Warm Up And Cool Down
Warm up and cool down are very important – although some the tests and some sessions in the Training Plans have warm and cool down recommendations this section is a general guide to the purpose and duration of warm up and cool down for the training zones.
Warm up
The purpose of a warm up is to increase muscle and core temperature, blood flow and improve the uptake, transport and utilisation of oxygen, as well as providing a comfortable way to lead into more vigorous exercise. A warm up should progress gradually and provide sufficient intensity to increase muscle and core temperature without causing fatigue or reduced energy stores (it should make you sweat and you should be slightly breathless).
A warm up also prepares the body physically and mentally for your training session. At the start of exercise, the body begins to release adrenalin, which increases the heart rate and causes dilation of the capillaries in the muscles. This has the dual function of increasing the temperature and elasticity of the muscles to help prevent injury and improve the speed at which oxygen can be transported around the body. The increased temperature allows the enzymes required for the muscular contraction to function more efficiently.
Warm up also make you more alert as the increased body temperature allows nerve impulses to travel more quickly, improving reaction time. There are also psychological benefits of a warm up, especially if you are superstitious and perform the same routine every time you exercise or compete.
The warm up you do may need to vary depending on the environmental conditions (hot or cold/dry or humid) and should be completed 5-10 minutes before undertaking your Wattbike session.
Recommended Warm Ups
The recommended warm up for the different type of session is:
Recovery - Warm up 5’ slow pedalling – resistance level 1 60 rpm, repeat for cool down
Zone 1 & Zone 2 - Warm up 5’-10’ at Recovery Zone, repeat for cool down
Zone 3 - Warm up 10’ progressive Recovery-Zone 1-Zone 2, cool down 10’ at Recovery Zone
10’ Progress Check - Warm up 5’ at 50% of MMP, cool down 5-10 minutes at Recovery Zone
Technique, Zone 4, Zone 5 and 3’ & 20’ Tests - These sessions have a specific Warm up which is based on Maximum Minute Power (MMP), see below.
The 20 min Warm up for Technique, Zone 4, Zone 5 and 3’ & 20’ Tests
The Technique, Zone 4 and Zone 5 sessions and the 3’ & 20’ Tests have their own warm up due to their nature as high intensity sessions.
The idea is to make sure you are adequately warmed up for a high intensity training session, without causing fatigue. The warm up routines are examples only - getting the warm up right so thatit really works for an individual cyclist may take time. It is important to use and practice the warm up so the body adapts to the routine - it could be used as a stand alone practice session.
The resistance level and cadence you use for this warm up routine depends on your maximum minute power result and your cadence preference.
The exact position of the ‘rev outs’ can be variable but make sure they are towards the end of the warm up and that you have 1’ steady pedalling between each ‘rev out’. Always complete the warm up with 2’-3’ minutes at the lowest recommended cadence level. The last interval of 2’42” is to make the warm up last exactly 20 minutes.
Warm up on the Wattbike Pro
Warm Up A - Cadence 90-110rpm
Levels:
- for people with MMP of < 320 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 1
- for people with MMP of 320-360 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 2
- for people with MMP of 360-440 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
- for people with MMP of >440 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 4
| Time | 5’ | 2’ | 2’ | 2’ | 1’30” | 30” | 2’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 2’42” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadence | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 | Rev out 120-130 | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 |
If your MMP is less than 280-320 you may wish to consider the Wattbike Trainer as the Wattbike of choice. Warm up B and C are shown only as possible alternatives for cyclists with lower leg speed OR MMP.
Warm Up B - Cadence 85-105rpm
Levels:
- for people with MMP of < 290 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 1
- for people with MMP of 290-320 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 2
- for people with MMP of 320-390 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
- for people with MMP of > 390 W – also use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
| Time | 5’ | 2’ | 2’ | 2’ | 1’30” | 30” | 2’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 2’42” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadence | 85 | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | Rev out 115-125 | 85 | Max rev out 150+ | 85 | Max rev out 150+ | 85 | Max rev out 150+ | 85 |
Cadence 80-100rpm
Levels:
- for people with MMP of <260 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 1
- for people with MMP of 260-290 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 2
- for people with MMP of 290-350 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
- for people with MMP of > 350 W – also use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
| Time | 5’ | 2’ | 2’ | 2’ | 1’30” | 30” | 2’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 2’42” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadence | 80 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 100 | Rev out 110-120 | 80 | Max rev out | 80 | Max rev out | 80 | Max rev out | 80 |
Warm up on the Wattbike Trainer
Warm Up - Cadence 90-110rpm
Levels:
- for people with MMP of < 185 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 1
- for people with MMP of 185-200 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 2
- for people with MMP of 200-250 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 3
- for people with MMP of 250-300 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 4
- for people with MMP of 300-350 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 5
- for people with MMP of 350-390 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 6
- for people with MMP of 390-425 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 7
- for people with MMP of 425-450 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 8
- for people with MMP of 450-485 W - use Air Damper Lever Setting 9
- for people with MMP of >485 W – Use air damper Lever setting 10
| Time | 5’ | 2’ | 2’ | 2’ | 1’30” | 30” | 2’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 1’ | 6” | 2’42” |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadence | 90 | 95 | 100 | 105 | 110 | Rev out 120-130 | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 | Max rev out 150+ | 90 |
If your MMP is greater than 300-320 you may wish to consider the Wattbike Pro as the Wattbike of choice.
Always err on the side of caution and choose a level that produces the warm up effect.
Recommended Cool Downs
The recommended cool downs for the different type of session:
Recovery - 5’ slow pedalling – resistance level 1 60 rpm
Zone 1 & Zone 2 - 5’-10’ at Recovery Zone
Zone 3 - 10’ at Recovery Zone
10’ Progress Check - 5-10 minutes at Recovery Zone
Technique, Zone 4, Zone 5 and 3’ & 20’ Tests - 15-20 minutes at Recovery Zone
Do not miss your warm up and cool down, they are important components of any training session
Rest and Recovery Print