Warm Up

Peddle Up!

Whenever I'm on a decent length ride I find that I don't really hit the right breathing, cadence and general rhythm until I've done a few miles - 10 in my case. What's your warm up distance?

waynokio

glad you asked, as i was wondering the same thing,
id say i get through the un warm barriers after 5-6 mile (inc rides from mtb history)

Phill Thom

I have been finding that my left leg gives me trouble untill I have done atleast 10 miles. It settles down then and pain goes. Funny thing is tho taht I had a good stretch before going out today and my leg was fine.Breathing wise also settles down after about ten miles.

RDB66

20mins for me, after that all ok.

Navrig

Probably about 5 miles then it becomes a rhythm.

jibberjim

I can hit it pretty much immediately, in fact I have the opposite problem, if I go really easy for 45 minutes I'll find it even very moderate efforts requiring very high percieved exertions.

furrag

jibberjim wrote:

I can hit it pretty much immediately, in fact I have the opposite problem, if I go really easy for 45 minutes I'll find it even very moderate efforts requiring very high percieved exertions.

I'm the opposite. Starting quickly just makes my HR go though the roof. Look at the winter training rides; the time you came past in Chertsey while I was doing 4-5 minute intervals, I found it fine to stay on.

My warm-ups are 4-5 miles, and since tend to be something like; 2x 100+rpm spinning & rec, 2x sprints & recover, and finally 1-2 hard efforts for about a minute or so, gradually taking the HR up.

Velonutter

The older you get the longer it takes to warm up, at 51 I find that I can start pushing things after 9 miles on a Spring/Summer/Autumn day, but in the winter I feel like I have never warmed up!

blade8

8 to 10 mile for me tho it could depend on if your feelin good in general you no some days your just up for it more .. oh im 42..

plowmar

With me everything seems to fall into place after 20 - yes, 20- miles. There again I am positively ancient compared to previous posters. :oops:

bobtbuilder

In Winter, I find it takes about 45 mins - 1 hour to feel at my best.

In other seasons about 20-30 mins.

rick_chasey

Depends if I've ridden the day before.

If not, a good 40-60mins.

Otherwise, 20-25 mins.

floosy

Same as most here about 20mins...

Dave

markos1963

Furrag wrote:

I'm the opposite. Starting quickly just makes my HR go though the roof.

HR isn't necessarily an indication of being warmed up and ready for action. I have made that mistake too often at TT's and races. I do a fast lap or set off quick and my HR raises quickly. It's only an indication of the workload your body is demanding from the heart. Your muscles will take a lot longer to settle into their trained and effcient mode.
For me it's at least 10 miles before I feel comfortable.

cougie

For me its definitely a good 7 or 8 miles before I'm going OK.
With running its about 15 to 20 mins before I'm good.

Buckled_Rims

I have 2 warm up distances that I only recently noticed.

Normal warm up with eating a breakfast is about 12 miles. If I do training without any breakfast my warm up is only 5 miles and I'm fully on the ball at 8 miles doing the same routes. I'm wondering if blood is being diverted from my legs to my stomach with food in it?

Also, if I train in the afternoon, my warm ups are fairly quick as well despite eating breakfast and a noon snack. So this contradicts the early morning runs :shock: