00:00We've all been there, we get back from a long hard ride and we just want to stuff our face
00:04with junk
00:04food and take an earned rest on the sofa but it may not be the best idea for not only
00:08your 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
00:33looking 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
01:10that
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 meal.
01:44Now our next tip is even more crucial in the warmer summer months as keeping on top of your hydration
01:50levels is key after every long ride. One way to understand how much water you have lost through sweat
01:55is to weigh yourself before and after your ride. Studies have shown that even low fluid losses can
02:01significantly affect your ability to ride. A two percent drop in body weight due to sweating for an
02:0680 kilogram rider this would be 1.6 kilograms will impair performance noticeably. Therefore replacing
02:12water and lost sauce with an electrolyte drink after your ride will mean your body can begin recovering
02:17sufficiently and maintain other normal bodily functions. You can also tell how dehydrated you are through the
02:24colour of your urine. If it's running dark it means you need to drink more water whereas if it's running
02:29quite clear it means your hydration levels are back to normal. You've begun your refuelling and rehydration
02:41process and you're out of the shower all clean but there's one thing that you should do which will
02:46really tip the scales in your favour when it comes to your recovery and that is a good cool down.
02:51This can be
02:51done in a few different ways you can either foam roller or you just carry out a few basic stretches
02:56after each ride and here are cycling weekly's top four stretches you should do after every ride.
03:02Lying down bend your upper leg so that your foot is up towards your glute. Use the same hand on
03:08that
03:08side to pull the leg at the ankle closer and you should feel a stretch across the front of the
03:12quad.
03:13Hold for 30 seconds on each leg rolling over in between.
03:22Take a big step forward with your right leg keeping the knee directly above the ankle.
03:27The knee of the left leg should be resting on the floor. Put your hands on the ground either side
03:32of
03:32your foot a bit like a sprinter in the starting blocks. Hold for 30 seconds on each leg return to
03:37the
03:38star position before repeating on the other side. Sit on the floor with both of your legs outstretched.
03:47Extend your arms by reaching forward and bending at the waist as far as you can whilst keeping your
03:52knees straight and your back straight. Be sure to stretch until you feel a gentle pull in your hamstrings.
03:57If you feel any pain you should stop the exercise. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat.
04:08Lie on your back and slightly bend one leg. Raise your other foot up onto your bent leg and rest
04:14it
04:14on your thigh. Then stretch forward threading your arm through your legs to hold onto the back of your
04:19knee and pull it towards you. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then swap to the other leg and
04:24repeat.
04:27Those are our top tips for what you should do after every ride. Do let us know in the comments
04:31section
04:32below what 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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