Should I stretch or warm up?

BMKN
BMKN Posts: 222
edited August 2013 in Commuting general
Just curious I have been commuting for the last year and a half 30k round trip not too far but I tend to do it in under an hour, It seems to me now that not stretching or warming up is effecting my legs as I have a pain just above my knee, Should I stretch and warm up before? What type of warm up do you recommend?

Comments

  • dondare
    dondare Posts: 2,113
    Warm up as you cycle, keeping the gears low for the first few minutes. You can also warm down at the end of your ride, or do some other exercises afterwards. Stretch after your ride when your muscles are warmed up. Don't stretch before the ride.
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  • stu-bim
    stu-bim Posts: 384
    +1 to that
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  • dilemna
    dilemna Posts: 2,187
    Don't stretch, massage instead. Roll your legs on a rolling pin or similar, Achilles, calves and upper leg, massaging tired or cold muscles to relax the fibres and stimulate fresh blood flow into your muscles, both before and after rides. I ride 60 miles a day. It works.

    Also don't push heavy gears. Try to ride most at a cadence of approx 92/93 up to 105/106. A higher cadence giving power can then easily be ridden at if you want to quickly drop some one.
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  • BMKN
    BMKN Posts: 222
    I did ur suggestion of lower gears and I warmed up which is hard to do as I live at the bottom of a hill. My legs feel much better today. Thanks for the advice. now I need to get faster
  • riche0
    riche0 Posts: 26
    From experience I can recommend stretching is crucial especially when you get older. I commute and cycling is by far my main exercise, I used to stretch very little maybe only when I went out mtb'ing at weekends.

    Three weeks ago I tore my calf whilst running, it was excrutiating. I was on crutches for almost two weeks, and now after three I am just starting to walk without a limp. It can take upto six weeks for the muscle to heal.

    Although not a direct result from cycling it was a consequence of it slightly shortening my calfs and not stretching.

    I'd defiantly recommend stretching. I will be doing it religously before and after.
  • kennygalbraith
    kennygalbraith Posts: 101
    I'm getting physiotherapy for a calf injury, defiantly stretch. I've been told to stretch before and after cycling. I do 10 heel stretches and hamstring stretch (a static stretch) and its defiantly helping me.

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