hiya all!! This is the daily scenario: Alarm clock sounds, then wake up, and after 20 minutes I'm riding my bike to work. Not much distance, just about 5 kms (around 16 minutes), but, the path begins with 500 meter flat and then, suddenly.... 1 km of 5% step degree street. So I always feel like I am hitting that street and my body is not warmed up.... Anyone knows how to warm-up before, even at home? Are ther any risks of injury due to not warming-up? I feel always like sleepy and tired if I don't put too much care to not overdo that incline.
I'm in a similar situation. I find that a coffee with plenty of sugar wakes me up and gives me a bit of instant energy to get me going on the commute in the morning (my commute starts with about 500-750m of around 5% uphill with speed bumps - ugh). I do the climb out of the saddle but quite slowly - this warms me up for the rest of the ride without risking injury.
The tiredness when you overdo the incline might be partly psychological...find a much nastier hill and cycle up it every now and then, and you'll start to barely notice your 1km of 5%. I've got a section of 1km of around 5% on my commute but after doing a few 2km 12% hills, it's a lot less intimidating 🙂
hehe guess you might be right... At first, the 5 km conmute intimidated me, until I began to do some 30+ km trips on weekends (I'm a total couch potato haha, but i'm pretty happy.. just love biking). Suddenly, the 5 kms conmute seemed like a brisk walk. Except for that first incline that sends my heart from 90 to 145 in a couple of minutes.. that must not be healthy 🙄 Got no opotunity to warmp up in other street/road, since this is the only road headed right. What about a ligth jog for 10 minutes? What do you think? Anyone tried??
How do I warm up my commute? I don't. The commute is my warm up. On a 5k ride (which is about my distance), there's no need to pound the petals (unless your late my a client meeting...ugh). I commute b/c I love to bike. Afternoons and weekends are for the training rides!
I just take it sorta easy for the first 5 minutes or so. In the mornings it helps that the first couple of kilometres are downhill (but on cold mornings it's a curse, my ears get soooo cold coasting down at speed!)
Recently I've actually been doing the opposite -- having a light "cool down" ride just before I reach my destination. Helps ease the body back into normalcy 🙂
Originally posted by rek I just take it sorta easy for the first 5 minutes or so. In the mornings it helps that the first couple of kilometres are downhill (but on cold mornings it's a curse, my ears get soooo cold coasting down at speed!)
Recently I've actually been doing the opposite -- having a light "cool down" ride just before I reach my destination. Helps ease the body back into normalcy 🙂
One of my best purchases this year was a little light very thin ski touque that fits under my helmet. It's made such a difference in the comfort rating of the morning commute.
Originally posted by MidBunchLurker Sounds like a terrible idea!! 🙂
Just ride the hill slowly, maybe get some easier gears fitted to make it a bit easier
I concure to this statement !
Also , a commute of 25 or less minutes one way, is your Warm Up period of time, thus your commute is a total "warm up" period , never try and over due it...... because it will be self defeating 😄
I'm not saying "dont commute" , I'm saying ride smart.
Ok, catched the idea... Now In my conmute my HR range is exactly the same as if I were doing it walking (average: 126 bpm) . Before thinking about it, I was near my Anaerobic Threshold (165 bpm) in just 5 minutes after beginning the 25 minutes ride. I feel much better now, and do an 1 hour workout AFTER work, in the ride home. Sometimes when you get too excited about an sport it can [censored] you up!! Thanks for the responses and happy cycling dudes!!
I have a 8 mile commute each way, generally I don't do any warm up. I take it easy for the first 5 minutes or so, then a bit of hard cycling, and ease of again for the last half mile, cycling like this means I do door to door in about 35 minutes on an average day.
If for some reason I have to get home in a hurry (like tonight when the wife managed to lock herself out), I do a couple of minutes of leg stretches, then just hammer it all the way.
The only time I have damaged my knee was going up some stairs, so maybe we should do 5 minutes of stretching before going down stairs in the morning!😄
