Recovery is key to any physical activity that you do. When you push your body through a rough ride or test your endurance through a day-long trek on your bike, your body is under immense stress.

When you don’t give yourself adequate time to recover, you risk injury, illness, or even a loss of interest in mountain biking.

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You must take your recovery seriously and find what works for you. A couple of indicators that you may experience if you are not giving your body the recovery time it needs are:

• Your heart rate stays elevated after you are done riding or taking a long time to return to normal after any physical exertion.
• You struggle to get out and enjoy the trails you used to like.
• You feel tired and sore all the time.

Learning how your body recovers will take some time and be unique. We have put together a few general tips that most people will benefit from doing.

Tips to help recover well after an intense ride

Stretching

After a long day on your mountain bike, you might be tempted to skip stretching. Skipping this vital aspect of recovery will leave you feeling more tired and sore than if you were to take ten minutes to stretch.

Stretching regularly will increase your flexibility, help to prevent injuries, improve your riding, and increase your overall well-being.

It may not seem like a big deal, but stretching is crucial to your recovery after a ride.

Eating for fuel

Giving your body the fuel it requires before, during, and after a ride for energy is vital to how you feel, physically and mentally. If you eat too little or the wrong food, you will feel it in your performance.

Filling up on whole food sources of carbs and proteins is a great way to fuel your body. You may want to consider taking a healthy snack with you if your ride takes longer than you thought it might. You won’t have to stop at a gas station or corner store and fill up on sugary snacks.

Properly fueling your body is vital for a quick recovery time and getting through future rides.

Foam rolling

After any form of physical activity, your muscles may become overworked and form small tears in the fascia that covers the muscle. Foam rolling is a terrific way to help loosen up those muscles, breaking up any adhesions that may have formed and scar tissue. This can help to alleviate and prevent muscle soreness.

If you haven’t done foam rolling before, you will find many online videos to help you work your muscles properly. Learning how to foam roll correctly has numerous benefits, including speeding up recovery time, improving your circulation, soothing sore, achy muscles, and an increase in your overall feelings of well-being.

Don’t skimp on the recovery rides.

Taking days off for recovery doesn’t have to mean you lay around all day, but it does mean you go easy on your body. On your rest days, it’s important to get in some recovery rides.

These are much easier rides where you don’t push yourself; instead, slow down and ride at a leisurely pace. Recovery rides are a great way to keep the blood and nutrients flowing to your legs while not tearing your muscles further.

Taking the time you require to recover is just as important as training.

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Get a good sleep

When you think of recovery, sleep isn’t necessarily your first thought, but it should be near the top of your list for recovery. Sleep is crucial to every aspect of your well-being, and if you are training hard and not getting enough sleep, you are doing yourself a serious disservice.

It is ideal to aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night and then a nap during the day if needed. Understandably, life happens, and you can’t always get enough sleep, but making a good night’s sleep, a priority will lead to positive changes in your life and your training.

Tips for getting enough sleep

• Avoid caffeine after lunch. Aiming to have your last bit of caffeine before noon or right after lunch will give your body adequate time to flush it out of your system, so it doesn’t interfere with your sleep.
• Go to bed and get up every day at the same time, even on the weekends. This is important to regulate your circadian rhythm and get your body into a routine.
• Create a bedtime routine. It can include reading a book, taking a shower, and having herbal tea. Anything you find relaxing will eventually signal to your brain that it’s time to settle down because it’s bedtime.
• Take a power nap during the day. 20 to 30 minutes is all that you need to feel refreshed and more alert.
• If you need extra sleep, don’t be afraid to take it. If your body is telling you to sleep, try to get as much sleep as you need.

Hydrate

It’s important always to keep hydration as a top priority. When you are recovering is no different. Your muscles need the water replaced that they lost while you were mountain biking, and they need water to recover from any tears or strain they may have from the ride.

Being hydrated is vital to your overall health and well-being; drink up as you recover. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, among many other health issues. Feeling tired and worn out will make getting back on your bike more difficult, and when you do, you will find that your body can’t perform as well as you would like.

Conclusion

Learning how your body recovers best is one of the best things you can do to improve your performance on the trails and continue enjoying your rides. You don’t have to have an elaborate recovery routine. Keep your recovery simple, and your body will thank you.

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