HOW TO MAXIMSE YOUR RECOVERY

Recovery is a critical component in sport performance and should be included in any successful training program, as it is in those moments when we are resting that the body adapts to the stress of exercise and the real training effect takes place. Recovery also allows the body to rejuvenate energy stores and repair damaged tissues.

Giving yourself enough time to recover is sometimes more important than the actual training. This is very important and should not be underestimated.
In fact, this concept is not fully understood by some motivated riders who struggle with the idea of giving up their training time for rest days.

Getting recovery wrong can compromise the hard efforts on the bike and can lead to injury, fatigue, lack of enthusiasm and overtraining. Therefore, the key is to find a balance between training and recovery.
Some of the best recovery practices are the following:

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1-SLEEP
Recovery happens when we are resting. Getting enough sleep is very important and a key factor in effective training and recovery.
Make sure you sleep at least 7/8 hrs per night for proper recovery. If the training session or race was very hard and long, it can be a good idea to take a nap just right after.

2-POST TRAINING/RACING NUTRITION
Fluid, electrolytes, carbohydrates and protein are the foundation of proper recovery nutrition. Immediately on finishing a training or racing (within 30 minutes window) it is important to intake the correct nutrients to accelerate the recovery process. This is even more important in stage races.
Try to follow the rule of a ratio 3:1 carbs to protein.
Protein intake of at least 20 gr immediately after training and races is proven to boost the rate of muscle protein synthesis, stimulate muscle protein growth, and enhance the skeletal muscle adaptive response to endurance training.
Remember that carbs and protein work together to replenish your glycogen stores more efficiently.
Therefore, if you had 20 grams of protein, have 60 grams of carbs. If you had 25 grams of protein, have 75 grams of carbs.

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3-DIET
What you eat just after training or racing it is really important to accelerate recovery, but it is nothing without a proper diet.
Healthy snacks are also important throughout the day as well as your next meal after recovery, as it is essential for your overall recovery. This meal should include:
-Carbs, that replenish glycogen and help muscle repair.
-Protein, that helps to re-build muscles.
-Essential fats, useful to help muscle repair and for inflammation.
-Veg that helps repair cell damage.

4-STAY HYDRATED
Water is a crucial factor for training/racing and recovery and it's one of most important nutrients for the cyclist.
Without the right amount of fluids on board, you are at unnecessary risk for dehydration, lower training intensity, and heat illness.
Water is a lubricant for your muscular fibres and maintains a proper body temperature.
It is also a very good “hunger-killer” and helps reduce lipid deposits with its lubricating action.
In fact, it is the water that divides the nutrients inside our body, passing them through the cell membranes and delivering nutrients to every part of our system.
During a cycling activity, losing about 2% of your body weight in water is equivalent to up to 6% decrease in your performance.
If you go over, a 10-12% can be extremely dangerous.
It is therefore essential for athletes to plan carefully a good rehydration strategy.

5-TAPERING WEEKS
Make sure that you have microcycles and mesocycles periods during your season. Those periods should contain recovery weeks.
There are many reasons and considerations behind a tapering week:
Tapering weeks allows us to recover, reducing physiology and psychology stress from accumulated weeks of training, also, they maximise performance in the upcoming race.

6-ACTIVE RECOVERY
When you have an active recovery ride scheduled on your plan that includes some riding at a low zone (Zone 1) make sure you stick with it. It is important to train hard in hard days but it is essential to take it very easy and recover when you need to.
As a coach, I see a common mistake in riding too hard during active recovery rides. A recovery ride should consist of simply turning the pedals over with minimal pressure.
Low-intensity active recovery boosts blood circulation, which removes lactic acid from your muscles, helping facilitate recovery faster than the sedentary approach.

7-COOL DOWN
After races or training sessions, make sure you spin out your legs for 10 minutes allowing the vessels to contract slowly and expire the waste products as carbon dioxide. Remember that this riding easy is the beginning of your recovery and has a big influence on how you feel the next day.

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8-COMPRESSION SOCKS AND RECOVERY BOOTS
They are useful for improving leg circulation. In fact, compression socks increase venous blood flow velocity and valve effectiveness, help reduce swelling, fatigue, and muscle soreness after intense exercise. The newest compression therapy are the compression boots that are proven to be more efficient and the world's best athletes are using them at the moment.

10-FOAM ROLLER AND MASSAGE
Foam roller is a great self-way to release muscles after a hard training session and make them feel fresh for tomorrow’s ride.
Massage help loosens tight spots, flush toxic chemicals and keep your fibres smooth, encouraging fresh blood to flow in and help rebuild. Massages are also critical for injury prevention since tight muscles can be worked out before causing imbalances that could result in injury.

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11-STRETCHING EXERCISES
Another way to release muscles after training or racing is by doing stretching. In fact, stretching can help increase blood flow to the muscles, improves elasticity and flexibility, as well as injury prevention.

12-LEGS UP
By elevating legs above the level of your heart it helps improve circulation and help speed up recovery.

13-DON'T TRAIN TOO HARD
Consistency and variety is the key for successful training. Consistent training with an appropriate training load and recovery time is essential.
Make sure you have some days off and some active recovery on your plan. If the coach is giving you a day off there is a reason behind it, so enjoy the extra rest.
Remember that the training that you do in a given day will impact the training that you have planned on the following day. So where possible, try to not mix training session around.

Matteo Cigala
Founder and Head Coach​