# Post ride routine?



## simmi (28 Feb 2013)

After a ride I tend to just plonk myself on the sofa with a protein drink and vegetate for an hour or so.
I was wondering if this was the best course of action to reap the maximum benefit from the work I have put in or should I be doing something else.
Should I do a cool down routine of some kind?
I would be interested to hear what more experienced riders do after a ride.


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## Herzog (28 Feb 2013)

I always warm down towards the end of a ride (10 min or so) and have a nice pint of chocolate milk when I get home.

Then shower, eat (within the hour), legs up and relax!


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## simmi (28 Feb 2013)

Do any of you also just plonk yourself on the sofa?

What do you do T.M.H.N.E.T, I bet it involves an iced bath somewhere along the line!


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## vickster (28 Feb 2013)

Stretch while muscles still warm - quads, calves, glutes, shoulders, back - I don't, but should!


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## Ladytrucker (28 Feb 2013)

Just finished 10k, guess what? plonked on the sofa


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (28 Feb 2013)

simmi said:


> Do any of you also just plonk yourself on the sofa?
> 
> What do you do T.M.H.N.E.T, I bet it involves an iced bath somewhere along the line!


My rides recently have been enough of an ice bath themselves 

I remove my sweaty/wet clothing
Have a shower
Dry ones own body
Get dressed(but not enough to hinder the below step)
Stretch/foam roll as appropriate





Since you asked


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## vickster (28 Feb 2013)

Ladytrucker said:


> Just finished 10k, guess what? plonked on the sofa


 
I wouldn't worry if 10k, I guess that's a warm up for a long ride. I assume the OP means 30 miles+


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## Ningishzidda (28 Feb 2013)

After a morning 25, I have a shower, get dressed, walk to office, switch on computer, make coffee and login to company intranet.
After an evening 25, I have a shower, get dressed, pack my cycling clothes into kit bag, put kit bag in back of car and drive home.


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## Andrew_Culture (28 Feb 2013)

Get home, shower, return to toddler duty.

Cycling is my relaxing.


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## Ladytrucker (28 Feb 2013)

vickster said:


> I wouldn't worry if 10k, I guess that's a warm up for a long ride. I assume the OP means 30 miles+


 
Well since I've only been on the bike since mid Jan and not been out much, 10k is good for me !


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## snorri (28 Feb 2013)

Ladytrucker said:


> Well since I've only been on the bike since mid Jan and not been out much, 10k is good for me !


 ...and a lot more than most people are doing, you're doing well, keep it up


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## vickster (28 Feb 2013)

Ladytrucker said:


> Well since I've only been on the bike since mid Jan and not been out much, 10k is good for me !


I never said it wasn't, more that a warm down shouldn't be too necessary. Plonk on the sofa is perfect


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## Rob500 (28 Feb 2013)

66 miles today. Upon return - I had a good stretch of the hams, quads and calfs. A glass of milk and a few slices of chicken breast. Then I'd a nice long hot shower followed by dinner.


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## mark st1 (28 Feb 2013)

EAT  and maybe a ciggie or 2


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## Mr Haematocrit (28 Feb 2013)

Put trainers on and old Tracksuit bottoms, clean bike, eat


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## Broadside (28 Feb 2013)

I'm with Andrew C; get back in, 5 mins of leg stretching, a shower if i am lucky and then straight back in to entertaining the kids, the chance to sit down would indeed be a fine thing, but an alien thing to me...


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## stevey (28 Feb 2013)

Dont ride that far when back from work maybe around 10 miles 2x5 circuits around the roads were i live when i am back though change clothing, shower,fresh clothes, stretch for around 5 min then job search then finally relax eating an orange before bed.


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## cyberknight (28 Feb 2013)

Quick stretch, quick shower, take over responsibility for kids from wife, whats this vegetate on sofa?
I have been known to cook the kids tea still in sweaty lycra if needs be.
I must point out my wife does have a number of health issues that make her tired, she even gets free prescriptions due to the amount and reasons she needs them for.


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## simmi (28 Feb 2013)

Thanks folks was just making sure I wasn't missing a trick.


cyberknight said:


> Quick stretch, quick shower, take over responsibility for kids from wife, whats this vegetate on sofa?
> I have been known to cook the kids tea still in sweaty lycra if needs be.
> I must point out my wife does have a number of health issues that make her tired, she even gets free prescriptions due to the amount and reasons she needs them for.


LIke wise with my wife, 
My 3 lads are all teenagers now so the last thing they want is to be entertained by me. 
But they are still more than happy to let me take the tea cooking responsibilities.

So in general just a bit of a stretch for 5 minutes or so, I think I can manage that (before I retreat to the sofa)


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## vickster (28 Feb 2013)

Be more like 10 when you've stretched all the muscles ... while the kettle boils and the tea brews...then you can hit the sofa


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## Rob3rt (28 Feb 2013)

I congratulate myself on a job well done and toast myself with a glass of milk!


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## HLaB (28 Feb 2013)

I definitely should stretch more but mostly I just plonk myself down on sofa too except for the ties I get up to raid the fridge/cupboard.


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## DCLane (28 Feb 2013)

Usually it's a bath plus a bit of stretching. Then food.

I notice the next day if I've not had a warm bath after a ride.


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## slowmotion (28 Feb 2013)

I pick up two cans of lager from the corner shop before going through my front door. Having dumped my kit, I make a couple of bacon sandwiches with tomatoes and English mustard. Having eaten one of them, I open the first can, and start feeling very happy. It really doesn't get much better than that.


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## thegravestoneman (28 Feb 2013)

must admit 3 or 4 bottles of London Pride, in prep for tomorrows adventures are a desired end to a good ride.


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## Lee_M (28 Feb 2013)

stretch, hot bath, then add cold water to have a cheaters ice bath ie cold but not icy

may seem a bit strnage but cooling the water down makes a huge difference, otherwise I end up walking like a cripple!


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## billy1561 (1 Mar 2013)

No real routine other than the last mile of any ride tends to be at a much slower relaxed pace. Then a glass of milk, shower, tell everyone how good it was and eat something.


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## Ningishzidda (1 Mar 2013)

If its been over 100km, I’ll pour myself a large glass of diet coke out of the fridge. I grab the tub of salt and pour about 3 g into the palm of my left hand. Tip salt onto tongue and wash it down with ice cold coke.
One afternoon I did this with coffee. I threw up all the cake I’d eaten two hours earlier.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (1 Mar 2013)

not one for much of this stretching lark afterwards (too much stretching is bad for me - hyper-mobility syndrome (yeh I know...)), but have a natural warm down called a long lane with nasty spoke breaking speed bumps which dictates a slow period at the end of every ride. Then clean bikes, do maintenance (mickle chain) whilst I cool down. grab plenty to drink and usually it is a meal time or getting close to meal time, so normal food or prepare food and currently bike rides end with walking a dog as well. if it was a really long ride (for me) then plenty of protein in the meal, so I don't wake up hungry in the middle of the night!
That evening will see me with a warm wheat pack on my bag leg and a massage of that leg (still trying to loosen all the scar tissue). Shower happens if needed/depending on length of ride.


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## fossyant (1 Mar 2013)

No plonking on the sofa.

Arrive home, put bike in garage and straight in the shower as I'm usually a sweatty mess. Kit in washer, get something to eat.

One thing that is worth noting is that your body's immune system will be low after exercise, so if you build into the routine a few minutes away from folk with colds etc. - e.g. you go straight to the shower, this reduces the likelyhood of picking something up. It's also important to eat within 45-60 minutes.

PS anyone recommend a 'cheap' supplier of whey protein. Currently have Maximuscle which we picked up on offer.


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## fossyant (1 Mar 2013)

Ningishzidda said:


> If its been over 100km, I’ll pour myself a large glass of diet coke out of the fridge. I grab the tub of salt and pour about 3 g into the palm of my left hand. Tip salt onto tongue and wash it down with ice cold coke.
> One afternoon I did this with coffee. I threw up all the cake I’d eaten two hours earlier.


 
Coke and salt.  Neither is good.


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## jowwy (1 Mar 2013)

fossyant said:


> No plonking on the sofa.
> 
> Arrive home, put bike in garage and straight in the shower as I'm usually a sweatty mess. Kit in washer, get something to eat.
> 
> ...


 
Drink milk its cheaper and you probably already got it in the fridge - add a bit of chocolate and its an awesome after ride drink


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## Hip Priest (1 Mar 2013)

I usually have a pint of milk and a shower, then it's back to parenting duties. I read an article in C+ where it said you should recover properly (i.e - not walking around doing things, but resting with feet up). I'm not sure cycle mag producers live in the real world!


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## fossyant (1 Mar 2013)

jowwy said:


> Drink milk its cheaper and you probably already got it in the fridge - add a bit of chocolate and its an awesome after ride drink


 
I already drink loads of milk, especially post ride, but my physio advised to up the protein intake, and it's not easy when you already eat enough meat and dairy.


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## T.M.H.N.E.T (1 Mar 2013)

fossyant said:


> I already drink loads of milk, especially post ride, but my physio advised to up the protein intake, and it's not easy when you already eat enough meat and dairy.


Myprotein or bulkpowders.co.uk

Beware: have a look through onsite reviews before you choose a flavour. Some of them taste quite chalky or don't mix well. (although this MP Banoffee flavour is divine)


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## Hacienda71 (1 Mar 2013)

Food, then bath, then normally fall asleep on the sofa for half an hour or until one of my kids decides it would be funny to jump on a dozzing dad.


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## Pedrosanchezo (1 Mar 2013)

Andrew_Culture said:


> Get home, shower, return to toddler duty.
> 
> Cycling is my relaxing.


Dito


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## jonny jeez (1 Mar 2013)

After a commute (say 30k) into the office I take 5 mins to settle before i jump in the shower and then crack on .

On the homeward journey i may extend the run a little (depending on the conditions...of me and the road) and then, catch up with family, shower, cook some food and legs up in front of the telly.

My family tend to dart in different directions of an evening, My wife shoots of to the gym, kids to various post school stuff and we generally only all settle in one place after about 8.30. So often the precious time between 6.30 and 7 is just spent chatting about our individual days.

On Wednesday Night I got home and had to run out to pick up my eldest before coming back to cook tea, all the while dressed in daft lycra!!


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## 400bhp (1 Mar 2013)

simmi said:


> *Do any of you also just plonk yourself on the sofa?*
> 
> What do you do T.M.H.N.E.T, I bet it involves an iced bath somewhere along the line!


 
Not before a shower and change first - I usually stink after a long ride and the wife would kill me.


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## 400bhp (1 Mar 2013)

Hacienda71 said:


> Food, then bath, *then normally fall asleep* on the sofa for half an hour or until one of my kids decides it would be funny to jump on a dozzing dad.


 
Glad to see you suffer enough on a ride then. 

I don't sleep - would if I had the chance but usually end up arsing around with the little un.


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## 400bhp (1 Mar 2013)

jonny jeez said:


> After a commute (say 30k) into the office I take 5 mins to settle before i* jump in the shower and then crack on* .


 
Not sure those words flow too well in that order.


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## 400bhp (1 Mar 2013)

fossyant said:


> No plonking on the sofa.
> 
> *Arrive home, put bike in garage* and straight in the shower as I'm usually a sweatty mess. Kit in washer, get something to eat.


 
You've missed something very important out of that haven't you.


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## SatNavSaysStraightOn (1 Mar 2013)

400bhp said:


> Not before a shower and change first - I usually *stick* after a long ride and the wife would kill me.


stick to what or should I not ask?


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## 400bhp (1 Mar 2013)

SatNavSaysStraightOn said:


> stick to what or should I not ask?


 
Oops -although I'm not sure the correction is much of an improvement.


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## Hacienda71 (1 Mar 2013)

400bhp said:


> Glad to see you suffer enough on a ride then.
> 
> I don't sleep - would if I had the chance but usually end up arsing around with the little un.


 
20 or 30 mile short blasts I'm fine, 60 plus miles and a kip is in order afterwards.  It's an age thing.


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## simmi (1 Mar 2013)

T.M.H.N.E.T said:


> Myprotein or bulkpowders.co.uk
> 
> Beware: have a look through onsite reviews before you choose a flavour. Some of them taste quite chalky or don't mix well. (although this MP Banoffee flavour is divine)


+1

http://www.bulkpowders.co.uk/shop-b.../whey-protein-concentrate-82-instantised.html

I use the chocolate and it's the best i've tasted and mixes well.


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## fossyant (1 Mar 2013)

400bhp said:


> You've missed something very important out of that haven't you.


 
Oh, wash the bike, that comes after I've had a scrub !


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## Ningishzidda (1 Mar 2013)

Can someone draft a Work Instruction?
We'll edit it and publish it for this month's team meeting.


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## Fnaar (1 Mar 2013)

I have a bath and listen to a comedy podcast


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## Ningishzidda (1 Mar 2013)

Being St David's day, I'd like to post a portrait of my Meso American alter-ego.






Ahh! It makes a better Avatar, AKA Quetzalcoatl.


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## cyberknight (1 Mar 2013)

simmi said:


> Thanks folks was just making sure I wasn't missing a trick.
> 
> LIke wise with my wife,
> My 3 lads are all teenagers now so the last thing they want is to be entertained by me.
> ...


Mine are 1 and 5 years old ...


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