Recovery after a long ride

It’s easy to forget about riding a bicycle, and find that I have been on a bicycle for 2-3 hours, and when I wake up, I find that my legs are made of jelly. So here are some quick tips and tricks to help you recover after cycling

Hydration is the key

Consider water first, especially when you are riding long distances. The general rule of hydration is to drink one bottle per hour on the bike, and more if the weather is hot, but once you get off the bike, maintaining fluid intake is important for recovery.

For the best results, the electrolytes, sugars, and carbohydrates in professional sports drinks will help your body absorb fluids best, thereby improving sports performance and recovery.

Refuel the right way

Though the temptation to reward yourself with something greasy can be strong, ensuring you refuel after a ride with the food your body needs is an important part of recovery.

The amino acids found in protein are proven to decrease exercise-induced muscle damage and promote muscle repair, so a high-protein meal – like beef, chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, and legumes – after a ride is recommended.

Hard rides also use up your carbohydrate stores, and the best time to replenish them is within 30 minutes of your ride. Sneaking in a carb-rich snack in that window will do your recovery a world of good.

Rest up

Rest may be the most important part of the recovery process. When you fall asleep, muscle growth hormone will surge, so sleep time is actually recovery time, you should make sure that you close your eyes peacefully throughout the night after a long ride.

However, after a long ride, before you step on the hay, it can help you recover with some stretching or massage. When you pedal hard, your blood vessels expand, and when you stop suddenly, blood stops circulating, limiting your ability to obtain fresh nutrients and oxygen-rich blood and drain fluids, which are muscle repair and recovery The key. Go to the next point...

Active recovery

Rest is very important, but staying active between rides can also help you recover. This may mean riding lightly after a heavier ride to flip your legs, or cycling/walking to work at will during the week to help recover from weekend workouts.

Another less strenuous activity is stretching, which can prevent stiffness and help keep the body flexible for future efforts, or use a massage stick or foam roller-this helps drain body fluids and encourage fresh blood to flow in and help reconstruction.

Active recovery

Rest is very important, but staying active between rides can also help you recover. This may mean riding lightly after a heavier ride to flip your legs, or cycling/walking to work at will during the week to help recover from weekend workouts.

Another less strenuous activity is stretching, which can prevent stiffness and help keep the body flexible for future efforts, or use a massage stick or foam roller-this helps drain body fluids and encourage fresh blood to flow in and help reconstruction.