Life In The Saddle

Sore muscles after a tough workout? Athletes rely on various recovery techniques to minimise muscle soreness and improve performance after their endurance training and workouts. In recent years, percussion therapy guns, often called "muscle guns," have exploded in popularity. But do these high-tech devices actually help with recovery? Let's delve into the science behind percussion therapy, and consider the potential benefits and research that supports their use in muscle recovery. What is Percussion Therapy? Percussion therapy involves applying rapid, pulsating pressure to targeted muscle tissues. This is typically achieved using a handheld device, which delivers percussive vibrations deep into the muscle tissue. Potential Benefits of Percussion Therapy for Muscle Recovery: Several potential benefits of percussion therapy exist, although research is still ongoing to fully understand their mechanisms. Here's a breakdown of some key areas: Reduced Muscle Soreness ...

Sleep is the primary pillar of effective recovery—getting enough quality sleep is therefore fundamental to endurance sports performance. I have learned the hard way what a lack of sleep can do to your health, wellbeing, and cycling success; in this post I look at seven of those lessons, and tips on how you can improve your sleep quality and recovery. Getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night is a critical part of recovery. It is during the deep sleep period that our bodies begin to fully repair and rejuvenate themselves, readying themselves for the next effort. Key growth hormones are released when you are in undisturbed sleep—so it makes it a fundamental part of performance improvement. 1 – The Sleep Routine The most important ingredient in getting superior quality sleep on a regular basis, is to create a regular sleeping schedule. You often hear people say "I wake up at the same time, even when I am tired…"—this is natural—it is because our bodies like routine and so we h...

This traditional flapjack recipe is packed full of energy for long days on the bike. The oats supply a great low-GI fuel source, while the dried fruit offers instant energy and sweetness. Whether on or off the bike, these flapjack bars are a great high-energy snack for cycling. You can adapt the recipe by adding in other dried fruit, seeds, nuts, and spices to make these even more varied and flavoursome. I particularly like pumpkin seeds and chopped crystallised ginger added to the mix. Ingredients 200g butter 100g brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup ½ tbsp black treacle 300g porridge oats 100g raisins 75g soft-dried figs 50g soft-dried apricots Method Set the oven to 150°C or 140°C for fan-assisted oven. Place the shelf in the middle Stick a big pan on the scales and measure in the butter and brown sugar Heat the pan on the hob until the butter and sugar are all melted Add a tablespoon of golden syrup and half a tablespoon of treacle to the mix Add the porridge oats and y...

Recovery is fundamental to progress. You can put in as much riding time as you like, but unless you recover well too, you will not see the sought-after improvements. A substantial part of effective recovery is the food that you consume—both in the hours and days after a hard training session. This blog post considers nutritional intake immediately after exercise—in a bid to kick-start your body's recovery. For further recipe and meal ideas, and nutrition recommendations, take a look on the Advice page .  Fast Protein and Glycogen On finishing a hard ride, your muscles are fatigued, and your energy stores depleted. In order to start the recovery process as quickly as possible you want to get protein and carbohydrate to them while the blood is still pumping, and your metabolism is raised. This means taking on between 15-25 grams of protein and 30 grams of carbohydrate within 25 mins of stopping. This can be a tough ask though, as all you may want to do is have a hot bath, wa...

I am a big fan of Hummus (a.k.a. Houmous). It is a great source of vitamin B6, manganese, dietary fibre and protein; as well as copper, zinc, iron, folate, and phosphorus. Made of just a few simple and natural ingredients—it can be a quick and easy lunch or snack, and it will help keep you healthy and aid recovery. A lot of shop bought hummus uses oil or thickener to give it consistency. However, after a bit of experimentation I have found that this recipe—made in a Nutribullet —is super easy and even tastier than most. Ingredients (2 large servings) 400 gram tin organic chickpeas (in water) 175 gram tin black olives (pitted) (drained) 1x tbsp tahini paste Juice of half a lemon 1 clove of garlic 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp chilli powder ½ tsp black pepper ½ tsp salt Method Drain the water from the tin of chickpeas and place it to one side in a cup (you will need it later) In the small Nutribullet cup—add the drained chickpeas, olives, tahini, lemon juice, ...

The more endurance sport and expeditions you do, the more you realise that "sports nutrition" is not necessarily the answer. Adopting a whole-food diet, with recipes like these Yoghurt Granola Recovery Food Pots, provides not only a tastier post-activity treat, but also a healthier alternative to processed sports supplements. Protein shakes and bars have their place—they are convenience foods, for occasions when you really do not have time. Much like convenience pre-packaged meals though, they are not a sustainable solution for good long-term nutrition—something that is vital to getting results in endurance sport and long distance expeditions. Whole foods, by definition, are foods made with minimal processing; they have not been tampered with or modified to make them longer lasting or to make them packable. Whole foods are made with ingredients that are as close as possible to their natural state. Minimal processing of food substances has multiple advantages: The na...

Cycling rollers are a superb training tool that will help both beginner and experienced cyclists improve technique and fitness. I reviewed the Tacx Antares Rollers and Feedback Sports Omnium Rollers on Life In The Saddle; in this post I follow up with three simple training sessions that are easy to follow when using cycle rollers. Rollers are particularly useful for working on pedalling technique, cadence training, and active recovery. The low resistance means they allow you to easily spin at a high RPM—working on elements of your cycling technique such as balance and efficiency that can be hard to target out on the road. Recovery Spin Session – 30 minutes This session is designed to be done post-race, or on a rest day. The objective is to get blood flowing to your muscles to flush out lactic acid that has built up during hard efforts. The "intervals" are very low intensity, but are added to bring variety and interest to what could otherwise be a monotonous spin se...

I have a new favourite post-workout/ride drink, and it is not a powdered recovery shake. CocoPro is a light, refreshing, and low calorie electrolyte recovery drink, with a good amount of protein for muscle repair, and only natural sweeteners. I can honestly say that in the last year, I have given away at least ten times the amount of powdered recovery shakes than I have consumed myself (I have a lot of grateful friends). The reason is simple: I do not like the amount of sugar found in a lot of 'recovery' shakes, and I am also making a conscious effort to get as far away from processed foods as possible—instead, forming a diet with energy and protein sourced from natural wholefoods. Coconut water is wonderfully natural electrolyte drink; far removed from the 'energy exercise' drinks found saturating the market. So, what is an electrolyte drink? The essential electrolytes most commonly found in the human body are sodium, potassium, bicarbonate, chloride, calcium, ma...

Compression clothing boasts a number of potential benefits, from improved performance to better recovery and a reduced chance of injury. The true effectiveness of compression clothing depends on a lot of design factors though. The compression clothing range from Swiss brand Compressport features some of the most effective products that I have tried to date. In this review, I am looking specifically at the Compressport V2.1 Full Length Socks, and the Compressport Full Leg Compression Sleeves. Compressport V2.1 Full Socks The Compressport Full V2.1 Socks are designed to be the only compression socks you will ever need. Whether you are wearing them for recovery, running, travel, or everyday, they feature a multitude of design considerations that aid both comfort and performance. The most important thing with compression clothing is that they do compress your muscles; promoting blood flow to and from your extremities. Compressport use a very detailed sizing chart to ensure that ...

I am not a vegan, and I don't really agree with those taking it on as a 'challenge' or 'diet'. The exception, is if it means individuals consume more whole-foods and less processed products. Tom Oliver Nutrition is all about this approach, and provide a nice range of vegan protein bars. The protein in these bars comes from soy protein, which is a good alternative for those that can't consume whey protein, and don't like the taste of casein or hemp. Slightly off-putting when initially looking at these bars, is that the most prominent ingredient is Maltitol - an alcohol sugar. Some research reveals that this is a safe and natural sweetener though, and a substitute for sugar in a lot of natural products. Further ingredients are Soy protein, organic cacao, natural oils, and fruit peel. All pretty natural. The Tom Oliver Vegan Protein Bars taste good, if a little dry in texture. My favourite was the Chocolate Caramel version, which has nibbed peanut...

Project E2 Nutrition is a new player in the sports nutrition market, but one that has set itself apart from the masses through a unique focus on endurance sports nutrition. I have been testing their products over the last few months, with some positive results and feedback. About the Brand Project E2 Nutrition is a fresh off-shoot of globally renowned brand CNP Nutrition. Using the knowledge and experience gained from years of producing industry-leading sports nutrition, CNP have created Project E2 Nutrition with a specific focus of fuel and recovery for endurance athletes. The Range The Project E2 collection is composed of a comprehensive range of pre, during, and post exercise products: PRE Workout Drink Powder HYDRO Drink Powder ENERGY Drink Powder RECOVER Drink Powder ENERGY GEL ENERGY GEL+ HYDRO GEL HYDRO GEL+ ENERGY BAR The Drinks The drinks range from Project E2 is designed to give endurance athletes a complete pre, during, and post workout/race hydratio...

This low-fat, high-protein banana bread recipe is an adapted version of a childhood favourite. It has all the sweetness and flavour of your traditional banana bread; but also delivers added vitamins, fibre, and protein, to help kick-start your recovery. Ingredients 6 scoops - MultiPower 100% Pure Whey Protein powder 3 ripe bananas 3 free-range eggs 1 ½ cup water 1 cup ground almonds 1 cup plump sultanas and/or chopped dates ½ cup milled flaxseed ½ cup  Rude Health  Smoothie Oats ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional) 4 tsp runny honey 2 tsp coconut oil - melted   1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp baking powder Method Pre-heat the oven to 160°C Line a loaf tin with baking parchment Mash the bananas and whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the water, honey and melted coconut oil, and ensure the mixture is well combined Add the protein powder, almonds, sultanas, flaxseed, oats, ginger, cinnamon and baking powder Stir the m...

Sleep quality and sleep hygiene are widely recognised as key factors in athletic performance. The Lumie Bodyclock Alarm Clock series is designed to improve and regulate sleep patterns, which could provide a significant boost to the recovery of cyclists and other endurance sportspeople. Sleep is a crucial part of recovery. It is during the deep sleep period that our bodies begin to fully repair and rejuvenate themselves, readying themselves for the next effort. Key growth hormones are only released when you are in undisturbed sleep, so it makes it a fundamental part of performance improvement. The Lumie Bodyclock range is designed to regulate your sleep cycle, by using a natural lighting sequence to soothe you into the sleep cycle, and then to wake you up in the morning. The light emitted from the Lumie clock progressively dims in 'sunset' phase, and brightens for the 'sunrise' alarm. The gentle wake up call is designed to mimic a natural waking pattern, which is...

Chilling down is one of the best ways to kick-start recovery after a hot ride. During my #5MaratonasChallenge ( view the blog series here ), I had some rides in 30 degree heat; cooling your core temperature down after a ride like that is crucial to good sleep and recovery. The HexArmor ColdRush Du Rag Cooling Clothing is a neat solution, which helps to rapidly cool down your head and neck - one of the greatest areas of blood flow in the body. Although it is not a cycling specific product, this kind of cloth has been used by many sports teams in search of marginal recovery gains. To use it, you simply soak it in water; then wear it for up to 1 hour, to significantly aid the cooling process. The Garmatex fabric is designed to wick away sweat and moisture from your brow, head and neck, and provide a notable cooling effect. It is a really simple product, but it works. I was certainly grateful for it to wear in the heat of the Italian Dolomites. View the HexArmor products at Hex...

Summer months mean (hopefully) hotter weather, longer rides, and post ride BBQ beers. The issue with all three of those, is that they will likely leave you dehydrated. Dehydration negatively affects performance and recovery, so to get the most from your cycling, you really need to avoid it. Luckily, Erdinger have a solution... Erdinger Alkoholfrei is an alcohol free weissbrau beer, which actually has isotonic properties. That means it officially classifies as a recovery drink. Here's the technical side... What are isotonic drinks? Isotonic drinks are those that have a similar osmotic pressure to blood; that means a similar number of dissolved particles per litre. This characteristic means they can be absorbed into the blood stream faster than other liquids. Dissolved particles include polyphenols, vitamins, electrolytes, carbohydrates, sugar, and protein particles. If the concentration of these particles is correct, then isotonic drinks can be absorbed up to four time...

The German company Multipower  produces some of the best tasting protein powders, bars, and smoothies that I have tried to date. I have mentioned their huge 50 gram protein bar and quality protein powders in my two previous blogs ' Fuelling on Fat and Protein ' and ' Five of the Best Drinks for Cyclists '; I have also used their products in recipes like my ' High Protein Banana Bread ' and ' Protein Ice-cream ' recipe. The Multipower products use quality ingredients, and have a more natural taste and texture than a lot of protein products on the market today. In this blog post, I want to give a mention to three new products from Multipower: the 53% Protein Bar, the Multipower Protein Fruit Smoothies, and the Power Layer Protein Snack Bars. These are all again great tasting products, and each great for a cyclists' diet... The 53% Protein Bar The huge 100 gram Multipower 50% Protein Bar packs a serious protein punch, and I found it to be an...

There has long been a tradition for a 'recovery beer' amongst amateur bike riders, and even many professionals. The refreshing chilled beverage has the ability to revive, rejuvenate and relax you after a hard effort. The positive effects of alcoholic beer after exercise, are primarily psychological though; its benefits in terms of real physical recovery are very limited, or even negative. What you really need after a prolonged effort, is a drink that will re-hydrate you, and replace depleted muscle glycogen stores; so you're ready to fire on all cylinders again, sometime soon. Erdinger Alkoholfrei is the only 'beer' that can actually be labelled an effective sports drink; aiding re-hydration and re-fuelling through isotonic benefits. What are isotonic drinks? Isotonic drinks are those that have a similar osmotic pressure to blood; that means a similar number of dissolved particles per litre. This characteristic means they can be absorbed into the blood stre...