L'Alpe de Grand Blanc: Recovery tips

Two days following the annual L'Alpe de Grand Blanc, guest blogger Chris Collins from Okanagan Peak Performance is back with some post-race recovery tips.

Now that we’re a day removed how are you feeling? Is anything tight or sore? I noticed some riders shaking out their hands during the ride. Maybe they had some tingling or numbness in the fingers on that side. Others unclipped and were kicking one leg out to the side. This can sometimes indicate cramping of the adductors, or the muscles on the inside of the leg.

Maybe you didn’t experience any cramping during the race but are a little tight or sore day. Below are eight strategies to help you recover from the L’Alpe de Grand Bland as quickly and effectively as possible.

 

Strategy #1 - Post-Ride Cool Down

 

It’s a little hard to do this one now, but how many of you reading this crossed the finish line, unclipped and headed to The Woods for a burger and a beer. I know there was at least one person that did because it was me.

 

 

Instead I should have stayed on the bike for a short, easy cool down. The key is to increase the heart rate slightly to help flush waste products such as lactic acid and cortisol from the body while supplying fresh oxygen to tissues. It’s key that this cool down be kept below 140 bpm to remain aerobic and not enter anaerobic glycolysis where more lactate will be produced. The duration of the cool down can be anywhere from 10-20 minutes depending on the length and intensity of the ride. A longer, more intense ride requires more of a cool down than a shorter, less intense ride.

 

Strategy #2 - Post-Ride Stretch

 

Cycling creates tension at various muscles throughout the body and pulls on the associated joints. If we do not stretch what was targeted during the ride we will create imbalances in these tissues. For example, cycling contracts the quadriceps and hip flexors to a greater degree than the complementary backside muscles such as the hamstrings and glutes. Where these front side muscles, i.e. the quads and hips, share a common connection with backside muscles, i.e. the hamstrings and glutes, there will be the potential for an imbalance to develop. We can restore some of the length to the quads and hips by stretching these muscles after our rides. By doing some quad and hip stretches we help to minimize imbalances between the muscles of the body.

 

Strategy #3 - Myofascial Release

Myo means muscles and fascial refers the tissue that connects all the muscles in the body. There are a number of ways to achieve a myofascial release. One of the more common ways is massage. Massage, while effective, requires additional planning for appointments, time and flexibility for these appointments as well as a financial investment. Did any of you jump on the table and take advantage of this service provided at the finish line?

 

Another alternative is the use of a foam roller to perform self myofascial release.

 

I am a big fan of foam rolling because:

· It is like a poor man’s massage and the financial investment stops once you have acquired a foam roller.  Some gyms may even have them located in the stretching area or in a yoga studio.

· It doesn’t require you plan ahead or go anywhere else for the benefits of myofascial release.  Even if there is massage therapy located at your gym it still requires you book an available appointment and perhaps adjust your schedule to make the appointment.

· It can be done anywhere, anytime.  You can foam roll at the gym, at home while watching TV, before bed to relax or at the arena before you get some ice time.

· You can pin point areas of tension and zero in on them more effectively.  I believe soft tissue work is meant to enhance tissue quality, restore and improve tissue quality.  Sometimes we will have an athlete that has gone for a soft tissue appointment and come back in discomfort.  The practitioner located an area with tension and zeroed in on this area, perhaps to too great an extent. 

 

When you foam roll you can control the time you apply pressure on a particular area of the body. You can control how much pressure you are putting on this area and what angle or perspective to be in to address the area most effectively.

 

Basically as it is your body you’ll know exactly what area, how much pressure and what angle to roll to optimally achieve the necessary release.

 

Strategy #4 - Nutrition

 

After the ride you will want to consume a recovery drink that is approximately a 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. So if 80 grams of carbohydrates are ingested this would be paired with 20 grams of protein. The key with the post-ride drink is that the sooner this happens, the better. Make it a habit to bring your shake with you to the gym. Once you complete your ride grab your shake and drink it while performing your cool down on the bike. I remember learning at one point in my career that there is a 600% difference in the amount of protein accretion when someone has their post-ride shake within 15 minutes versus three hours later. Make sure to take advantage of this benefit and drink your shake as soon as possible.

 

Strategy #5 - Sleep

 

The gains we achieve in training would not be possible without quality sleep every night. A cyclist that is sleep deprived will realize lesser gains that will take longer to achieve. Additionally a sleep deprived cyclist will have less motivation to train, will have more difficulty performing technical lifts on the weight room floor and thus be at a greater chance for injury. 

 

A few keys regarding sleep include:

 

· Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. This includes weekends. We are conditioned as a society to follow a schedule Monday through Friday then to abandon these habits, stay up late and sleep in on the weekend. 

· Get at least eight hours of sleep every night. And when you measure the number of hours of sleep you are getting, make sure it is time when you are asleep and not in bed reading, watching TV or falling asleep. Oftentimes the cyclists I work with will include these activities in the total hours of sleep they get at night.

· Set the right environment for sleep. Ensure you have a comfortable bed and that the room is cool, dark and quiet.

· Put away mentally taxing tasks before bed. You need your mind to relax and begin producing theta waves in order that you can relax. Avoid stimulating the mind with mental activities that can delay this from happening.

· Get away from light sources. We are circadian beings and our lives our based on the rising and setting of the sun. The presence of light triggers the brain to release certain hormones to allow us to stay awake and delay sleep. Minimize exposure to lights, TV, computer screens, etc., before bed so this does not interfere with your ability to sleep.

· Have a bed time ritual. Once the body recognizes something as routine it is more likely to allow and actually encourage it. The opposite is also true in that when you try something new or different with the body it may initially reject it. Establish a habit and be faithful with sticking to it.

· Make sure to relax before bed. This ties in with the previous point. Prior to bed begin slowing down, getting away from light and beginning to relax. Avoid excitement, loud noise, exerting activities or anything else that gives the body the impression that more activity is coming and we should stay awake for it.

 

Once we have the guidelines for sleep established we will be in the best position to reap all the benefits that occur during the night.  These benefits include the physical and mental repairs that accompany the training effect.  For there is the release of growth hormone during a night of sleep and insufficient sleep thus impairs our ability to recover.

 

Strategy #6 - Light Activity

 

We want to ensure that we are always in motion. Specifically on days off from training it is important to engage in some type of light activity. This can be anything from going for a walk, to a bike ride or playing a round of golf.  If you have a background in swimming this can be a good choice as there is no impact on the joints and allows for whole body movement. If you are not a seasoned swimmer than this activity may be too much and defeat the purpose of a day off.

 

The light activity provides a mental break from the regular demands of training. It increases circulation of oxygen and nutrients to recovering joints and tissues. It serves as a form of stretching for muscles that were worked in the last training session. Lastly, it helps to encourage sleep at night on non-training days.

 

Strategy #7 - Parasympathetic Nervous System Activities

 

The autonomic nervous system is divided into three parts two of which are the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is often described by activities that involve ‘flight or fight’ response situations whereas the actions of the parasympathetic can be summarized as ‘rest and digest’. We previously discussed how sleep and nutrition play key roles in the recovery process so it should be intuitive that our goal should be to pump up the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

So what type of things should you do to pump up the parasympathetic nervous system? Well that’s up to you, choose activities that you help you relax. It might be having a bath, time spent meditating, watching a comedy or anything else that is completely stress free and enjoyable. Make sure that you enjoy the activity that you choose so that it doesn’t feel like work. 

 

The parasympathetic is activated by rest, relaxation and happy thoughts. It is concerned with nourishing, healing and rebuilding the body. As it natural for the nervous system to be concerned with survival, the balance tends to be with the sympathetic nervous system. It is therefore even more important to put emphasis on the parasympathetic nervous system whenever there is a chance to do so.  

 

Strategy #8 - Hydrotherapy

 

Water has already been addressed as a key component of your recovery strategy. This section deals with two other types of recovery including baths with Epsom salts and contrast therapy.

 

Epsom salts, also known as magnesium sulphate, can be absorbed through the skin while bathing and help ease pain and reduce inflammation. When your body absorbs magnesium there are a number of benefits to the body including:

· Improved heart and circulatory health

· Improved use of insulin

· Flushing of toxins

· Improved nerve function

· Relief of stress

 

As well when sulphates are absorbed there are a number of benefits including:

· Formation of brain tissue, joint protein and proteins of the digestive tract

· Stimulation of the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes

· May help rid the body of contaminants

 

Use Epsom salts as an inexpensive and simple way to recover after a heavy training session.

 

Contrast therapy on the other hand involves using cold and warm water to create constriction and dilation of the blood vessels and thus flush out wastes while drawing in fresh oxygen. An example of a contrast therapy would involve immersing oneself in a cold bath for a period of time followed by an immersion in hot water for an equal period of time. So you could soak in a cold tub for one minute followed by one minute in a hot tub. This alternation of cold and hot can be repeated for up to ten or twenty minutes. Make sure you use cold and not ice water and the hot water is not scalding.

 

Summary

 

Give these eight recovery strategies a try and see what works best for you.  Almost all of these strategies require no special expertise or substantial financial investment. With the stretching and foam rolling you can try these on your own but you will get more out each with the help of a fitness professional.

 

Chris Collins established Okanagan Peak Performance to enhance both the enjoyment and performance of athletes in sport. Today, Okanagan Peak Performance is the resource for athletic conditioning and education.