Relaxation: slow walking, deep breathing and stretching

1Why this matters

At the end of a hard circuit your heart may be beating more than 150 times a minute, your breathing is fast and your muscles are warm and tight. In ten minutes you will be sitting in a mathematics lesson. Relaxation exercises bring the body back towards rest gradually, loosen the muscles you used, and calm the mind. The same skills help before an exam or a big match.

21. Slow walking

After hard exercise, do not sit or lie down straight away. While you run, your leg muscles help to push blood back up to your heart. If you stop suddenly, blood can collect in your legs and you may feel dizzy. Instead, slow down to an easy jog and then walk slowly for 2 to 3 minutes, arms loose, until your breathing is calmer.

32. Gentle stretching

Warm muscles stretch best, so stretch at the end of the lesson.

• Move slowly into the stretch until you feel mild tension. Stop before it hurts.
• Hold still for 15 to 30 seconds while breathing slowly. Never bounce.
• Stretch both sides of the body equally.

1. Calf: hands on a wall or tree, one leg back and straight with the heel pressed down, front knee bent.
2. Quadriceps: stand on one leg, hold the other ankle behind you with the knees together, and push the hips gently forward. Hold a partner's shoulder for balance.
3. Inner thigh (butterfly): sit with the soles of your feet together and your knees out to the sides. Hold your ankles and press your knees gently down with your elbows.
4. Front of the hip: kneel on one knee on a mat with the other foot flat in front. Keep your trunk upright and move your hips gently forward.
5. Side: stand with feet apart, reach one arm over your head and lean gently to the other side.
6. Lower back (child's pose): kneel, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward along the ground with your forehead down.

43. Deep breathing

Your diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle under your lungs. When it contracts, it flattens and pulls air into the lungs, and your belly moves out. Breathing this way is called diaphragmatic or belly breathing.

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent, or sit tall. Put one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
2. Breathe in slowly through your nose for 4 counts. The hand on your belly should rise; the hand on your chest should hardly move.
3. Breathe out slowly through slightly pursed lips for 6 counts, letting the belly fall.
4. Repeat 6 to 10 times. Keep your shoulders relaxed.

A long, slow out-breath helps the heart rate settle and makes most people feel calmer.

Worked example: measuring recovery

Six weeks later, after the same circuit, his heart rate falls from 148 bpm to 96 bpm in 2 minutes: a fall of 52 bpm. His heart now recovers faster, which is a sign that his fitness has improved.

Practice

Solution. Walking keeps the leg muscles helping to push blood back to the heart. Stopping suddenly can let blood collect in the legs and make you dizzy.

Solution. She is breathing mainly with her chest. She should relax her shoulders and let the breath push her belly out, so the belly hand rises.

Solution. 30 × 4 = 120 bpm.

Solution. Bouncing can strain the muscle. He should press his knees down slowly until he feels mild tension and hold still for 15 to 30 seconds.

Solution (one good answer). 2 minutes of slow walking; 4 stretches (calf, quadriceps, butterfly, child's pose), about 20 seconds on each side, which takes about 3 minutes; then 1 minute of belly breathing, 4 counts in and 6 counts out.