The Importance of Warm-ups and Cool-Downs

You're right on. Before rigorous activity, it's highly recommended to do a warm up that consists of: 1. Increasing the body temperature and the heart rate 2. Flexibility or stretching exercises 3. Activity-specific exercises that work the muscle groups required for the activity you're going to do Cooling down is a similar process. So, for example, if you've gone kayaking, do some light activity afterward to keep the oxygen levels high; this will prevent sudden spells of dizziness and, later, sore muscles.