How do you warm up?
 

I dont ride much. Maybe a half dozen rides a month at most. So its not like I have a base of miles behind me. I'm a painting contractor so I do a good amount of physical labor. Lots of kneeling. Climbing up and down ladders. Pretty much moving all day long. So when it comes to a ride my muscles are usually tight. This morning I rode 30 miles. The first 7 or 8 miles muscles were tight. Hamstrings cramping. After a hard jam up a hill I finally felt good. And really felt great after 10 miles. So what can I do to get the muscles loose before riding?

I usually just spin without putting a load on my legs for a couple miles. I can feel when I'm ready to put more of a load on my legs.

I just get on the bike and go. Like previous reply I just stay in an easy gear initially.

Cramping might be poor hydration, low electrolytes (unlikely for short rides), or perhaps you are putting out too much torque and need to shift to lower gear ratios. If you are already in the lowest ratio gears, then you need to change them to what you need.

Just spin easy for the first 15-20 minutes. For me, that's about as long as it takes for me to finally get out of congestion and on the bike trail or to the city limits.

I always stretch for a bit before every ride.

Same. Its the way I've always warmed up for any physical activity.

I ride a little easy until I break a sweat.

It is go time when I'm sweating good.


-Tim-

Stretching is a good thing but doesn't have to be before or after a ride. Just do it on a regular basis. I concentrate on legs and lower back.

two miles at high cadence, low effort.

Some people need to stretch, others do not. I've never stretched in my life -- except in school/the service/groups where they make you stretch.

Don't stretch cold muscles, but if you want to, do it after 5-10 miles or after a ride. Stretching hasn't proved to be of any help.

Stretching, before, during and after rides -- especially my neck and legs.

Gradual warm up for the first 10-15 minutes, staying in the small chainring, which conveniently covers the easiest parts of my usual workout routes anyway.

After that warm up I'll stand for about 15 seconds to sorta-sprint or climb the first short steep climbs, just to see how the knees and legs feel. If it goes well I'll increase to 30-60 seconds standing on the pedals to get the blood flowing a little better and check the legs before reaching some tricky segments where I might want to improve my times.

I may start using an indoor trainer before rides to warm up. A friend gave me one he wasn't using. Turned out to be more useful than I'd expected.

After rides I may use a ridiculously heavy nearly solid marble rolling pin on my thighs. It's mostly a kitchen ornament, although I may use it for baking once a year. Yeah, I'll wash it before making those cookies and biscuits.

Hamstrings cramping? I'd check your fit on your bicycle.

I try to start by riding lightly for the first couple km and then going harder. But if I leave from home, that's right out the window because first I need to climb a 14% grade, so I guess that's my warm up.

Need to find what's best for yourself. Spin first, stretch first, hammer right from the get-go ---- every body is different and one must find what works for their body.

some STRETCHING info ---- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercis...re-exercising/

I currently require a "warm up" period of varying cadence and effort, like a race car driver scrubbing tires before a start or re-start. Before my prostate cancer treatment began 4 years ago, I could head out of the garage and within 1 minute push 20/22 mph for the 5 miles to the group ride start.

Tight squeeze ???? :D I raise the garage door to exit.

Lately I've been breaking a sweat just getting the bike out of the garage.

But still, take it easy for a few miles. I also wonder about your bike fit, if you're cramping within a few miles.

I just pedal comfortably for a few miles. To meet club rides now it is fairly easy, as it is 6 or 7 miles (depending on which club) and is a 1% downhill.

This.

warm shower

I stretch every morning just before breakfast, but I never need to do so until I turned 65.

I don't usually warm up. Maybe I ride a little easier the first couple miles is all. That said, it takes me almost an hour of relatively hard riding before everything is functioning normally. If I ride easy, those changes don't happen.

By far the most useful thing you could do is to ride ~4 times/week, every week. Say three 1-hour rides if that's all you have time for, and one longer ride every weekend. Riding will then be even more fun.

A good way to warm up is to stand for a couple minutes, maybe after the first mile. Gets the blood moving.

This morning I had roughly 90 minutes to do a hard set of intervals (3x2'; 3x1'; 3x30"). Since the actual work time was so short and the efforts so hard, I needed a decent warm up. I spun very easily for the first 10 minutes, then gradually increased till I started to break a sweat (another 10 min or so). Did the intervals and then cool down was essentially a reverse of the warm up.

Rule of thumb: the shorter the event/workout, the longer the warmup.

Not every ride has the same terrain profile or purpose.
A recovery ride is just one long "warm up", power work on the short sharp steep hills and/or HIIT speed work intervals does require thorough laddering up of cadence/effort to start and a cool-down as well.
Going to the Farmer's Mkt on the town bike requires nothing more than remembering to bring cash.

-Bandera

In three out of four directions, it's a mile to the start of hills, so warm ups are short.

The worst is a short but brutally steep & technical little hill. Sometimes my back muscles will spasm while going down the other side.



+1 on the hot shower.

This is what my commute usually looks like. I take it easy for about a km or so then push it.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2db838fb40.png

After I reached about 72 I found I have to ride pretty easy for 20 to 30 minutes. Until that time my heart rate will not go over 110 bpm. After that I can hammer with the young guys.

Injury rates. Statistically, stretching increases injury rates for some sports as well as causing injuries. I tore a hamstring with static stretching. It'll probably bother me the rest of my life. I still stretch just because it makes me more comfortable in my daily life. However I don't stretch to the extent that I used to. The reason for some increased sport injuries is because it allows joint movements which are contraindicated in some sports. Things can get out of alignment and then bloooey.