Large amounts of cash are spent on cycling, all in the hopes of getting faster by buying “better” shoes, clothing, lube, bikes, and components. However, one of the most effective, easiest, and least costly ways to improve performance is through enhanced recovery techniques.
1) quality sleep
“Optimal sleep quality and quantity is considered the single best recovery strategy available to athletes.”
Studies show that just one night of bad sleep after a hard day of cycling reduces maximum power output the following day by 5%.
Fellow cyclists who get their typical night of rest under the same conditions only lose 1% of their maximum power.
“It’s often said that the rider who wins the Tour is the one who’s slept the best. ”
So what makes sleep so important?
Sleep is widely regarded as the most important recovery strategy for athletes, yet is the least understood…..mainly due to the complexities involved.
The beneficial effects of sleep concerning cycling performance are multiplex and involve multitudinous interactions of the circadian rhythm, metabolic activities, immune function, thermo-regulation, blood flow, mood, and hormonal effects.
During deep sleep, metabolic activities, such as heart rate, breathing, and blood flow to the brain, are at their lowest. It’s at this low-point, your body increases the release of restorative hormones, such as growth hormone, estrogen, and testosterone. These 3 hormones are classified as “anabolic steroids,” which means they aid in the repair of muscles and bones.
Hormones & Sleep
The majority of these anabolic hormones are ONLY released during sleep. However, even slight sleep disturbances will throw off their balance. When that happens, your body will halt their production and begin to release cortisol, which is a hormone that helps you deal with stress. Increased cortisol production will make you hyper-alter, which makes going to sleep even harder, thus reducing your anabolic hormone production even further.
Noise, light, and temperature are the 3 main factors affecting sleep quality:
Fluctuating noise is worse than constant noise. For example, a dog barking is more disturbing to sleep than the constant sounds coming from ventilation equipment or the low humming of a fan
The sleep-wake cycle follows darkness-light cycles. Appropriately timed light exposure and light avoidance is key to getting a good night sleep and is also an effective treatment of jet lag
Sleep is HIGHLY regulated by temperature. You fall asleep when your body temperature decreases and wake when it rises. If you are unable to get your body temperature to drop, or if it drops too much, you will not sleep (insomnia)
Sleep: Optimal Sleeping Temperature
The Optimal room temperature for sleeping = 66 to 70°F (19 - 21°C).
62 to 82°F (17 - 28°C) is the “extended” range of sleeping temps
Ideal skin temperature = 88 to 95°F (31 - 35°C)
Optimal skin temp without clothes or bedding (like a caveman) = 82–83°F (~28°C)
Race Across America & Sleep
The Race Across AMerica (RAAM) is a continuous race (no stages) that goes from California to Maryland, a distance of 3,016 miles (4,856km). The solo rider winner finishes the race in 7 to 8 days and averages less than 2 hours of sleep per day. The “typical” contestant averages about 2 hours and 20 minutes of sleep per day.
2) Active Cool-down (low-intensity cycling)
“A progressive cool-down on the turbo trainer of around 10 minutes helps to remove metabolic waste products from the working muscles simply by maintaining a reasonable blood flow around the body.”
An active cool-down, such as easy pedaling around the parking lot, helps remove metabolic waste products, like free radicals. If you just stop dead and head straight to the car or craft bar, waste products just sit in the muscle and inhibit the recovery process.
How to cool down?
Cool-down with 10-12 minutes of easy spinning
If you don’t have a turbo trainer, you can cycle a few laps around the parking lot or switch shoes and slow jog into a walk for a dozen minutes
10-minutes of easy pedaling will remove lactic acid faster than simply resting and prevents blood pooling, which will reduce the onset of muscle soreness.
3) Compression Socks
“Athletes wearing compression stockings recovered faster than athletes not wearing them”
The compression socks are really an extension of the cool-down phase. You cool-down to facilitate the removal of lactic acid and free radicals and to keep blood from pooling.
Compression socks also aid in the removal of metabolic waste products and increase blood flow, which will continuously supply your working muscles with fresh oxygenated blood that is free of waste products. The compression also limits inflammation. This means that you get numerous restorative benefits by doing nothing more than wearing a pair of socks…albeit specialized graduated compression socks.
So I can wear just any tight socks?
No. You must wear knee-high graduated compression socks. These socks are tightest around your ankle and gradually reduce pressure as you go up to your knee, with the lowest pressure being just above your calf muscle. If the socks are not graduated, not only will they not work, but they can actually be worse than wearing no socks at all.
For more info on graduated compression socks, check out this article, where I have detailed all the benefits!
4) Foam Rolling or massage
“Foam rolling effectively reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and associated decrements in most dynamic performance measures.”
Foam rolling is a form of self-massage that allows the user to apply pressure and friction to specific muscles.
What are the benefits of foam rolling?
I self-massage daily…with foam rollers or balls
Short-term increases in flexibility
Alleviation of muscle soreness
Increase of blood flow to the muscles
Mechanical breakdown of scar tissue
Increased intramuscular temperature
How to Foam Roll? (quick summary)
Place your weight on a ball/foam roller and relax (don’t move)
Feel your body “give” in (usually takes 60 seconds minimum per spot)
Breathe fully to bring oxygen to the muscle
5) Naps
“There are two “ideal” time durations for a nap.”
About 95% of your daily production of growth hormone (GH) is released while you sleep.
Growth Hormone (GH) aids in the repair (and growth) of both muscles and bones. The main reason that pro-athletes take naps is to increase their GH as more sleep is the best way to increase Growth Hormone…….at least legally.
Why is Growth Hormone (GH) so important?
Repairs and strengthens muscles and bones
During sleep, it assists the body in burning fat instead of sugars
Promotes electrolyte balance
Produces chemicals that help buffer lactate (helps improve lactate threshold)
Enhances glucose transport during cycling
Napping & Improved Cycling Performance & Recovery
There are two ideal nap durations
20-minutes - Avoids you from waking up during the ‘slow-wave’ sleep cycle and feeling groggy
90-minutes - This allows for a complete sleep cycle
Nap in the afternoon is better than a mid-morning nap
6) Meditation
“Investigations indicate that reactivity and recovery variables relevant to sports, such as blood lactate concentration, heart rate (HR), and oxygen uptake (VO2), are decreased following meditation”
Only 10 to 20 minutes a day of meditation, which doesn’t cost a cent (unless you pay some TM coach thousands of dollars for a “word”) will improve your sleep, boost your immune system, reduce pain, and help put you into a state of flow once your back on the bike.
For those of you who are freighted by the thought of sitting still for even 10 minutes while your “smart” phone is limited to being a stopwatch, then this recovery technique is for you.
7) Recovery drink/food
After finishing your ride, cool-down, and putting on your compression socks, the most important thing you can do to speed up recovery is to replace the sugars, proteins, and fats your body just burned.
A 2015 study, published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism researched post-exercise recovery foods and compared recovery sports supplements to fast foods.
The researchers had participants cycle for 90-minutes, followed by 4-hours of rest and food & drink, and then jump back on the bike and cycle a 12 mile (20km) time trial. During the 4-hour rest period, the cyclist ate and drank either commercially available recovery drinks/bars or fast foods.
The results:
There was no detectable difference between muscle glycogen, cholesterol, blood glucose, or blood lipids
No difference between absorption and digestion of the carbs and proteins
No difference in time trials
The researchers' conclusion:
“fast food sources matched isoenergetically to sports supplements can provide for basic recovery needs of the muscle and may offer a convenient and economical approach to glycogen recovery under some circumstances.”
Any Balanced Meal Will Do After Cycling
After an intense bike ride, almost any balanced meal and drink will do. The first 30-45 minutes after riding, your body is several times more capable of absorbing and replenishing carbohydrate and protein stores, so it’s important to eat immediately after riding. However, what you eat is less important than the act of eating something soon after finishing your ride.
8) Alcohol & caffeine in moderation
“The dose makes the poison ”
Having a few cups of coffee or a couple of beers does not affect sleep quality and quantity. However, 3+ alcoholic drinks cause disturbances in REM-sleep, particularly during the early part of the sleep cycle.
Homemade Boozy Shakerato - espresso and alcohol - If interested in making it read my post)
It’s not uncommon for people to fall into the “stimulation-sedation loop” by drinking a few french presses of coffee in the morning and ending the day with a couple of bottles of wine.
Drinking in excess lowers muscle repairing hormones, such as HG and testosterone, while also reducing your production of melatonin, causes sleep fragmentation and disturbances. Also, your immune system becomes weakened because your body is unable to produce several pro-inflammatory molecules.
But with that said, as with most things in life, everything in moderation. A couple of alcoholic drinks will actually increase testosterone and decrease stress, both of which will aid you in your post-ride recovery.
What doesn’t work According to “science”
Contrast Showers - Alternating between hot and cold water while showering. Studies generally find that athletes “perceive benefits,” but researchers are unable to detect any performance enhancements. Its possible athletes don’t spend enough time contrast showering. The few studies that do show benefits, the shower lasts 16 minutes and alternates between hot and cold water every minute, which is about double the length of a typical shower. (~34 gallons or 129 liters of water…just an FYI)
Cold/Hot Water Immersion - Same results as contrast showers
Stretching - “There is no evidence to date to suggest that stretching immediately post-exercise enhances the recovery of performance.” (Quote from the Australian Institute of Sport). There are more studies showing the benefits of fast food after exercising than stretching.
Jesse is the Director of Pedal Chile and lives in Chile’s Patagonia (most of the year). Jesse has a Master of Science in Health & Human Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. Hobbies: MTBer, snowboarder, meditation, reader of non-fiction, researcher, taster of yummy craft beers, foam rolling, and compression sock wearer.
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