00:00We've all been there, we get back from a long hard ride and we just want to stuff our face with junk
00:04food and take an earned rest on the sofa but it may not be the best idea for not only your recovery
00:09that day but also for your injury niggles further down the line. With all that in mind here's our
00:14top tips for all the things you should do immediately after your ride.
00:30You're back from your ride and the first thing you'll probably do is head straight for your fridge
00:34looking for chocolate, cake, toast, it doesn't matter whatever it is you're probably going to want to
00:39eat it. If you can get ahead of your nutritional strategy before you even leave the house
00:43that can be key to your recovery. Therefore getting ahead of your post-ride routine before you even
00:49head out can be key. Preparing a protein recovery shake or a protein bar that you can eat immediately
00:55after your ride will mean you avoid any other less nutritious alternatives. Lastly you may have
01:01initially topped up your recovery stores with a protein shake and fluids when you got back from
01:06your ride but it's also key to have a balanced meal within a few hours of your ride to complete that
01:11recovery process. You should look to consume a meal which is lean in protein such as eggs chicken or
01:16tofu alongside complex carbohydrates such as rice or pasta and fats such as avocado. Depending on the
01:24type of session you have ridden after a hard ride a cyclist should look to consume one gram of
01:29carbohydrate for every kilogram of body weight along with 20 to 30 grams of protein in their recovery
01:35meal. Now our next tip is even more crucial in the warmer summer months as keeping on top of your
01:49hydration levels is key after every long ride. One way to understand how much water you have lost through
01:55sweat is to weigh yourself before and after your ride. Studies have shown that even low fluid losses
02:01can significantly affect your ability to ride. A two percent drop in body weight due to sweating
02:06for an 80 kilogram rider this would be 1.6 kilograms will impair performance noticeably. Therefore
02:12replacing water and lost sauce with an electrolyte drink after your ride will mean your body can begin
02:17recovering sufficiently and maintain other normal bodily functions. You can also tell how dehydrated you
02:23are through the colour of your urine. If it's running dark it means you need to drink more water whereas
02:28if it's running quite clear it means your hydration levels are back to normal.
02:38You've begun your refuelling and rehydration process and you're out the shower all clean but there's
02:44one thing that you should do which will really tip the scales in your favour when it comes to your recovery
02:49and that is a good cool down. This can be done in a few different ways you can either
02:53a foam roller or you just carry out a few basic stretches after each ride and here are Cycling
02:58Weekly's top four stretches you should do after every ride. Lying down bend your upper leg so that
03:05your foot is up towards your glute. Use the same hand on that side to pull the leg at the ankle closer
03:10and you should feel a stretch across the front of the quad. Hold for 30 seconds on each leg rolling over in between.
03:16Take a big step forward with your right leg keeping the knee directly above the ankle. The knee of the
03:28left leg should be resting on the floor. Put your hands on the ground either side of your foot a bit
03:33like a sprinter in the starting blocks. Hold for 30 seconds on each leg return to the start position
03:38before repeating on the other side. Sit on the floor with both of your legs outstretched. Extend your
03:47arms by reaching forward and bending at the waist as far as you can whilst keeping your knees straight
03:53and your back straight. Be sure to stretch until you feel a gentle pull in your hamstrings. If you feel
03:58any pain you should stop the exercise. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat. Lie on your
04:09back and slightly bend one leg. Raise your other foot up onto your bent leg and rest it on your thigh.
04:15Then stretch forward threading your arm through your legs to hold on to the back of your knee
04:19and pull it towards you. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then swap to the other leg and repeat.
04:25Those are our top tips what you should do after every ride. Do let us know in the comments section below
04:32what advice you'd give to your fellow cyclists. If you've liked our video give it a thumbs up and
04:37don't forget to subscribe to the Cycling Weekly channel. Until next time though, we'll see you then.
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