INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines- In any physical activity, whether engaging in sports or a workout at the gym, how one prepares for it is as important as ?recovering? afterwards, according to fitness experts.

?Taking warm-ups and ?cool downs? for granted are common malpractices among old school athletes but these exercises and stretching are important to prevent stiffness, muscle cramps and muscle aches,? said Dheng Cruz, fitness manager at Fitness First.

Warm-up exercises are important to raise oxygen levels in the body in preparation for intense activities while cool down exercises are done to normalize the oxygen levels in the body.

For runners, Cruz said good hydration, balanced diet and enough rest will help them recover after a strenuous run, while lunges and squats will also help the legs recover. Cruz recommends three sets of 15 repetitions for each leg.

This particular exercise is useful especially for extreme runners or those doing ultramarathons.

Wearing specially-designed footwear also helps strained leg muscles to recover better, according to studies by US Ergonomics.

Crocs, an American footwear brand popular for its lightweight shoes made of patented Croslite material, recently launched a line called Crocs Prepair that helps reduce muscular effort and pressure on the legs when walking.

?This type of ?after sports? footwear benefits athletes even those who just came from a workout,? said Franco Limjuco, vice president of Crocs? local distributor All Conditions Gear Philippines.

According to US Ergonomics, competitive sports usually consist of three primary stages: preparation, competition and recovery.

The vast majority of people, however, spend more time in the first two stages but leave insufficient time and effort for recovery. This contrasts with professional athletes who know the importance of recovery to prevent muscle breakdown.

Typically, taking good care of the muscles also means maximizing potential and thus, performance.