5 Tips for Improving Your Cycling When You're Not Riding (Part 2)
By Dave McIntosh, CTS Senior Coach

In Part I of this article, I said there were five key aspects to optimizing recovery between the hours you spend in the saddle: Massage, Stretching/Yoga, Sleep, Hydration, and Nutrition. And while all five are important on their own, nutrition and hydration are especially crucial because they can impact the quality of your sleep and the effectiveness of massage and stretching.

Hydration

Proper hydration is a necessity in any endurance activity. The appropriate amount of fluid intake depends on factors such as activity level- both duration and intensity, as well as the surrounding environment; hotter weather means more fluid lost through sweat.

How much fluid is necessary to stay hydrated? A good, standard rule of thumb is one half to one full gallon of fluid per day for active individuals.

To more accurately gauge fluid needs, weigh yourself before and after your ride. You should aim to drink fluids equal to 1 ½ times the weight that was lost during exercise. Simply put, if you lost a pound (16 oz) you should try to consume at least 24 oz of water in the hour afterwards.

When you’re out on your ride, regardless of how long it is, you shouldn’t lose more than 2% of your total body weight from sweating. Since some people sweat more heavily than others, the exact amount of fluid you need each hour to minimize weight loss will vary. A good starting point is to drink 4-6 oz. of water every 15 minutes during a normal training run. Weigh yourself afterwards and adjust the amount of fluid you consume during rides until your post-workout weight is within 2% (typically 1-2 pounds) lighter than your pre-workout weight. If you’re heavier when you get home, you consumed too much fluid.

In addition, sports drinks have been found to be more effective than water alone in promoting recovery because of the carbohydrate, protein and mineral content. Consuming a bottle of a specially-formulated recovery drink, like PowerBar Recovery, immediately following your ride helps restore proper hydration levels and replenish the energy you burned during the ride itself. In addition, if the ride is longer in nature, consuming an addition bottle of sports drink or plain water per hour for up to four hours post exercise will help keep you well hydrated.

Recovery Nutrition

When you’re expecting a lot from your body, it’s not only necessary to properly fuel your muscles before exercise, but to refuel them afterwards as well. By focusing on eating foods that are rich in carbohydrate, you can be assured that your recovery process will be shorter in duration, and that you’ll be ready to train again sooner.

Research has shown that the sooner the depleted carbohydrate stores can be replaced, the better the athlete can recover and continue performing optimally. The first 15-30 minutes following a bout of exercise is the optimal time frame to get those carb-rich foods back into your body. Sooner is better. The recovery process can take longer if the steps to replenish the carbohydrate stores are delayed.

So the question remains- how much carbohydrate is necessary for recovery? Simple sugars and complex carbohydrates can be ingested after exercise. Both will quickly replenish depleted muscle glycogen. In addition to carbohydrates, protein is necessary for building and maintaining muscle as well as accelerating the process of replenishing carbohydrate stores. A 7:1 ratio of carbohydrate to protein provides enough protein to allow carbohydrate stores to top off more quickly, while leaving plenty of room in the drink for more carbohydrate energy.

In addition to a snack and/or recovery drink immediately after your workout, it’s best if you can sit down for a full meal rich in carbohydrate within 60-90 minutes of getting off your bike. Men and women both should consume about 3/4 grams of carbohydrate/lb of body weight. For a 150-pound person, this would mean about 110 gram of carbs. This is roughly the amount in 1 1/2 cups of cooked pasta with tomato sauce, a slice of bread, and a side salad. Adding a grilled chicken breast on the side or ground beef to the sauce will give you the protein your muscles need as well. Alternatively, a salmon filet over 1-2 cups of brown rice and an accompanying green salad would do the trick too.

Optimal nutrition and hydration have far-reaching impacts on recovery. When you’re well hydrated, your muscles are more supple, which means consuming more fluids can help you maintain the flexibility you gained from stretching or yoga. Proper hydration and nutrition can also improve sleep quality by reducing muscle soreness and stiffness. If you tend to get headaches, especially in the evenings, try consuming more fluids throughout the day. As a massage therapist, I can attest to the benefits of proper hydration for patients. Fluids are necessary for moving nutrients into muscles and waste products away from them, so the more hydrated you are, the better you’ll feel after your next massage.

Before you add another day of cycling to your training program in an effort to improve your speed or fitness, pay more attention to the five key aspects of recovery: Massage, Stretching/Yoga, Sleep, Hydration, and Nutrition. Sometimes, you can do more for your performance in the hours between rides than during the hours you’re pounding out miles and intervals.

Last Updated: