Foyle Cycling Club - Recovery Tips

Recovery is in fact the MOST critical component of your
improvement.  In fact, without proper recovery all of your
hard work and effort in your training may actually be
sending you backwards!  Believe it !

6 GUIDELINES FOR RECOVERY:

1. You should ALWAYS have at least one full recovery day
per week.  NO MATTER WHAT!  Some of you may require
even more. (trial and error is a solid method for finding out.)
2. You should RECOVER after ALL workouts...no matter what
the intensity.  Read that again PAUL.  This recovery
can be in the form of 10-15 minute light spin on the bike and
preferably 10-15 minutes of light, full-body stretching off the
bike.

3. Recovery is about LISTENING to your body with
objectivity, not egocentric thinking! Usually your body will
tell you when to step off the gas, you just have to listen!  This
takes practice and discipline and can be very challenging for
most of us, myself included.  Be HONEST with yourself!

4. Your body's need to recover SUPERSEDES any program,
plan, or coach's advice!  This is YOUR body.  Treat it like a
temple and always remember that a plan is only useful
when you are FIT and WELL!  When is doubt, always better
to back off than accelerate into a hard workout and risk
injury or illness.  TRUST ME!

5. Recovery is NOT an off-day.  Recovery is a workout!  
Your body is using the energy you would normally be
using to ride or train and rerouting it to replenishing
vital energy stores, tissue repair, and regeneration of
vital hormones needed to improve.  Change your
perception about your recovery and it will empower you!

6. Recovery is an ongoing process that will constantly
change as you change.  As your intensity in training goes
up, the need for more powerful recovery goes up.  This
powerful recovery includes adequate and restful sleep,
proper nutrition and hydration and a decrease in life
related stress (if possible)!

Bottom Line: Follow these guidelines along with a sensible
cycling and core training program and you are assured to
increase your fitness and conditioning.