“Based on the available science, warming up seems to be a smart idea, but the science on cool down exercises is lacking. That said, there may be one really good reason to incorporate a cool down into your workout routine, according to Matt Hensley, a Colorado-based running coach and founder of Boulder Underground, and that's to increase the amount of time they spend on the trail.
"While it may be up for debate if cool-downs reduce muscle soreness or help with recovery I do think they allow athletes to add volume to their aerobic activity in a week," says Hensley, who typically prescribes 10 - 20 minutes for warm up and cool down.
"If an athlete is doing two workouts in a week they're adding 40 - 80 minutes in additional aerobic volume in a week with minimal additional fatigue."

Do you really need to cool down after exercise? And should you be worried if you don't?
By Julia Clarke.
Published February 8, 2024.
Most of us have been taught that a cool down after exercise reduces soreness and injury risk – but what does the science say?

“It doesn’t take long for me to realize that asking a computer how it computes things is probably a sign of madness, so next I decide to consult an actual human. That human comes in the form of Matt Hensley, a Colorado-based running coach and founder of Boulder Underground. Running, as it were, it runs deep in Hensley’s veins. Both his parents were runners, his dad a marathoner who ran at the University of Oregon while Steve Prefontaine was there cranking out 5,000 meter records.
Hensely describes his training approach as a blend of old school – “a lot of running and training back then was learning to run by feel. In the early days you used to look at a clock when you left the house and you’d look at it again. That's how you measured how far you ran” – and new school.
“GPS watches and technology are tools that you can use to your advantage, but you shouldn’t become a slave to them either.”

How does your sports watch decide how much recovery time you need? And is it accurate?
By Julia Clarke.
Published October 20, 2023.
We speak to a running coach on how to understand your watch’s recovery times, and how to know when you’re ready to hit the trail again.

“Being that they're new to the activity, an area to consider would be structural integrity. Making sure the tendons, bones and ligaments hold up well with the training. Adequate strength and nutrition should be considered,” says Matt Hensley, Coach and Founder of Boulder Underground.

Want to start running at 50? Here’s everything you need to know.

By Julia Clarke.
Published August 08, 2023.
We speak to a Boulder-based health coach who took up running aged 50 and hasn’t looked back.

Photos by Tracy Ann Roeser / Tracy Ann Creative

“A lot of running and training back then was learning to run by feel.” - Matt Hensley

"While it may be up for debate if cool-downs reduce muscle soreness or help with recovery I do think they allow athletes to add volume to their aerobic activity in a week," says Hensley, who typically prescribes 10 - 20 minutes for warm up and cool down.

"If an athlete is doing two workouts in a week they're adding 40 - 80 minutes in additional aerobic volume in a week with minimal additional fatigue."

“GPS watches and technology are tools that you can use to your advantage, but you shouldn’t become a slave to them either.”

“Being that they're new to the activity, an area to consider would be structural integrity. Making sure the tendons, bones and ligaments hold up well with the training. Adequate strength and nutrition should be considered,” says Matt Hensley, Coach and Founder of Boulder Underground.