Why is it as cyclists we tend to be more aggressive in training than racing?  I don’t know about you but it seems every time my racing was under par my training became more aggressive to make up for what I was doing on the weekends. I would go and hammer my brains out and try to prepare for upcoming events defeating the very purpose I was out there for.  Human beings are funny animals. Our very instincts that guide us through life for some reason turn on us when we get into sport.

I would like to propose a philosophy that all of us have heard about but almost none of us practice- RECOVERY-!!  In my program I emphasize this very concept that enables the body to not only rest after our racing but build on it as well.  It’s very simple, the Engine has energy systems that enable the mind, body and soul to communicate with each other so that a human being has the ability to recharge and get ready for the next task at hand. When we take energy away from that system we dig a hole in the very system that feeds our drive.

The reason recovery gets so confusing to cyclists, is because it is our nature to push harder, and against our nature to yield and recover. We like to ride fast and hard, and it has been ingrained into us to ignore pain for the sake of gain. NO PAIN NO GAIN! That concept has outlived itself time and again burning out riders in the process. In sport learning the art of recovery, and believe me it is an art, will enable us to progress and achieve our goals much faster. We have no problem incorporating new training, adding more intensity, and pushing harder. It’s when we are asked to stop and recover that we balk. We are afraid that we might lose what we have worked so hard to gain. So we tend to go out and work out when we should be recovering from our last acid bath. Since we are so driven, we tend to ignore the logical need for recovery, and opt for more punishment. In many pastimes, this might be seen as a healthy and productive work ethic. In cycling, it is passport to under-achievement.

This is the time of year when recovery is most crucial. Racing is underway, and if the recovery isn’t there, the mojo in races will quickly expire. Recovery must take on a higher profile at this time. This requires a reclassification of priorities for most cyclists. My philosophy is to err heavily on the side of recovery in order to take the maximum amount of energy into races. As my last article indicated, after a race weekend, two days should be dedicated to recovery, and then the opening process should begin. The opening process should be a recovery aspect as well, with each day yielding a positive energy balance. Remember, you don’t just want to recover from the races, you want to build from them as well, and you have to make the energy available for that building process. That’s why the time allotted to recovery must be augmented at this time.

But it is more that just giving time to recovery. There is also an active role that should be employed for better recovery. Active recovery methods can exponentially benefit the athlete. I doubt anyone will dispute the benefits of massage. Self-massage can be done every day and it is extremely effective. Contrast baths are very stimulating.  Pampering yourself with whatever makes your central nervous system purr can make recovery hum. Taking naps when possible are a mainstay of professional cycling success. Stretching should be a part of every training day. These are methods that actively reduce stress. The avoidance of peripheral stresses is a huge part of the equation as well.

Diet plays a part in this as well, but that is another block of articles. Suffice it to say, that great attention must be played to recovery nutrition, supplementation, and proper replenishment. It must be done religiously and methodically.

You have to recover as hard as you train, and a little more to allow for growth. It’s hard to break old habits. But unless you are racing as well as you would like to, the change is necessary. All the hard workouts in the former Eastern Bloc would be nothing without recovery, and that little bit of extra to grow on. The work ethic involved in hard training must be likewise employed to recovery. You will find that recovery is hard work, but worth it.