425 Fitness’ Winter Cycling Tips, Article 1 of 2 // By: Chris Church, 425 Fitness Master Trainer
Most people figure they can just ease into a bike ride and then kick it into high gear when everything starts to feel loose. This is how injuries can occur. A proper warmup is highly recommended before a long road race.
Before a long bike ride race, a good cardiovascular system warm up is a good way to get some blood flowing to all the body parts used during cycling. Either an on-road light ride or a steady spin on a stationary trainer for 10 to 15 minutes will usually do the trick. This Is a good time to clear the head and get mentally prepared for the upcoming ride as well.
Afterwards, some dynamic stretching would be good too. Some dynamic torso twisting, jumps and lunges are good examples. A good static stretching routine will also help to minimize muscle imbalance, injury prevention and improving cycling performance as well.
Bike riding pain free and feeling your best on and off the bike is the end goal you should be looking to achieve.
Chris Church Redmond, BS Kinesiology, NASM Master Trainer