Again, without pain. You should notice that your range has increased noticeably. Rest and repeat 2 to 4 times.

Ideally, with Crossfit workouts the last thing you should feel like doing after a workout is more physical work.

[Emily Maisannes]

I varied my cool down today. Instead of a sweat angel, I made a little armless legless man on the floor today. I was stretching my hamstrings during my usual cool down of lying down and catching my breath.

[Christopher Cavanagh]

Well, since I started the scaled WOD, the first 3 where just strength days. I was out of town this weekend and this morning I did 'Linda'. **** me.... I didn't puke, nor felt the desire, but my heart was about the go through my chest and my breathing was HARD. The scaled WOD still took 23:31. Needless to say, for a cool down, I now understand everyone's comments. It was all I could do to just stretch. Damn. BUT I LOVE IT! Looking forward to 'Fight Gone Bad'.....