The Power of High-Quality Recovery in Cycling Performance
Often, the biggest factor influencing a rider’s performance isn’t talent but the available training hours. However, if you're limited to fewer than 10 hours per week, there’s an effective strategy you can combine with training to make the most of your time: high-quality recovery.
If you work in a sedentary job, you’re in luck. You can turn this to your advantage by re-labeling some of your work time as ‘recovery time.’
Resting and Fitness Gains
Keep this core principle in mind: training hours offer the potential for increased fitness, but improvement only happens when proper recovery follows. The key to getting fitter isn’t when you’re training—it’s when you’re resting and allowing your body to adapt to the training.
This idea can be difficult for highly motivated athletes to accept, as many believe that more training time equals more progress. As a coach, I often encounter athletes who struggle with the concept of "sacrificing" training time for recovery. Let me emphasise this once more: fitness gains happen when you rest and adapt—not when you’re training.
Sometimes, putting your feet up for a nap can bring more fitness gains than an additional hard training session, which may simply lead to fatigue and loss of form.
Although recovery is important for all athletes, full-time workers need to place an even greater emphasis on it. The low-volume, high-intensity training system I recommend thrives on proper recovery. This is where the "macho" approach doesn’t work—recovery is key to gaining an edge over those attempting to pack high-volume training into an already busy life.
On the other hand, failing to prioritize recovery will compromise your hard efforts and may lead to injury, burnout, or a loss of motivation.
Recovery Strategies: Passive and Active
We can divide recovery strategies into passive and active recovery.
Passive Recovery
Sleep is the most important passive recovery tool. While a nap after a hard session isn’t always an option, prioritizing a regular, quality night’s sleep is essential. Sleep is when the body recovers and builds the most, and it’s when crucial hormones like testosterone are most freely released. It’s free, effective, and pleasant—so make the most of it!
You know you're getting enough sleep when you wake up naturally, without the help of an alarm. If you wake up groggy or unrefreshed, it’s a sign that you should try going to bed earlier.
Mental relaxation is also critical for recovery. Cortisol, the "fight or flight" hormone, is released during stress, and while it’s meant to be temporary, high levels of cortisol can be harmful. Interestingly, your brain cannot distinguish between physical and mental stress, which means that elevated cortisol levels can compromise the restorative 'delta phase' of sleep. Managing mental stress can help lower cortisol levels, contributing to better recovery.
At times when work, family, or life in general creates additional stress, it may be necessary to reduce your training load to help lower overall stress levels.
Active Recovery
Active recovery includes strategies like stretching, foam rolling, and massage. Try to incorporate these into your weekly routine to keep muscles loose and prevent soreness.
Low-intensity exercises, such as zone 1 cycling or gentle swimming, can also aid recovery during intense training periods. These activities help keep the muscles from becoming stiff and can promote blood flow without overexerting yourself.
Nutrition plays a role in active recovery as well. The food you consume can either support or hinder your recovery. Poor nutrition acts as an additional stressor on your body. Refined, processed foods with little nutritional value add to your stress load and slow recovery.
To optimize recovery, eat minimally processed, whole foods. For example, homemade fruit smoothies with nuts or hemp seeds make an excellent post-ride recovery drink. Ditch processed sports bars in favor of natural, high-glycemic fruits like dates or bananas while riding.
One exception to this rule is the ‘20-minute recovery window’ after a hard workout. This is when your body is most prepared to absorb nutrients, especially protein. The recovery process unfolds in three stages:
Rehydrate: Replenish lost fluids, aiming for 250-500ml of water, ideally with an electrolyte mix if you've been sweating heavily.
Refuel with Carbs: Aim for around 60g of carbohydrates (e.g., a medium banana or an energy bar).
Protein: After rehydrating and refueling with carbs, consume protein to support muscle repair. This can be in liquid (shake) or solid (bar) form.
You’ll often see pros follow this sequence, especially after mountain stages. The first step is always water and electrolytes, then carbs, and finally, protein. Your body is better at breaking down smaller amounts of protein, which is why it’s consumed last.
Recovery: More Than Just a Marginal Gain
Many cyclists become fixated on "marginal gains" and overlook the significant benefits of recovery. Professionals have always known that recovery is a key to success: "Never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, and never stay awake when you can sleep."
Benefits of Recovery:
Increased fitness: It enhances your response to training.
Better preparedness: You'll be ready for your next session.
Hormonal balance: Recovery helps to re-balance hormone levels.
Reduced risk of injury: Your body becomes more resilient.
Improved motivation: You’ll stay energized and focused.
Reduced stress: A solid recovery routine keeps stress at bay.
More enjoyable cycling: Ultimately, recovery makes cycling more rewarding.
Regulating Your Recovery
There are clear signs when you need more recovery, such as: a raised resting heart rate, constant fatigue, a lack of enthusiasm, irritability, or a drop in performance. If you notice any of these, it’s time to rest.
However, athletes often overlook the need for recovery because they’re too focused on training. It’s easy to forget that recovery is just as important as the effort you put into your rides.
Incorporating tools like fitness trackers or getting feedback from a coach, work colleague, or training partner can help you recognize when you need more rest. Sometimes, an external perspective can make all the difference.
Ultimately, don’t rely solely on your own judgment—listen to your body, and give recovery the attention it deserves.