Stretches

[Gaz Vickers]

Which stretches are better to do before and after Cycle rides, Whether they be short or long. I try and stretch but i'm not sure if i'm stretching the correct muscles!
Thanks.

 

[vickster]

Stretch after, not before...shouldn't stretch cold muscles, warm them up by taking it easy for a few miles

Calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings I would try - plenty of info on the interweb

 

[Gaz Vickers]

Stretch after, not before...shouldn't stretch cold muscles, warm them up by taking it easy for a few miles

Calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings I would try - plenty of info on the interweb

Ahhh oki doki..... Thank you

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Stretch after, not before...shouldn't stretch cold muscles, warm them up by taking it easy for a few miles

Calves, quads, glutes, hamstrings I would try - plenty of info on the interweb

100% on the money

--From my notes--
A gentle warmup aids the secretion of synovial fluid. This fluid if you will is like butter in the microwave. Hard until you heat it, at which point it becomes a lubricant for your joints. Going straight into a stretch is going to overwork a muscle that is cold,against a joint that has little to no protective lubricant. I'm sure you can see where that is heading.

The aims of most warm-ups are to increase your HR gradually - increase blood flow to working muscle - and really just prepare mentally.

You can warm-up passively - This is basically having a hot bath or putting on extra clothing. This doesn't target muscle groups to be used,and it wastes the hot water you'll need later

Or

Actively warm-up - This is a warmup which involves similar movement patterns to those of the muscle groups to be used. That could be barbell curling with an empty or very light bar or spinning a low gear on a bike - with a gradual increase of intensity and HR or weight respectively.

The aim of a post ride cool-down is to return the body to the pre-exercise state. IE: as it was before you left the house/work/garage/ wherever.

Enhances venous return (allow blood diverted to working muscle to return gradually and help prevent pooling which can cause dizziness and nausea - in extreme cases CVD) If you've got off your bike before and felt a bit woozy, chances are ^ it was this. Triathlete brick sessions is a good example of combatting the effect. A fast 40k into a 10k run isn't fun when your legs don't want to comply.

And again psychologically - feeling ready to go at it again is much better than feeling that your planned ride will be crap due to fatigue :P

 

[Sittingduck]

The aim of a pre-ride cool-down is to return the body to the pre-exercise state. IE: as it was before you left the house/work/garage/ wherever.

Hi

Shouldn't that say post-ride cool-down, or am I reading it wrong?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

Hi

Shouldn't that say post-ride cool-down, or am I reading it wrong?

Yes it should. Thanks

 

[cyberknight]

For longher rides i also add stretches for hip flexors .

 

[Berties]

For longher rides i also add stretches for hip flexors .

if i don't stretch my adductors after a long ride ,i will cramp within 2 hours