We made this cool down stretch with busy people in mind. We've kept the cool down cardio and stretch intervals very short so that you can quickly release all of the muscle groups that you've just used, without spending 20 minutes or more on what might be your least favorite part of your routine.

We know how tempting it can be to skip a cool down and stretch after a good HIIT or strength workout. After all, your muscles have been worked, many calories have been burned off - Mission accomplished, your work here is done, right? In reality it's just as important for the health of your body as that seemingly more effective workout strength or cardio session.

In fact many studies have shown that the pre-workout rituals of a proper warm up and cool down are significant factors in how effective the actual workout is. So while you might have a hard time committing to the extra minutes spent preparing or unwinding from a routine, just keep in mind that they actually play a real role in how hard you are able to push yourself, in the gains in strength and performance that your body is able to make during your workout sessions. It's a good example of working smarter, not harder; don't skip the seemingly petty before and after practices as it only cuts into the effectiveness of your "real" training.

Depending on what routines you have completed before you get to this video, you may find that there are a few muscle groups that feel as though they have been missed, or ones that were worked particularly hard, and that feel as though they need a little extra attention. Feel free to add your own extra combination of stretches after you've completed this video in order to hit all of those muscles.

Make sure not to do any prolonged stretching exercises before you jump into a strength or HIIT workout. This is especially true for stretches held for longer than 20 seconds. Stretching before an intense workout can lead to injuries, so save routines like this one for after your harder routines.

You can also do this video as a standalone workout - it's a great option for those days when you have been stuck at a desk all day long and need to get up and get your circulation going. Standing up and moving around a bit can help with concentration and is a generally healthy habit to try and adopt to avoid back pain, the pooling of blood in extremities from sitting all day, and overly high stress levels.

Cool Down Stretching Workout
Shoulder Rolls
Arm Pulls
Toe Touch Stretch
Quads Stretch
Warrior Pose
Downward Dog
Child's Pose
Kneeling Calf Stretch
Cobra Stretch
Glute Stretch
Torso Stretch
Full Body Stretch