Cool-down

The cool-down (정리운동, jeongni undong) is the exercise done after the main training. In kumdo it comes at the end of practice. Korean sources also call it a finishing exercise (마무리 운동, mamuri undong), and it aims to calm the excitement of body and mind raised by the main exercise and to help recovery from fatigue.

• Purpose: Korean sources say it keeps blood from pooling in the extremities and helps return blood to the heart. They add that it helps prevent cramps and muscle pain and lowers blood lactate.
• Form: it is not a fixed program but is adapted to the sport. A typical order is lower body, trunk, then breathing: a few minutes of light running, the stretches used in the warm-up (준비운동, junbi undong), and deep breaths to finish.

On the Korea Kumdo Association (대한검도회) technique page, 정리운동 appears in a list next to the warm-up (준비운동) and strengthening exercises (보강운동, bogang undong). A university kumdo club's material on stretching before and after practice says stretching reduces muscle tension, eases mental tension and promotes blood flow to the muscles.

In Japanese kendo, the all-Japan federation's guide for school clubs describes the cool-down as loosening physical and mental tension and aiding recovery from fatigue, with stretching preferred. A Japanese prefectural lesson plan puts it near the end of the class, before checking and putting away equipment.

In general English usage the practice is also called limbering down or warming down, and static stretching is a typical cool-down activity. One source notes that active cool-downs have not been shown to prevent injuries, although athletes often say they feel better after one.