51 THE PHASES OF A TRAINING SESSION Every training session should be divided into three phases: warm-up, workout, and cool-down. The warm-up phase The warm-up phase consists of a series of exercises whose aim is to prepare the body to best sustain the activities that will follow and prevent possible injuries. From a physiological point of view, warm-up induces some changes in the body, such as: Do you know how long a warm-up phase should last? What exercises are appropriate for a cool-down phase? the improvement of respiratory activity and blood circulation; the rise of the body temperature, which helps lubricating joints and facilitates the biochemical reactions muscle work is based on; the increase of blood flow, which makes the internal structures of the muscles more fluid, improving their movements; the improvement of psychological readiness for movement, which makes the mind more ready to accept a demanding activity. To plan warm-up activities, it is necessary to consider the physical conditions and the training habits of the individual as well as the climatic conditions: with high temperatures, the warm-up phase will be shorter. The workout phase The warm-up phase is followed by the actual workout, in which the workloads are much more demanding. In this phase, the body tackles the exercises which have been set according to the results expected or to the objectives to reach. The work is set up differently according to what the purpose of the work is: developing a specific motor skill, general physical preparation, or specific preparation for a sport. The cool-down phase Cool-down is the phase of a training session which is necessary to eliminate muscle fatigue in order to make the body return to its normal state as quickly as possible and restore the physical and mental energy consumed during the activity. As the oxygen debt deriving from the workout phase is reduced more quickly if the body keeps moving, the cool-down phase consists in performing very light work that does not increase body fatigue but is useful to avoid the accumulation of lactic acid in the blood and allow regeneration. The cool-down phase has some important physiological effects: it accelerates the elimination of the toxins (directed towards the organs responsible for their removal) induced by the workout effort; it allows the restoration of normal vital activities in the body, in particular of heart rate, blood pressure, and pulmonary ventilation. cool-down: defaticamento joint: articolazione to lubricate: lubrificare to tackle: affrontare workout: allenamento 104 PHYSICAL EDUCATION