What should you do to help prevent injuries during exercise?

• A. Push through pain
• B. Warm up and cool down
• C. Ignore workouts
• D. Stretching only

Answer: (B)

Priming the body with a warm-up and a cool-down helps prevent injuries by preparing the body for activity and supporting recovery afterward. Warming up gradually increases heart rate and muscle temperature, boosts blood flow to muscles and joints, and activates the nervous system, which makes muscles more flexible and less prone to strains or tears during work. A brief, progressive routine—like light cardio plus dynamic movements—sets you up for safer, stronger performance. After you finish, a cool-down lets your heart rate come down slowly and helps clear metabolic byproducts, reducing dizziness and stiffness and speeding recovery. Stretching can be useful as part of the cool-down, but stretching alone doesn’t adequately prepare the cardiovascular system or elevate muscle temperature before activity. Pushing through pain signals injury risk, and skipping workouts or doing only stretching leaves you less prepared overall. So, including both a warm-up and a cool-down is the best way to reduce injuries during exercise.