Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Fifty Plus (50+)
Reload this Page >

How do you warm up?

Notices
Fifty Plus (50+) Share the victories, challenges, successes and special concerns of bicyclists 50 and older. Especially useful for those entering or reentering bicycling.

How do you warm up?

Old 07-08-18, 04:37 PM
  #1  
big chainring 
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Wilmette, IL
Posts: 7,317
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 746 Post(s)
Liked 717 Times in 347 Posts
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?
big chainring is online now  
Old 07-08-18, 04:42 PM
  #2  
bruce19
Senior Member
 
bruce19's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Lebanon (Liberty Hill), CT
Posts: 8,456

Bikes: CAAD 12, MASI Gran Criterium S, Colnago World Cup CX & Guru steel

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1722 Post(s)
Liked 1,272 Times in 734 Posts
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.
bruce19 is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 05:07 PM
  #3  
Iride01 
I'm good to go!
 
Iride01's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,800

Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020

Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6099 Post(s)
Liked 4,730 Times in 3,260 Posts
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.

Last edited by Iride01; 07-08-18 at 05:11 PM.
Iride01 is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 05:30 PM
  #4  
caloso
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times in 1,417 Posts
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.
caloso is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 06:13 PM
  #5  
2cam16
Senior Member
 
2cam16's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: San Mateo,Ca.
Posts: 4,348

Bikes: TRIMMED DOWN THE HERD

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1088 Post(s)
Liked 926 Times in 593 Posts
I always stretch for a bit before every ride.
2cam16 is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 06:46 PM
  #6  
KraneXL
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: La-la Land, CA
Posts: 3,623

Bikes: Cannondale Quick SL1 Bike - 2014

Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3405 Post(s)
Liked 240 Times in 185 Posts
Originally Posted by Iride01
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.
Same. Its the way I've always warmed up for any physical activity.
KraneXL is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 07:27 PM
  #7  
TimothyH
- Soli Deo Gloria -
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Northwest Georgia
Posts: 14,782

Bikes: 2018 Rodriguez Custom Fixed Gear, 2017 Niner RLT 9 RDO, 2015 Bianchi Pista, 2002 Fuji Robaix

Mentioned: 235 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6844 Post(s)
Liked 736 Times in 469 Posts
I ride a little easy until I break a sweat.

It is go time when I'm sweating good.


-Tim-
TimothyH is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 08:50 PM
  #8  
JanMM
rebmeM roineS
 
JanMM's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Metro Indy, IN
Posts: 16,216

Bikes: Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer

Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 653 Post(s)
Liked 345 Times in 225 Posts
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.
__________________
Bacchetta Giro A20, RANS V-Rex, RANS Screamer
JanMM is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 09:34 PM
  #9  
JLDickmon
dollar-store reject
 
JLDickmon's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Kalama-zoo zu zuzazu zu
Posts: 294

Bikes: one big fat wad of classic Cannondale mtb's

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 96 Post(s)
Liked 29 Times in 20 Posts
two miles at high cadence, low effort.
JLDickmon is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 09:38 PM
  #10  
KraneXL
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: La-la Land, CA
Posts: 3,623

Bikes: Cannondale Quick SL1 Bike - 2014

Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3405 Post(s)
Liked 240 Times in 185 Posts
Originally Posted by JanMM
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.
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.
KraneXL is offline  
Old 07-08-18, 10:35 PM
  #11  
John00
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Bend Or.
Posts: 573

Bikes: 2 TiSports and a Ho Ko E Koo

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 54 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 1 Post
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.
John00 is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 12:04 AM
  #12  
canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
canklecat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Texas
Posts: 13,522

Bikes: Centurion Ironman, Trek 5900, Univega Via Carisma, Globe Carmel

Mentioned: 199 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4558 Post(s)
Liked 2,798 Times in 1,798 Posts
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.
canklecat is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 03:12 AM
  #13  
Machka 
In Real Life
 
Machka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,152

Bikes: Lots

Mentioned: 141 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3203 Post(s)
Liked 595 Times in 329 Posts
Originally Posted by big chainring
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?
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.
Machka is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 04:23 AM
  #14  
OldTryGuy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: SW Fl.
Posts: 5,604

Bikes: Day6 Semi Recumbent "FIREBALL", 1981 Custom Touring Paramount, 1983 Road Paramount, 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL3, 2018 Specialized Red Roubaix Expert mech., 2002 Magna 7sp hybrid, 1976 Bassett Racing 45sp Cruiser

Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1063 Post(s)
Liked 771 Times in 499 Posts
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.

Originally Posted by Machka
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.
Tight squeeze ???? I raise the garage door to exit.
OldTryGuy is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 04:52 AM
  #15  
Stormsedge
Senior Member
 
Stormsedge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: East Tennessee
Posts: 678

Bikes: 2017 Trek Domane SL6 Disc, 1990 Schwinn Crosscut Frankenroadbike, 2015 KHS Team 29 FS, 2000 Gary Fisher Tassajara--gone but not forgotten

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 155 Post(s)
Liked 49 Times in 30 Posts
I ride a little easy for the first ten mile, then I'm good to go. Occasionally I will stretch when I get off the bike, but almost never before (used to stretch a lot and had a lot of injuries, probably due to cold muscles). Figure out what works for you.
Stormsedge is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 09:08 AM
  #16  
pdlamb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,842

Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee

Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2575 Post(s)
Liked 1,900 Times in 1,192 Posts
Originally Posted by TimothyH
I ride a little easy until I break a sweat.

It is go time when I'm sweating good.
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.
pdlamb is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 11:53 AM
  #17  
az_cyclist
Senior Member
 
az_cyclist's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 1,960

Bikes: Trek Domane 4.5, Trek 1500

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 20 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
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.
az_cyclist is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 02:18 PM
  #18  
rando_couche
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,377
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 225 Post(s)
Liked 160 Times in 106 Posts
Originally Posted by Iride01
I just get on the bike and go. Like previous reply I just stay in an easy gear initially.
This.
rando_couche is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 04:27 PM
  #19  
talphie
Senior Member
 
talphie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Michigan
Posts: 166

Bikes: Volkscycle, Trek Fx3, Specialized Hard Rock

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 33 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times in 3 Posts
I ride in lower gears, spinning a bit until my knees quit burning. Then, I push a bit on higher gears to get my heart rate up until the end. Probably not a very scientific approach, but so far it’s worked for what I do.
talphie is offline  
Old 07-09-18, 05:27 PM
  #20  
MoAlpha
• —
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Land of Pleasant Living
Posts: 12,151

Bikes: Shmikes

Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10101 Post(s)
Liked 5,781 Times in 3,111 Posts
I go slow for a while before I go fast.
MoAlpha is online now  
Old 07-10-18, 03:07 AM
  #21  
Jim from Boston
Senior Member
 
Jim from Boston's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 7,384
Mentioned: 49 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 800 Post(s)
Liked 218 Times in 171 Posts
How do you warm up?
Originally Posted by big chainring
…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?
Originally Posted by bruce19
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 had previously replied last year to this thread on the Road Cycling Forum, “Pre & post warm-up warmdown.I have tried to “quantify” my answer (distance and intensity):
Originally Posted by boshk
How much if any do you do before and after a ride?

..A ride where you need to shower afterwards...
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
For me, that’s a ride of minimum of ten miles, and my commute is a minimum of14 miles. I only warm up, and then ride at cruising pace to the end.

When I first started a training schedule for a century, I noted at what mile I spontaneously realized I felt completely warmed up, i.e. I did not consciously look for it, and it usually occurred at about 6 miles. My basic riding routine is:
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
...last year I developed for myself my"Time-restricted, Personally Ambitious, but Non-competitive CyclistTraining Routine,"…based on Relative Perceived Exertion (RPE).”
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
...I use the semi-quantitative, standardized, but personally relavant system of (Borg’s) Relative Perceived Exertion (RPE) (link) with my own particular adaptation.
My basic premise was that I wanted to get significantly fit, within a busy work/family time-crunched life, but not suffer so much that I would abandon the program.

I do have the advantages of a very nice minimum 14 mile one way commute that is easily extended; and a high end, very comfortable carbon fiber road bike that encourages riding.

The RPE scale ranges from 6 to17, with descriptions of the intensity. Multiply the RPE by 10 is the approximate heart rate. Jim's scale is the equivalent on a 0 to 100 scale, easier to think about…

My basic training is to ride at my RPE of 50% for six miles to warm up, then cruise at an RPE of 60%, and do intervals (on hills) at 70% [described as“hard”; 60% is“somewhat hard," and 80% is “very hard" (lactate threshold;breakpoint between hard but steady breathing and labored with gasping). 50% is "fairly light" (my usual happy-go-lucky pace without thinking about it)].

I try to change gears to maintain a cadence of about 85-90 rpm on flats and rolling hills, and about 60 to 80 rpm on harder hills, to maintain my RPE. Shift up to higher gears as the cadence rises, and shift down as the RPE increases.
Originally Posted by az_cyclist
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.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 07-10-18 at 05:00 AM.
Jim from Boston is offline  
Old 07-10-18, 09:03 AM
  #22  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,520

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5218 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
warm shower
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 07-10-18, 10:42 AM
  #23  
Carbonfiberboy 
just another gosling
 
Carbonfiberboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Everett, WA
Posts: 19,500

Bikes: CoMo Speedster 2003, Trek 5200, CAAD 9, Fred 2004

Mentioned: 115 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3872 Post(s)
Liked 1,920 Times in 1,369 Posts
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.
__________________
Results matter
Carbonfiberboy is offline  
Old 07-10-18, 11:01 AM
  #24  
caloso
Senior Member
 
caloso's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865

Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur

Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times in 1,417 Posts
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.
caloso is offline  
Old 07-10-18, 11:06 AM
  #25  
Bandera
~>~
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: TX Hill Country
Posts: 5,932
Mentioned: 87 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1112 Post(s)
Liked 180 Times in 119 Posts
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
Bandera is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.