Just because you're not a pro cyclist doesn't mean you shouldn't pay attention to cycling recovery! In fact, it might be even more critical for you to use every recovery trick you can find. Professional athletes are frequently able to complete a workout and then relax the rest of the day. For the rest of us, we cram a ride in between work meetings, lawn mowing, and soccer games for the kids. If you don't take your recuperation seriously, your body will be unhappy, and you won't be able to make the gains and improvements you desire.
Here are Ten important things as part of cycling recovery, you should do after every ride, especially after hard races, rides, or training weeks with a lot of volume. Aside from obtaining enough sleep, the most of them don't take much time or effort.
Cycling Recovery Methods: -
#1 Relax and Cool Down Before Full Stop: -
The most important step for hard cyclists is following of cool down procedure as a basic part of cycling recovery. You could remember how in Physical training class you'd run a mile or more and then "cool down" by walking for a while? The reason of doing so is that our blood flow reduces quickly if you switch from a strenuous effort to nothing. This prevents blood from returning to your muscles, preventing them from receiving appropriate nutrition and aiding in repair.
This reduction in blood flow is avoided when you cool down. As a result, make sure to spend the last few minutes of your ride performing some light spinning. You shouldn't immediately hang your bike up in the garage after an interval.
The other aspect of "cooling down" has to do with the temperature of your body. If your core temperature remains excessive after a ride, your system will remain stressed for longer.
Take a cold shower if you're still overheated at the end of your ride (this is especially prevalent in the summer). It doesn't have to be an ice bath (though if that's your thing, go ahead), just some cool water to assist lower your core temperature. It also works if you can go for a swim in a pool, lake, or river.
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#2 Refueling
Second important aspect of cycling recovery is Refueling. It is the most important thing you can do after a ride to aid your body's recovery. You know what I'm talking about if you've ever done a long, hard ride and then waited too long to refuel. You'll finish up feeling weak, weary, and irritable for the rest of the day.
The type of refueling you require is determined by the length and difficulty of your trip. When you finish a leisurely hour-long bike, you won't require any particular refueling effort. Simply eat a nutritious, whole-food diet that includes a decent balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and your body will receive the nutrients it requires.
The timing is crucial in this scenario. Within 30 minutes of finishing your ride, you should eat a snack that contains a combination of protein and carbohydrates. If you miss that window, your body's ability to recuperate will be severely harmed.
Within 30 minutes, we want to consume 25 to 30 grams of animal protein (or 50 grams of vegetarian protein) as women. This should be eaten with a carbohydrate-rich meal.
A smoothie with banana, yogurt, and whey protein is a great recovery food. A turkey sandwich is also a nice option.
Your body's recovery is mostly dependent on your daily nutrition, whether your ride is long and hard or short and easy. Fad or restrictive diets, or, on the other hand, a diet high in junk food and sugar, will prevent you from reaching your maximum potential.
Female athletes require a diet rich in all three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein, and fat (think unboxed and unprocessed). A diet that deprives you of any of these will negatively impact your athletic performance and recovery. You should try to consume 40% of your calories from carbohydrates, 30% from protein, and the remaining 30% from fat.
You may use a variety of apps to track your diet for a few weeks to check if you're getting a good mix.
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#3 Get a Massage
Massage is quite beneficial in cycling recovery. It helps your muscles by removing stagnant fluid, enhancing blood flow, and releasing any knots.
However, most of us are unable to receive massages on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. (However, if you have the opportunity, go for it!)
For the rest of us, ten minutes on a foam roller can deliver many of the same benefits as a professional massage while costing a fraction of the price! In the evenings, I prefer to use the foam roller while watching TV or speaking with my family. Roll out your glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, back, hips, and IT band using the foam roller.
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#4 Obtain Enough Sleep
Having a complete sleep is also another important aspect of cycling recovery. It's a cliché, but it's true: obtaining a good night's sleep is one of the most crucial things you can do to aid your body's recovery. While you're sleeping, the hormones that help you create muscles increase, and they're important for healing and rebuilding your muscles.
While you should usually strive for 7 to 8 hours of sleep, you may require even more following long days or high-volume weeks. Many professional athletes get nine or even ten hours of sleep per night.
If you're getting lots of sleep but still don't feel fully recovered, it's time to step away from the bike. Take some rest days and pay attention to your nutrition.
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#5 Keep up the Hydration
On the bike, you should drink enough to avoid being dehydrated towards the end of your ride. But, as we all know, this isn't always the case. It's possible you failed to drink enough water on your bike, or it was a very hot day.
Jump on the scale to see if you need to re-hydrate after a ride. You should drink about 1 litre of liquids for every pound you lose.
No, you shouldn't drink a lot of water. Slowly sip it over the next few hours until you're fully re-hydrated. You're fine once your urine is clear.
#6 Stretch Your Legs
This is a really easy and effective cycling recovery method. Simply lie down on your back and lean against the wall with your legs straight up. Then sit back and watch TV, listen to a podcast, or nap.
Elevating your legs can aid in the reduction of swelling and the drainage of any fluid. Do you ever get that heavy feeling in your legs after a long ride? This will be beneficial.
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#7 Wear Compression Clothing
Although the science on compression clothing is mixed, many riders swear by it . Compression socks or tights can assist in recuperation by pushing blood back toward the heart.
If I've put in a lot of effort and my legs are heavy, I'll put on compression socks in the evening for a few hours, preferably with my legs propped up.
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#8 Meditation
Meditation is an ancient method to release the stress. Because your body can't tell the difference between physical and mental stress, if you're emotionally stressed, your physical performance will suffer.
Even if you take all the necessary procedures to cycling recover after a ride, if you are still emotionally anxious, your body will not heal properly. Meditation and other mindfulness practices can go a long way toward assisting your body's recovery.
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#9 Use Compression Pumps
Using of compression pumps is an active cycling recovery method. Compession pumps are motorised boots that you zip on to literally pump your leg muscles, similar to compression gear but more pricey. This helps to pump stagnant fluid out of your muscles and return blood to the heart. Check out Latest deals of Compression Pumps on Amazon.
When you unzip the boots, nutrient-rich re-oxygenated blood rushes back to the muscles to aid in the repair of damage.
#10 Try EMS Devices - Muscle Simulators
Electrical muscle stimulation devices (EMS) are another costly but effective technique to aid muscle recovery. The equipment causes your muscles to contract by sending an electric impulse and increasing blood flow to them. Check out Latest Deals on Amazon.
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Conclusion & Recommendations
When you're an ardent cyclist, cycling recovery is a vital part of your entire training strategy. You can increase your chance of injury and burnout if you don't properly recuperate from your bike race. You may even be able to limit your participation in future races.
If you're following all of the measures above and still haven't recovered, You'll need to take it easy and give your body time to heal.
Make sure to take at least one day off per week to avoid overtraining. (It's fine to take the dog for a walk.) This is difficult for many of us to accomplish, but it is necessary!
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