Sports Recovery for geezers

[vvill]

@Geoff 77025 wrote:

I notice that after a hard ride I sometimes have trouble sleeping. It’s hard to describe, except maybe to say I feel tight all over. Sometimes stretching helps. Taking an aspirin helps but I always wonder if it is psychosomatic.

Anyone notice anything similar?

Yep I often have trouble sleeping, especially if the ride goes into the late afternoon or early evening. I’d agree it’s probably metabolism – or maybe adrenalin or something.

Caffeine and alcohol also do that for me, but this happens separately.

[Dirt]

@guga31bb 77004 wrote:

At least in the context of weight lifting (my background), this 30-minute window is a myth. Is there evidence it’s different for endurance activity? I’m skeptical.

Thanks for all those sources. I’ll read through them later tonight. I’ve done a lot of endurance riding over the last many years and I respectfully submit that the 30 minute limit makes a big difference. The body still absorbs nutrition after that 30 minute limit, but when you’ve got to be back on the bike in 9 or 10 hours, getting the nutrition in quickly makes a HUGE difference. I’ve found that 30 minutes is much better than 45, 60 or longer.

I added compression to my regimen about 4 years ago and that made recovery even better. I added massage with the foam roller this year and that has been pretty amazing too.

As an older endurance cyclist, these things are serious game changers for me. I thought I’d share them in a concise, easy-to read way.

Rock on!

Pete

[Dirt]

@guga31bb 77004 wrote:

At least in the context of weight lifting (my background), this 30-minute window is a myth. Is there evidence it’s different for endurance activity? I’m skeptical.

I read through your sources and there is some great information there. I think they’re talking about different things. They’re talking about the 30 minute window with the idea that it maximizes the creation of lean muscle mass. I’m more talking about getting fuel into the muscles that you’ve got so that you’re ready to go back at it on the bike early the next morning.

It was interesting reading though! Thanks!

[hozn]

@PotomacCyclist 77039 wrote:

When I first started out, I tried some of the gels with more electrolytes, but I never used any of those electrolyte tablets. I’ve never had any muscle cramps, even though I had other issues early on (primarily running injuries in my first year). Some people might be more susceptible to cramps, whether or not electrolytes have anything to do with it. I’ve also noticed in at least some cases that people who complain about cramps, don’t do any strength training whatsoever. Why would that matter? Well, if it does have something to do with over-exertion, then strength training could prevent cramping. Strength training temporarily puts a much greater stress on the muscles then endurance activity does. This preps the muscles for much harder efforts than you would get from cycling or running. I don’t know if any studies have looked into it, but I’ve come across several individuals like this: cramping issues, no strength training.

This is an interesting theory, but doesn’t seem to fit with my experiences. Like most (nearly all) cyclists I know, I can’t be bothered with strength training, and I do have issues with cramping. But for me it is correlated with heat (which is obviously correlated with amount I sweat and therefore drink). For example, I had no issues with cramping on a 9+-hour MTB race a few years back or a 6-hour race last year, both in cooler weather. Or a 7-hour hard(er) ride the weekend before Total200, but I had massive problems with cramping during Total200 starting around the 6 hour mark.

I use electrolyte tabs and these seem to have a positive effect, but it is hard to say since like dehydration playing catch-up with cramping has met with little success for me. Similarly salt pills don’t seem to be a magic bullet. I will try one of the vinegar remedies (or mustard packet) next time.

The friend I was riding with on Total200 also doesn’t do wight training and has no issues with cramping under any conditions. Lucky bastard.

I also have difficulty sleeping deeply after all-day rides/races. I don’t find this to be correlated to alcohol or caffeine consumption. I have always just assumed that it is the body having some trouble switching gears from burn-burn-burn to sleep-sleep-sleep.

[PotomacCyclist]

Strength training has far more benefits than just a possible (?) solution for cramping. I don’t know about the typical amateur cyclist, but pro and elite cyclists have been found to have bone mineral density (BMD) below that of the average person. Many in the general population are sedentary, so it’s not a good sign that pro cyclists have even worse BMD than they do.

Maybe because of the low-impact nature of cycling. Maybe because of the weight control and nutrition that the pro cyclists practice. If it’s largely because of the low-impact nature of the sport, then strength training should be an important consideration, just for general health. Especially as you get into middle age and beyond, low BMD can start to become a problem.

Even with younger cyclists, stronger bones mean that you are less likely to suffer from broken bones in moderate crashes. (Of course, bone strength won’t matter as much in a very high-speed crash, but it could make recover easier.) Plus some cyclists develop back and core problems. Strength training can help with that too.

Strength training doesn’t need to be a time-consuming practice. It’s easy enough to make time for it, especially if you focus on it a little more in the mid-winter. It’s possible to do beginner up to very advanced upper body and core strength exercises with no special equipment, except perhaps a sturdy pull-up bar. You can do beginner to intermediate leg exercises with minimal equipment, although it does help to use some weights for exercises like squats, kettlebell swings and deadlifts/single-leg deadlifts.

I spent more of my training time on strength training in Dec. and Jan. this winter. Now I’m cutting back and going into strength maintenance mode, as I get back to more endurance activity (which for me includes swimming and running, along with cycling). During late winter, spring and summer, I generally do a strength workout once a week, and not even every week.

Sometimes I get away from it for a few weeks at a time. But I try not to do that. Every time I’ve done that during training over the past few years, minor physical issues start popping up, partly from running but also back issues from cycling. Then when I add a couple strength sessions back, those issues disappear pretty quickly and stay away. I have to admit that I start to feel beat up if I’m only doing endurance-type activities. It starts to make me feel old, which was the complaint at the start of the thread. Then when I get back to including strength training, that uncomfortable feeling goes away and I feel younger again. Happens every time. The cardiovascular system is very important for activities like cycling, especially if you do much more than just the occasional beach cruiser/CaBi ride. But it’s important not to forget that the muscular and skeletal systems also play a very key role. Strength training helps to take care of and improve those elements of fitness and health.

[hozn]

Yeah, I probably should have qualified and said that I don’t do any lower-body strength training. I do some upper-body strength training to help with lower back issues — pull-up workouts primarily. Does wonders for keeping me in shape to get on the mountain bike (more upper body required), which in turn does a good job with helping balance out with some higher-load workouts.

I certainly agree that strength training would be a good idea. But realistically, it’s not a priority for me; I get lots of very tangible physical and mental health benefits from cycling and don’t really have the motivation to give up time riding my bike for time in a gym. I’m sure my opinion will change if/when I start developing accruing injuries. I certainly know lots of people that have really screwed their bodies (usu. knees) up running, but have yet to meet someone that has developed long-term physiological injuries from cycling.

[dasgeh]

@PotomacCyclist 77060 wrote:

Strength training doesn’t need to be a time-consuming practice. It’s easy enough to make time for it, especially if you focus on it a little more in the mid-winter. It’s possible to do beginner up to very advanced upper body and core strength exercises with no special equipment, except perhaps a sturdy pull-up bar. You can do beginner to intermediate leg exercises with minimal equipment, although it does help to use some weights for exercises like squats, kettlebell swings and deadlifts/single-leg deadlifts.

The problem I have is that I can’t do the strength training as I get to work. Honestly, I don’t know how I’d fit in any workout if it wasn’t multitasking as my commute.

Then again, lifting little ones has to count for something, right? Or am I just destroying my back…

[hozn]

@dasgeh 77092 wrote:

The problem I have is that I can’t do the strength training as I get to work. Honestly, I don’t know how I’d fit in any workout if it wasn’t multitasking as my commute.

Then again, lifting little ones has to count for something, right? Or am I just destroying my back…

+1 Yes, I think lifting the little ones counts. That’s half my upper body strength training!

[PotomacCyclist]

You can do a few bodyweight exercises after a ride. Maybe in the evening when you have arrived back home. They really shouldn’t take long at all. If you do them right after a ride, your muscles will already be warmed up. The bike ride serves as the warm-up. (You should always warm up before a strength workout.)

You don’t need to do that many sets. Focus on compound exercises (those involving more than one joint of the body). That is more effective, practical, functional and time-efficient. Something like push-ups and rows (or pull-ups, if you have the strength). Modify the exercises to suit your strength and experience. For example, with push-ups, you can do knee push-ups as a beginner. Intermediate/advanced people can do staggered push-ups, staggered decline push-ups, one-arm bench incline push-ups or, if you are really strong, one-arm push-ups. (Disclaimer: One of my goals is to be able to do one-arm push-ups, but I haven’t quite reached that level yet.)

You can do rows with a dumbbell or any weight that you can pick up in your hand: a box with a handle, a jug of water, etc. Try to even out the intensity level so that you do roughly the same amount of reps per exercise. So if you are in the 5-8 rep range for push-ups/knee push-ups, use a weight that challenges you at the same rep range. Mix up the rows with pull-ups. Or hang from a pull-up bar if pull-ups are too difficult. Learn proper form for each exercise. With rows, it’s very important that you always maintain the lumbar curve of the lower back. Never hunch the lower back. Bend at the hips, not in the back.

It’s hard to imagine that people wouldn’t have time to do a few bodyweight exercises like this, once or twice a week. A set of push-ups would only take a minute or two. Same with the other exercises. You could easily do a basic group of exercises in 5 to 10 minutes (assuming that the bike ride served as a warm-up). You can add some bodyweight core exercises too, such as planks, side planks and back bridges. Bodyweight squats, lunges and one-leg deadlifts (with or without weights) for the lower body. That won’t be as effective as barbell squats, etc., but it can provide some training stimulus, especially for those just starting out with strength training.

It just takes a little thought to come up with a strength routine. But once you figure it out, and once you become familiar with the routine and proper form for each of the movements, it shouldn’t take much thought to go through the session later on. I like to finish strength workouts with a series of stretches. But just as with electrolytes, hydration, nutrition and other topics, there is a debate about whether stretching is beneficial, and if so, how much you should do. I move into each stretch slowly, then hold for just a few seconds. I’m not trying to become an Olympic gymnast. I’m mostly trying to calm down microspasms in the muscles, which I definitely feel after longer or tougher workouts. I’m also freeing up adhesions in the muscle fascia. That can prevent tight spots in the muscles later on. Again, there will be a brief adjustment period as you become familiar with the stretches and the overall routine. But once you get used to the program, it becomes almost second nature. At that point, there will be very little wasted time. I’m much more time-efficient with everything than I used to be when first starting out. Same as when I first started out with cycling.

So there will be a little more time required as you learn proper technique and get used to the new routine. But you’ll adapt quickly and then the sessions will take less time. Most of the training stimulus comes from the first set. There are benefits to adding a 2nd set and a 3rd set, but there are diminishing returns. For a strength athlete and for those with more time for ST, the 2nd and 3rd sets are worthwhile. But for someone looking to minimize workout time, you could get by with a set or two per exercise. Don’t rush through the actual movements though. You always want to use good form and technique in every strength exercise.

***
If you do have a little more time at certain times of the year, you can focus on a more substantial strength program. This doesn’t need to be a year-round thing, even for those who do like to get a little more involved with strength training. There’s no need to be one of those gym rats who spends 3 hours in the gym doing heavy lifts.

[Geoff]

I do some basic strength training at home, more in the winter than in the summer. Maybe 30-40 minutes 3 times a week. Having some basic equipment in the basement – barbells, a bench – makes it easier to fit in than if I had to go to a gym.

Mostly I do upper body and core workouts. I do some lunges in the winter; they make hills seem smaller. I have to be careful because my knees sometimes get sore. During warmer weather there is no need for lunges because I do plenty of actual hills.

I also do some stretching and tai chi. I would do more if time allowed.

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 77092 wrote:

Or am I just destroying my back…

Lift with the knees.

[hozn]

Yeah, I do 4 sets of 8-10 pull ups 3x/week. This only takes 5 minutes and has helped a lot with general upper body / back.

(It helps that I have a pull-up bar right outside my office door.)

[vvill]

@hozn 77114 wrote:

4 sets of 8-10 pull ups … only takes 5 minutes

Dayum. Do you ever find your 31.8mm handlebars flex easily? (I do, and I don’t have that much strength.) I know some sprinters use 35mm ones.

I like pull-ups too but had to abandon them for a while last year. Might put my bar up again soon.

I’ve started doing more push-ups, and general weight stuff this year. I was a bit of gym junkie many, many moons ago (I even owned a Concept II erg) but I struggle to keep a routine (with anything) these days.

[hozn]

I had to abandon push-ups. I have a shoulder issue from long ago (mtb) that got painful with the push-ups. I do them less regularly now, but not so many reps.

I notice a little flex in road bars. I am sure if I tried stiffer bars (carbon?) I would notice right away — like my stiff fork and thru-bolt is night-&-day different on the new bike, but I didn’t used to think I could feel any flex on my road bike …

[vvill]

I’m curious because I always read about stiffer cranks, BBs, frames in general, in all the bike marketing/advertising but the only place I’ve really noticed flex is handlebars.

[Author]

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