5 Tips for Improving Your Cycling When You're Not Riding (Part 1)
By Dave McIntosh, CTS Senior Coach

There are five key aspects of recovery that can improve your cycling performance between the hours when you’re in the saddle. This article will talk about the first three, and Part II will discuss nutrition and hydration:

1. Massage
2. Stretching/Yoga
3. Sleep
4. Hydration
5. Nutrition

Massage
As an athlete and a massage therapist, I have been fortunate to have received good massage from reputable massage therapists. Choosing a good massage therapist is the first step in assuring that your time and money are well spent.

First, your massage therapist should be certified and licensed (if the area that you live in requires licensure). Find a therapist who specializes both in deep tissue and sports massage. These therapists are commonly found in physical therapy clinics and/or rehab facilities. Is your therapist an athlete? Have they worked with athletes? My preference has always been to receive massage from someone who has been an athlete themselves. It’s very simple, but they know where it hurts, and they know what feels good. They know what muscles are used and in what way, and the techniques necessary to restore them to a homeostatic balance.

So you’ve chosen your therapist, now what? Within a one-hour appointment, a good therapist should have ample time to work on all the major “problem” areas that cyclists face: back, gluteals, hamstrings and calves, and quadriceps and feet. Many times I have clients come to my clinic and want a full hour done in just one area, such as their back. More often than not, this much time spent in one area is overkill. There are exceptions, but I generally encourage a half hour appointment for spot work.

Communication is essential for a productive massage. Prior to the beginning of the massage, the therapist should determine the priority for the session. Does your low back hurt? Are your quadriceps sore? Do you have limited range of motion in your neck? In addition, throughout the session the therapist should “check in” with you from time to time to determine if pressure is correct and if you are comfortable. You have the right and responsibility to tell the therapist if the pressure is too great or too light, and shouldn’t feel bad about doing so.

A good sports/deep tissue massage will start from the extremities and work towards the midline and heart. For example, when I begin with the lower extremities, I start with the feet and work my way up through the legs. The reason for this is to aid the systems of the body in the excretion of waste by products produced on a cellular level by pushing it towards the heart. One of the many things massage promotes is an increase in blood flow. With an increase in blood flow comes an increase in oxygen carried to the muscles, an increase in nutrient supply to the muscles, and an increase in the excretion of waste. One of the common questions I get in any session is, “Doesn’t massage release toxins?” My response to this question is the aforementioned statement about the excretion of waste. Massage doesn’t “release” anything that wasn’t in your body already. It simply helps the process along. This is the biggest reason why therapists tell you to drink a lot of water after your massage. A well hydrated body will get rid of waste much more readily than one that is not.

The frequency of massage depends primarily on time and money. I encourage those I work with to get in at least twice a month, especially if their training has been at higher intensities, if volume is higher than normal, or if they’re approaching a goal event.

In addition to consistently seeing a therapist, self massage can be performed on a daily basis, and significantly helps the recovery process. Simply lie on your back, put your feet up on a wall, and start from the ankles with long, broad strokes with your fingers. I would also highly encourage investing in a massage stick. A massage stick is a flexible tool with handles on either end, and plastic rollers in the middle. You’ll be able to cover a greater surface area with the stick, and you won’t wear your hands out as quickly.

Stretching/yoga
In addition to massage therapy, a good stretching program will help in the prevention of injury as well as just plain feel good when you’re done with a training session. The best time to stretch is after a bout of exercise, as the muscles are warm and pliable. Think about stretching a warm rubber band vs. a cold one: the warm band will move much further without breaking. A comprehensive stretching program will address many issues before they become problems.

When you’ve finished your ride, and allowed a brief warm-down period to bring your heart rate down to recovery levels, stretch the major muscle groups, both upper and lower body. Though your legs have done most of the work, you’re probably feeling it in your shoulders just as much.

Move into the stretch, and hold for 15-30 seconds. As you do this, you’ll feel the muscle release a little. Move a bit farther, but not to the point of pain. Avoid bouncing stretches; simply move slowly and hold.

If you have the good fortune to belong to a gym that has an educated yoga instructor, it would be worth your while to investigate this as a possible source to further your flexibility as well as your core strength. In addition to the strength and flexibility gains you will derive from such a class, it also teaches you proper breathing that can translate to your cycling. If you do not belong to a gym, there are numerous yoga studios in most communities and there are videos that can be performed in the comfort of your own home. Note: while yoga classes are good, they should accompany a well structured stretching program, not replace it.

Stretching has often been called the lost component of physical fitness, but with a bit of time and energy spent doing something that simply feels good, you’ll find that you’re much more productive, and your recovery will be enhanced as well.

Sleep
Sleep seems to be the thing we never get enough. The demands of life sometimes put sleep on the backburner. However, active individuals and athletes require more sleep than our sedentary counterparts. How much is enough?

Typically, you should try to get at least 7-8 hours of good, quality sleep per night. Sleep is the time that allows the recovery processes to take place. If that sleep is cut short, you could be doing more harm than you realize, as the body releases human growth hormone that repairs muscle tissue and strengthens the immune system during this time. In addition, if sleep time is consistently compromised, those sluggish feelings you experience on a daily basis will make it difficult to face those all important workouts needed to bring the desired effect of the training!

One thing I have found in my years as a massage therapist and coach is that most people don’t plan their recovery, and thus feel guilty for taking time off or missing workouts. A good coach will help structure your program in a way that will balance the workload with proper recovery to ensure the best possible outcome. Don’t feel bad about resting and recovering; this is the time that your mind and body will thank you for the training stresses you put it through, and will reward you with a higher level of fitness.

Dave McIntosh is a Senior Coach with Carmichael Training Systems, Inc. as well as a Certified and Licensed Massage Therapist practicing at the Colorado Sport and Spine Center at the Briargate YMCA. He can be reached via email at dmcintosh@trainright.com and is available for massage appointments by calling 719-282-8192.

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