warm up / down

[the_bing]

does anyone have any advice or good websites to give techniques for warming up; pre ride or down; post ride? i've been cycling off and on for about 18 years (mainly mtb-ing really) and have really got into road biking in the last 3 years or so.

now, i'm not one for warming up or down and i've got away with it so far, but after todays ride (only 50 miles; i've done 60 no probs at all previously) i've got lower back pain and some shoulder pain. nothing too bad, you understand.

still, can anyone advise about some good stretches or what-not for warming up and down?

bit of a novice question i know...

 

[BrumJim]

Current thinking is that stretches are no help at all. Best warming up is by starting reasonably gently.

 

[zoxed]

Current thinking is that stretches are no help at all. Best warming up is by starting reasonably gently.

When I read up recently (books and Google) it seemed that the opinion was that pre-exercise stretching was debatable, but post- was beneficial. I do post-ride stretching.

 

[Melonfish]

recent trip to the lakes saw me do some stretching before taking off on the sunday morning. imo it helped as i was quite stiff that morning.
what i should have done though is stretched when i was done rather then just unpack and collapse at home
2 days to recover, 2 whole days without a ride! yeesh. won't do that again.
pete

 

[rockyraccoon]

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp3mzRadyHA[/media]

 

[the_bing]

yeah, i don't usually warm up before riding, i just take it a bit easy. i'm gonna def do post ride stretching and see how i get on. thanks for the video link rockyracoon.