recovery - I Love Bicycling

Post Ride Recovery Rituals

February 11, 2014 by U.M.

Many cyclists have different ways of cooling down after a long ride. In fact, each person will find that they have different needs when it comes to their muscles depending on the ride itself. Of the multiple post ride recovery rituals, here are a few of the most popular.

Stats

Not everyone is in to stats, but the ones that are are obsessed. One of the most common things to do after a ride is to upload your stats and check them – even before you take off your shoes. Did you capture that KOM? Did you have a higher average power output? How fast did you climb that hill…

Fluids and Food

One of the most efficient ways to recover is to replace the lost fluids in your body. During your bike ride you will most likely find that you sweat quite a bit. Sweat is the body’s way of cooling you down so that you don’t overheat, but it can also cause dehydration. Because water drives nearly every metabolic function in your body, dehydration is no joke. You can also lose the salts in your body through sweat. Both the fluids and the salts need to be replaced.

Eating food after your ride will also help you recover by replenishing the fuel stored in your body. By eating the proper food, you will be able to recover energy more quickly and your body will also be able to repair any tissue damage caused by exercise. The ideal time to eat after your bike ride is within 60 minutes of finishing.

Stretching/Massage

An important part of a post ride recovery is stretching. Don’t bother with strenuous stretching, but rather very gentle stretching. This will keep your loose muscles from becoming too rigid too quickly as they try to return to their resting state. This will also help prevent muscle soreness.

Massage is also going to help clear the lactic acid out and help you recover; however, not everyone can afford a massage after every ride. I recommend using a foam roller, if you do not already, it will change your life.

Rest

Rest is the most important thing you can do to recover from any sort of exercise. Even if you just take a few minutes to rest, you will feel better than if you didn’t rest at all. A 10 – 30 minute nap is ideal if you are able to sneak it in, but a good night’s sleep is the best thing you can do for yourself. Not only will you be able to recover fully but you will be more prepared for the next time you get on your bike.

When you are in recovery mode remember: Never stand when you can lean, never lean when you can sit and never sit when you can lie down!

Your post ride recovery ritual will depend on how hard of a bike ride you had. By tailoring your ritual for what your body needs, you will be able to recover quickly and efficiently. By recovering properly you will also be able to prevent the injuries that come with tired or strained muscles.

Post Ride Massage – Selfie

October 2, 2013 by Lee Agur

If you can spend an hour or two riding a bike, you can spend 5 to 10 minutes stretching and giving yourself a post ride massage. Unfortunately, I did not always believe this and it resulted in lower back pain and a few knee injuries. It all could have been prevented!

Post ride massages help you: recover faster, reduce/prevent injury, relax/elongate your muscles, improve circulation, flush metabolic cellular waste byproducts, calm your nervous system, relieve pain and feel better.

Now I do not know about you, but not many people are lining up to give me a massage. Weird. I use a foam roller, a lacrosse ball and a hand held massage device. I have a quick little ritual I do.

I start rolling on my lower back which usually cracks a few times and it instantly makes me feel better. Then I move to my IT band (source of my knee injuries) and I pretend my leg is on a rotisserie, rolling up and down… moving from the IT band to the quads, to the inner thigh and finally the hamstring. After my legs are done I massage my glutes, and most of the time I forget the calves… but I recommend hitting them up as well. 5 minutes down 5 to go.

After rolling it is likely you found some “awesome” spots (read as: “sore” spots). I try and spend a few minutes concentrated on them with the lacrosse ball. If they were “awesome” with the roller they are going to be really “awesome” with the lacrosse ball. Sometimes these areas just hurt too much and I remember that I need to focus on them later.

In the evenings I generally come back to the “awesome” spots and use the handheld massage device to focus on these areas while laying down and watching a TV-show or a movie.

5 Healthy Tips for Cycling

October 1, 2013 by Lee Agur

Cut Out Excess

Thursday is doughnut day at my office. Now I don’t know about you, but I like a good doughnut! I used to sneak three! Who needs three doughnuts before noon? As I got a little more serious about cycling I decided to reason with myself, I decided that one doughnut should suffice. I did not cut them out all together, and I think that is important.

Eat Breakfast

Why did I want three doughnuts? Well, it is likely that I ran out the door on the way to work because I valued sleep more than food. I am not a morning person. I recently heard a phrase that goes something like, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” Although I do not necessarily think they had the cyclist in mind, because of hard workouts, I do believe in the theory. Unless you just returned from a long bike ride, then your body likely does not need all the calories in the evening as it is shutting down for bed; on the other hand, in the morning, it is just getting fired up!

Swap

Swap unhealthy snacks for healthier snacks. Even swapping Potato chips for popcorn is a win. Cake for dark chocolate. Ice cream for frozen fruit. I used to get hangry (hungry angry) between 4 and 5 o’clock, I would wait until Mary (the receptionist at work) left her desk so I could steal the candy that was meant for the clients. Now I go to the grocery store and buy a veggie plate and stick it in the lunch room. Simple.

Plan Your Meals

Here is definitely one of my weak points. Thank God for my Fiancée! She loves cooking! I buy her a cookbook and she thinks I am wonderful. Go figure. It has nothing to do with my hidden agenda of having delicious and healthy food cooked for me. Variety is the spice of life, your body needs different nutrients in order to stay healthy; otherwise, we could just eat power bars and honey stingers all the time.

Fuel Properly During and After Rides

I used to get on a bike, go for a rip, have a few swigs of water, then take a shower and eventually get around to eating. I would wake up sore and tired and it would undoubtedly turn into a couch day. Now when I ride i make sure to fuel properly. That in itself allows me to ride harder and get in a better workout. Then I eat within 30 minutes after a workout, and this allows me to recover more quickly. The faster you recover the better cyclist you will become. If you eat within 30 – 60 minutes after a workout your body will fast-track those nutrients to muscle repair and glycogen replacement. Cycling is really about fast recovery.