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advice on using turbo trainer for pre-race warm up
I have just bought a turbo (CycleOps Magneto) to use for intervals, recovery sessions (there’s just no flat round here!) and perhaps warming up before cross races. Being a little un-enlightened as to it's usage I wondered if people could advise on the following:
How long do people warm up for – 15 mins? Or longer? Getting progressively harder up to a peak and then easing off again?
At what point do you use the trainer - taking you up to 10 mins to go till the start or longer between warm up and start?
Can I use my cross wheels for warm ups only, or do I have to switch and use the specific trainer wheel I would use for a proper session indoors. Seems like a faff to be taking yet more wheels and swapping around before the start.
Thanks in anticipation.
How long do people warm up for – 15 mins? Or longer? Getting progressively harder up to a peak and then easing off again?
At what point do you use the trainer - taking you up to 10 mins to go till the start or longer between warm up and start?
Can I use my cross wheels for warm ups only, or do I have to switch and use the specific trainer wheel I would use for a proper session indoors. Seems like a faff to be taking yet more wheels and swapping around before the start.
Thanks in anticipation.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on -
I really benefitted from turbo warm-ups last year. I hardly ever train on it - I hate them for that (psychological torture!), but come mid winter, there are very few ways you can be physically warm on the start line, let alone have warmed up muscles.
I guess that's the key really - getting your legs warmed up to race pace. I've tried it with a HRM and basically there's no need to get up to sprinting pace as a warm up - I think I get to about 155, maybe 160 (I'll race between 175 and 182ish), so it's not all out. I usually find I need about 20 mins, so I start to get really warm after 15 mins then ease down to the little ring for five mins and aim to climb off seating but not dripping. Leave it as late as you can to go to the start line - again, it's about being warmed up so minimise the cooling down period.
Don't even dream of putting your racing tubs on it at low racing pressures. Take a road wheel - 30 seconds to change it!
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Permalink Reply by Alan Dorrington on -
Thanks for that Dave - sweated it out on the turbo before the NW race on Sun and it helped with a strong (for me) start to the race. All went downhill after that though............
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Permalink Reply by Dave Haygarth on
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Sounds a bit odd... maybe you warmed up too much! I always fill myself up full of fluids and gels when on the turbo - just eliminate chances of any downturns during the race.
I used to have a dip about 3 to 5 minutes in - the turbo warm up has got rid of this. I guess keep working at it. Cross is really about a fast start and a fast rest-of-the-race. If I had the secret key to this, I wouldn't be telling anyone!
© 2012 Created by Dave Haygarth.
