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I currently do nothing before or after a ride and always feel achy, for days sometimes...more than likely as a result of not stretching etc or eating and drinking the right things. Wondered how many of you are like me and how many have a routine when it comes to stretches etc that you can recommend...cheers!
I don't stretch, I never actually found it helped?
A warm down helps. Spend the last ten minutes of a ride spinning easy to. I used to arrive back at my house or car having ridden there flat out - not a great idea.
Plenty of fluids. Even on cold days you sweat a lot. Have a bottle in the car to drink on the way home. If at home consciously make the effort to drink more.
Massage - I've got a foam roller at home and a stick for travel. Gentle massage of the main big muscles in my legs works quite effectively. Stops me getting restless legs at night.
If you are still aching the next day then a gentle spin, just enough to get the blood pumping in your legs can help loosen them up. Monday morning commute into work is always a drag but by the time I come home I feel much better.
I've found this worse as I've got older. A warm down followed by fluids and energy replacement works for me.
This could be beer and a burger in my 20's, but my wiser head uses cleaner content I've either made (healthy picnic/lunchbox) or bought (recovery drinks/food) myself.
I think it depends on how often you ride. I'm getting older by the minute, but dont feel bad after a ride as I normally ride 4, 5 or 6 times a week. I only feel sore if I just ride once or twice.
I’m getting older by the minute, but dont feel bad after a ride as I normally ride 4, 5 or 6 times a week. I only feel sore if I just ride once or twice.
I agree. But I’m feeling sore after riding this week because I’m eating too much crap - just too much, actually - and have drunk every night for over a week. Normally I’d be fine.
Depends how hard I ride. Over an hour hard, or over 2 hours medium or more than 4 I do a full recovery - Skratch Recovery Mix plus lunch, anything less I just make sure I eat and drink something.
Google Yoga MTB cool down with Abi for good recovery stretches.
Other than remembering to hydrate and making sure I have a pee before heading home, nothing.
If it a half decent ride,I find a quick basic stretch of everything , some milk with some recovery powder in a shaker works wonders for me. If I dont do this I feel tired, sore and sluggish next day.
Chris Hoy has something in his new book about the importance of fats in your diet.
Something with the right mix of carbohydrates, fats and protein in the first hour after exercise.
That looks perfect for a mid-bimble snack- slice of that pork 'n egg thing, flask of tea, sit down for a few minutes, smashing!
We'll take a sandwich and fruit or home made flapjack to eat on a ride and I'll only take water or very weak (sugar free) juice to drink. I'll usually have a nice cuppa and something savoury when we get in from a decent length ride. No aches and pains other than the ones associated with getting old! We do ride pretty often though, usually four or five times a week even if it's only a quick 30 minute blast out.