Why finish a cool-down with breathing?

Slow breathing helps shift your nervous system out of the heightened state of a workout and toward recovery, easing your heart rate down. A minute or two of slow, even breaths is a calming way to end a session.

How slow should the breathing be?

Around five to six seconds in and the same out — roughly six breaths a minute — is a well-studied calming pace. Keep it smooth and unforced, and don't strain for the count.

Can I do more breathing afterwards?

Yes — the Breathing Trainer has guided coherent and 4-7-8 sessions if you'd like to carry the wind-down on for longer.

Workouts & Recovery · Recovery

Cool-down + breathing

A guided cool-down that ends where a session should — calm. A few easy stretches for the back, hamstrings and glutes, then a slow-breathing finish to settle your nervous system and bring your heart rate down. The app names and times each stretch, then paces a minute of slow breathing, with the Breathing Trainer a tap away if you want to keep going.

Moves: 4
Length: ≈ 4 min
Level: All levels

Also known as stretch and breathe, cool down and relax, post workout breathing.

How the session works

1Finish your session, lay out a mat, and let your breathing start to settle.
2Press start. The app holds each stretch for you, then guides a slow-breathing finish.
3Ease into each stretch, then let the breathing slow you right down — in for about five, out for about five.
4Continue in the Breathing Trainer afterwards if you'd like a longer wind-down.

The moves

Child's pose40s
Sink your hips back, reach long, and breathe.
Standing hamstring stretch30s · each side
Hinge at the hips with a flat back, soft front knee — feel it behind the thigh.
Figure-4 stretch30s · each side
Cross your ankle over the opposite knee and draw the thigh toward you.
Coherent breathing finish50s
Breathe slow and even — in for about five, out for about five.

What it's good for

Combines a short stretch with a breathing finish to truly wind down.
Slow breathing helps shift you out of workout mode and settle your heart rate.
Leads naturally into the Breathing Trainer for a longer session.

The evidence. Slow breathing at around six breaths a minute can nudge the nervous system toward its calmer, parasympathetic state, making it a sensible way to wind down after exercise alongside gentle stretching.

Safety

Keep the stretches mild, and if slow breathing ever makes you lightheaded, return to normal breathing.

Frequently asked questions

Why finish a cool-down with breathing?: Slow breathing helps shift your nervous system out of the heightened state of a workout and toward recovery, easing your heart rate down. A minute or two of slow, even breaths is a calming way to end a session.
How slow should the breathing be?: Around five to six seconds in and the same out — roughly six breaths a minute — is a well-studied calming pace. Keep it smooth and unforced, and don't strain for the count.
Can I do more breathing afterwards?: Yes — the Breathing Trainer has guided coherent and 4-7-8 sessions if you'd like to carry the wind-down on for longer.

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Disclaimer. This guided session is low intensity and intended for healthy adults, but it is not medical advice. Move within a comfortable range, stop if anything hurts, and check with a clinician first if you're pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or managing a heart, joint or blood-pressure condition. FitHQ may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this page.