Fitness: Regeneration after the bike race - Regeneration: The best recovery tips

Tips from professional trainer Mattias Reck:
The 46-year-old trains the professionals from Team Trek-Segafredo - but also pupils from a Swedish cycling high school.

SLEEP

The optimum length of sleep varies greatly from person to person - some people get by on 6 hours' sleep, others need at least 8 or even 10. According to experts, it should not be less than 5 hours - But not too much either: paradoxically, this is also bad for your fitness. There are now sleep apps for mobile phones that use data collected from the user to help find the best time to get up. Even without an app, the basic rule is: it's best to get up as early as possible. always at the same time go to bed and get up, so don't upset your biorhythm too much (even during competitions or at the weekend). In addition, the Quality of sleep crucial: Sleep researchers recommend a dark, quiet environment - sleep masks and earplugs help when travelling. Those who are sensitive to electrosmog should park sources of interference such as clock radios, mobile phones or other electronic devices as far away from the bed as possible; others don't mind sleeping with a mobile phone to their ear - scientists are still arguing about the effects. However, it is undisputed that a comfortable mattress and a suitable pillow are good for rest.

Pro tip: "More and more cycling teams are starting to transport the riders' personal pillows or even mattresses from hotel to hotel," says Degenkolb coach Mattias Reck. Of course, this plays a different role for 90 or more days of racing, plus training camps, than for the normal cyclist, who spends most of his time at home. But they should also invest in a good quality overnight camp.

EATING

Despite trends such as low-carb diets: Carbohydrates are still the main fuel for endurance athletes. In addition Proteins as building blocks for the (re)construction of muscles and selected high-quality fats as a supplement for the metabolism. Joe Friel, author of the well-known "Training bible for cyclists", also emphasises how important it is to adapt your diet to your training plan. His credo: if you eat carbohydrates, such as pasta or bread, at the right time, you will need a little less of them on balance and can invest the remaining calories in a variety of high-quality foods with a high nutrient density, such as fresh fruit and vegetables.

Already during the load you should regularly top up your energy levels and conserve your glycogen stores as much as possible. If you don't completely empty your tank, it will be easier to top it up again quickly afterwards. As a guideline 60 to 80 grams of carbohydrates per hourwhich corresponds to about three energy gels.

In the first half hour after loading the body is much more prepared to replenish its carbohydrate stores than at any other time. The longer you wait to eat, the less likely it is that your energy stores will be fully replenished. The optimum amount: around 6 to 10 grams of carbohydrates per kilo of body weight. The optimum composition: foods with a high glycaemic index that are quickly absorbed by the blood. Dextrose, for example, has a reference value of 100, and professionals often resort to regeneration drinks. However, cocoa can fulfil the same purpose and also provides protein - even if you don't necessarily need it immediately after exercise. Important: Top up on lost fluids as soon as possible and restore your mineral balance. If you have sweated a lot, you should also Common salt to consume: With around 1 to 5 grams of salt loss during a three-hour ride, you lose 2 to 6 per cent of your body's reserves. Potassium losses, on the other hand, are only in the per mille range, but it doesn't hurt to eat foods containing potassium such as bananas, apricots, broccoli or carrots.

After the first half hour you should consume the remaining carbohydrates you need together with some protein in about the same period of time as you have exercised - preferably as proper meal. Alkalising foods such as (sweet) potatoes or bananas are good now, and generally anything plant-based. This is because the acidity in the body has usually risen during exercise.

Pro tip: Racers who are coached by Mattias Reck consume slowly digestible protein, especially in the form of casein, before going to bed during periods of intense exertion. It can be found in cottage cheese or low-fat quark, for example, but is also available as a powder. Casein is particularly good at helping to repair and rebuild muscles overnight, as it continuously releases amino acids into the blood for around 8 hours.

MASSAGE

Helps with mental and physical regeneration. "Often the most relaxing moment of the day for the riders," says Reck. Hobby riders don't usually have a masseur waiting for them after training. At least the legs can be Massage yourself - with your hands or a Fascia roller like the Blackroll. This relieves tension very efficiently. It is also worth making an appointment for a massage at least once a week, at least during intensive training or competition phases. In most cases, you will gain much more from this than from another hour on the bike.

Pro tip: In modern cycling teams, many carers are also chiropractors or osteopaths. "They can therefore combine the massage with other treatments, which is of course particularly useful," says team coach Matthias Reck. "If time is short, we shorten the duration, but it should be at least half an hour. If there is less stress, for example during a training camp, the usual duration is around an hour."

EXIT

Very few amateur athletes have the opportunity to sit on the roller after a competition or intensive training session, as more and more professional teams are doing. But if you do: go ahead and use it! Although it has not been scientifically proven, Team Trek coach Mattias Reck has also noticed: "It feels good for the riders to let their legs circle a little on the roller after the race and thus actively initiate the regeneration phase."

Pro tip:
If you don't have a roller, you can simply do another easy lap on the bike - a quarter of an hour is enough to relieve the tension in your muscles. You also have the opportunity to treat yourself to a recovery drink while rolling out - just like the pros do.

COOLING

The pros start to lower their core body temperature again with cool packs or special devices as soon as they start riding out on the roller. Especially on hot days, it helps regeneration to cool the body down at least partially after exercise. Immersing the legs (or even the whole body) in cold water at 10 to 15 degrees for a few minutes a few times helps the blood circulation and shortens the recovery time - even if such ice baths are even more important in sports such as football or sprinting.

Pro tip:
"On hot days, it's not only important to cool down as much as possible during the race," says Mattias Reck, "but also afterwards - including at night." So you should keep your bedroom as cool as possible in summer.