Recover from a hard ride is a phrase that get a lot search on google. People reach out for help after cycling is not new. Because cycling except the benefits it bring , some time it can cause some difficulty when riders over workout.
In this article let’ s talk about the tips which will help you to quickly regain your strength.
Recover from a hard ride, some methods as following
Water is the first solution
The first thing you need to be sure is you need to drink enough water. Water takes 70% of the weight of our body , It means that if you do not drink enough , your body can not function well. And can not repair itself as it could be . Keep drink water as much as you can, do not wait till you feel thirsty because when brain requires you drink , it means your body is already in urgent needs.
Using ice to reduce inflammation
It is good to know that we can use ice to reduce inflammation. Injuries from cycling can be some bruises spots ,joint swelling, sprains , muscle strains, plantar fasciitis… It can be healed by using ice. Doing it properly can reduce inflammation in urgent cases and support the body to be able to heal in good speed.
You should not put ice directly on the surface of the injury. If you apply this method it will burn the tissues of skin, causing more damage. You should only pack some ice in one tower then putting it on the surface of injury. The cool from ice will reduce temperature, without causing more problem on wounded areas
Depending on how bad the injury , be sure do it for around 15- 20 minutes, and repeat it a few times a day.
You also can use an ice gel pack
An ice gel pack is portable plastic bag filled with water, liquids or refrigerant gel. Normally it is put on fridge and can be reused to help athletes calm the injury down
Both above methods are safe and useful to stop swelling and pain. and don’t burn your skin.
In an urgent case, you should do it as soon as possible. Especially with plantar fasciitis case injury, you need to apply these methods more times per day. Because this kind of injury makes you feel hard to walk , balance on every step of walking.
A light massage around the injury place is a good recommendation, this will reduce discomfort and boost blood circulation . The dark bruises, or sore stiff pain will quickly fade away.
Hot bath can be excellent method to recover from a hard ride
Hot bath is a kind of light therapy which people used to reduce stress and anxiety, bring a feeling calm and relaxing .It naturally removes dust and toxins on the surface of skin, release the stiff and sore muscles.
Food and nutrition to help quicker recover from a hard ride
After a hard ride, your body already spent all of its energy. What you need now to take a good balanced nutrition meal to get back energy. As your body needs nutrition to repair and rebuild muscles.
Lean meat with high protein quality like chicken breast, beef , pork tenderloin, turkey are recommended.
Whole grains, all kinds of nuts, milk and daisies with less fat ,fruits , raw and fresh vegetables ofcourse should not be missed in your meal.
Fish and sea foods are great sources of minerals and protein for your brain function and muscle building.
Stretching
Stretching after riding will help to loosen up the stiffness and soreness of muscles. After riding you may feel pain and soreness in some parts of your body. You may apply some methods as follow
With Hamstring stretch: Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your body and try to reach your toes and hold on till you feel good enough.
Quadricep stretch: First you stand up and pull one leg backward, lower it down and stretch it to the surface of the floor. Hold this position for a while and then do the same thing to the other leg.
Calf stretch: Place your hand on a wall and step one leg forward. Slowly lower this leg down till 90 degrees while pulling the other leg behind and stretch it out. Keep position for a while and switch legs and repeat .
Get enough sleep.
One of the benefits of cycling is it will make you sleep well. You will fall asleep quickly after a ride. There is no suspicious about this. But let’s talk about what a good sleep bring to us?.
First, physically you will fill full of energy and your body are ready for work . Secondly , your mind will calmer, your brain getting sharper for making decision.
And you may feel the tiredness and sluggishness if you don’t sleep good at night.
As a good sleep is a necessary condition for recovering from a ride , a work out day.
When you are in deep sleep, your brain is in a resting mood as well as other parts of the body. Only your autonomic nervous system is still working .It uses all existing energy auto fixing the damaged tissues. Your liver and kidney will work with full capacity to release toxins out of the body. All of this quiet process will make you a new , clean version of yourself. It makes you will feel fresh on the next day.
This will not go smoothly if you can’t sleep and stay up all night.
Recover from a hard ride by using Massage Guns.
You may consider trying a massage gun. This small handy equipment can help loose up tight muscles and improve blood circulation. Boost your recovery quicker
Use a compression therapy boots
You may consider using a compression boots.
In recent years ,Compression boots therapy are available products on the market which applies massage – like therapy to compress muscles and stimulate circulation to help athletes quickly recover from workout.
It is a great choice, saving time and money. With these convenient handy equipment ,you can do this at home without having to go to a professional massage masseur or therapist.
Take a break
There is no need to force your body to work hard .Your body deserves a good and relaxing time to recover before it can fully function again.
The bottom line.
There are many ways which can help you to get back energy. You may consider to apply one of these above tips if you think you it can support for your health
