Many athletes think about recovery and rest when they are leading up to races, but often overlook recovery before and after a practice session. Pre/Post workout is where some time and focus really helps to improve overall feel on a bike – especially when training hard day in and day out.
Its important to keep in mind that every rider is different, but maybe some of my tips and tricks will help you!
I have gotten into the habit of going through an activation routine before I start a workout. I do this whether I’m lifting or doing efforts on the bike. Activation drills include dynamic stretching and isometric exercises. I really like to start at my feet and work my way up to my shoulders and neck! Here’s my list of exercises that I try to work through.
- Ankle rotations
- Calf walks
- Frankenstein walks (basically a slow and controlled forward kick to stretch your hamstrings)
- Walking quad stretch (pulling your heal to your glute – opposite hand to foot)
- Walking figure four (pulling your heal up toward your opposite hip in front of your body, it will make the shape of a 4 in front of you)
- Walking lunges (to stretch your hip flexors – sink into it)
- Some form of abdominal work: plank, leg raises, fifer scissors etc.
- Supermans
- Thread the needle (to stretch your arms)
- Wrist rotations
- Shoulder shrugs and neck rolls
- balance drills
Activating your muscles before a workout warms them up and prepares them to put out hard efforts. It can also help to prevent injury! This doesn’t have to be long maybe 5-10 minutes.
When I get done working out I have a static stretching routine that I like to go through. I prefer dynamic stretching before and static afterwards. (Note: There is a lot of research done trying to prove when dynamic/static stretching should be implemented into a workout regime. Here are a few links! I’ll let you decide for yourself! Dynamic VS. Static-Stretching Warm Up: The Effect On Power And Agility Performance , Acute Effects of Static, Dynamic, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Stretching on Muscle Power in Women , Current Concepts In Muscle Stretching For Exercise and Rehabilitation , The Acute Effects of a Warm-Up Including Static or Dynamic Stretching on Countermovement Jump Height, Reaction Time, and Flexibility) For me, dynamic stretching feels like waking my muscles up and raising my heart rate, and static feels like I’m cooling my muscles down and slowing my heart rate. My list for stretching is fluid depending on what feels most tight on my body, but here’s a starter kit:
- Calf stretch (foot pressed up against a wall, toes pointed toward the ceiling)
- Seated straddle stretch
- Piriformis stretch
- Quad stretch (from a lung, drop one knee and then pull the foot on that leg up toward your glute)
- Cobra pose
- Downward Facing Dog
- Pigeon Pose
- Child’s Pose
- Feet up the wall (I like to lay on my back with my feet up on a wall. It’s a good hamstring stretch and it helps to drain the lactic acid out of your legs)
Rolling goes hand in hand with stretching and activation! You can roll Pre-workout for more activation, but it’s important to make sure that its light. Rolling to much before a workout breaks down muscle fibers which will result in many of the same effects as static stretching. After a workout is when you want to spend more time rolling. This will help to reduce tightness and kick start the recovery process. I approach rolling the same way I approach activation – working my way up from my toes to my neck!
This next tip is more of a preference, but I try to get out in the sunshine when its possible. This is a great way to soak up some Vitamin D which helps to maintain strong bones, and has several other health benefits such as immune support and boosted cardiovascular health. I definitely wouldn’t recommend laying out and baking in the sun because it zaps your energy, and is a quick way to get dehydrated, but a little sunshine goes a long way. Some might even say it’s good for the soul.
This next one should be obvious, but many people don’t respect the amount of sleep it takes to recover properly. In our busy world full of stress, technology, and social events, our sleep takes the biggest hit. I try to get at least 8.5 hours of sleep a night, if not 9+ (especially if my athletic workload has been extra heavy). This much sleep helps to reduce my muscles soreness faster, and allows me to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to tackle whatever the day has to throw at me!
Rest day means rest day! Need I say more? It’s okay to do some active recovery like stretching, rolling, and maybe some yoga for recovery if you’re really antsy, but this is a day to stay off the bike, kick your feet up and relax. For me rest day means reading, writing, and playing my guitar.
Next, an athletic career is built in the gym and the kitchen. If you are not properly fueling your body, you will not recover properly. Protein is a must, and lots of it. It is important to get protein into your body within a 30 minute window after a workout so you can start repairing your muscle tissues as soon as possible. Many coaches I have talked to recommend between 1.5-2.0 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day. You can get protein from lean meats, nuts, beans, eggs, and several other foods. Another important part of an athlete’s diet is veggies! These have the vitamins and minerals needed to recover properly and feel good while working out. One of my biggest focuses is getting enough Iron, which I can get from greens!
Last comes hydration – I constantly have a water bottle in hand before, during, and after my workouts and races. When I’ve had a really hard workout, I tend to put electrolyte tabs in my water to help with recovering what I’ve lost while sweating. One important note to remember is to not drink so much water as to flush out your system ‘Sip, don’t chug.’
So that’s it, take each tip as you will! Just remember – don’t change anything you do on race day or the night before! You have trained your body to respond to your daily routine, so implementing something different close to competition could have negative effects. Try adding in some of these ideas well before your events so your body has ample time to get used to the changes. This will help you to compete at your best!
As always – Happy Training,
Ash
The Bike Life 