Cycling is an effective workout to burn calories and tone muscles while at the same time helping to shed unwanted weight, although without adequate recovery after each ride your results could be impaired.
At the conclusion of every ride, taking in a recovery drink immediately can soothe muscles and prevent dehydration, helping you make sure recovery goes as quickly as possible. But there are certain activities after cycling which could delay its process and hinder recovery.
Overeating
Cycling can be an excellent way to burn calories and stay fit, but it’s crucial that when it comes to eating post-ride, healthy choices should be made. Eating well will help you lose weight more easily while giving you energy needed to meet training goals. There are certain activities to avoid after riding such as overeating or drinking alcohol – don’t do either of those!
Overeating after cycling can cause stomach pains, discomfort, bloating and vomiting. To minimise these side effects it’s best to have a light meal that can be digested quickly – one high in carbohydrates but low in fats as fats slow the digestive process.
Carb-rich foods should be consumed both before and during a ride to ensure optimal fuel intake for performance, yet do not overload yourself. When your stomach starts grumbling it means your body needs more nutrition to support muscle recovery and repair; post ride protein consumption can assist this process but avoid overdoing it; eating too much may actually hinder results!
Alcohol can impede recovery after a ride as it acts as a diuretic, pulling water out of your cells and leading to dehydration. Furthermore, alcohol hinders absorption of key vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Folic acid and Zinc from food sources in your body.
Many cyclists mistakenly assume they must consume special recovery foods after every training session; this is not necessarily true. You should aim to consume approximately 30-60 grams of carbs per hour of exercise in order to maximize performance and recovery. If you need assistance planning your nutrition strategy for cycling, consult a sports dietitian or ask an experienced cyclist.
While it may be tempting to grab a beer after an exhausting bike ride, it’s better to opt for non-alcoholic drinks like water and sports drinks instead. Heineken 0.0 can even provide a refreshing post-ride reward as it has all of the same taste without hindering cycling performance.
Drinking Alcohol
Many cyclists enjoy unwinding after a ride by sipping a beer, which is fine if you’re celebrating finishing a race or an enjoyable summer cycle, but drinking alcohol after purposeful training sessions could actually dehydrate and hamper recovery processes.
Drink a recovery drink or smoothie immediately following your ride and replenish any electrolytes lost through sweat. If choosing beer as your beverage of choice, be mindful that dark varieties contain higher alcohol contents that won’t provide as much hydration benefits.
Avoid alcohol during the hours leading up to sleep as this could make you more drowsy upon awakening and hinder your ability to recover properly from cycling.
Skipping the Cool Down
No matter if you are an amateur cyclist or professional rider, recovery is paramount to performance. Professional cyclists have carefully tailored recovery routines after every ride to give their muscles time to heal and grow while amateur riders often make post-ride mistakes that hinder performance.
One of the greatest mistakes when exercising is neglecting to take a proper cool down period after each workout session. This step can restore blood flow to legs, remove metabolic waste products and clear muscle of any lactic acid build-up; though this process might take only minutes of your time it will help your legs recover quicker!
Failure to properly fuel after cycling can also be costly. Fitness experts advise eating protein and carbs to restore lost energy; experts suggest eating something like three egg omelette, large potato with banana for optimal nutrition post ride.
Dehydration can make it harder for your heart to pump blood throughout your body and affect recovery, thus slowing it. Rehydrating with electrolyte drinks might also be useful if cycling for an extended period or during hot weather.
After every ride, it’s wise to spend some time engaging in stretching and mobility exercises in order to maximize range of motion while preventing stiffness in muscles. Lunge stretches, windmills, and arm circles are some of the best mobility exercises.
By doing these exercises regularly, your body will become better at managing the strain and stress caused by moderate and intense exercise – which will help to avoid injury, sickness and overtraining.
Relaxing and recovering properly following each bike ride will enhance your performance, benefitting not only your health but also helping you ride longer, faster, harder. Be wary of common cycling recovery missteps to maximize training effectiveness. Follow a proper cycling recovery routine for maximum training benefits.
Read also: Why Cycling Can Be Bad For Your Bones
