Muscle Recovery

[Timmo]

Just wondering what everyone does to help their muscles recover? I go to the gym three times a week and a long bike ride once a week, after each I usually have a rest day to recover, but sometimes when I have a particularly hard session I find that evening and the next day my muscles's feel tired all day. What can I do to help recovery? Someone at the gym recommended Creatine, does anyone here use Creatine?

 

[HLaB]

I could be wrong but I think eggs are good for rebuilding any muscle damage, anyway they taste good IMO I've never tried Creatine btw.

 

[amaferanga]

Eat a good balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg, eat plenty of protein and carbs straight after a particularly hard ride and have a gentle recovery spin the day after to get the blood flowing and accelerate recovery.

 

[Becs]

Creatine won't do much, the best thing for muscle recovery is protein that is high in leucine - found in abundance in whey protein but also in milk. Semi skimmed milk (chocolate or otherwise :-) is a great recovery drink. However muscles only get stronger if they are overloaded so some aching is inevitable as they heal, so rest days are important

 

[Tomba]

Amino acids. Holland & Barret do one at a fairly decent price.

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=152&prodid=244&cid=2&sid=0

 

[chris-s]

Chocolate milk and compression socks if your legs ache the next day.

 

[Becs]

Amino acids. Holland & Barret do one at a fairly decent price.

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=152&prodid=244&cid=2&sid=0

Yep, as long as they are high in leucine ( the breakdown products of leucine control the rate of protein turnover) it's the relative quantities of the different amino acids that's important, not the amount. That's why eggs are so good - they contain all the essential amino acids that the body can't make out of the ones it already has. Eggs, steak and chocolate milk all the way, though perhaps not all at once!

 

[Edge705]

Chocolate milk and compression socks if your legs ache the next day.

+1 but make sure its a healthy'sh one with very little additives YAZOO chocolate milk seems to tick the right boxes perhapas there are more healthier ones but at the end of the day

 

[Crankarm]

Frijj thick Chocolate .................... Mmmmm, chocolate .

 

[Judderz]

I usually ride with an ex olympic weighlifter, (competed in the 84 and 88 olympic games), and he was telling me about the pro's of creatine. when performing any form of exercise, the fibres in your muscles 'tear' and this is what causes your muscles to ache the following days, creatine helps to repair these muscles a lot faster than natural recovery, hence being able to 'pump' again the following day.

I use creatine regularly when exercising, which I get from myprotein.co.uk who also supply it in different forms: Creatine Monohydrate, Creapure and Creapump. Creapure being the more purer form.

 

[rockyraccoon]

Why Protein after rides. You can mix with water, juice, milk or yoghurt

 

[Chrisz]

Protein and anti-oxidants immediately after the ride!

The protein helps with tissue repair (amino acids etc.) while the anti-oxidants clear up or neutralize the free redicals that errode/damage cell structure.

Creatine is used as an energy system suppliment - it provides additional creatine for use when working anaerobically using the ATP-CP system. It is not generally recognised as being useful for tissue repair (which is wat's needed AFTER a good workout) but can help fast twitch muscle fibres if taken before/during exercise.

Also, be aware that continuous use of creatine supllements may suppress the body's own ability to produce it!

 

[Colesmeister]

Sorry to revive an old thread but is there a particular brand of Whey Protein that is better than others for pre-ride and recovery use?

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

You get what you pay for. There are 82% 90% and 100% products available.

Can't really go wrong with MyProtein or Bulkpowders

 

[Rob Chandler]

you may want to take a look @ the 'Prepare' and 'Rebuild' products from 24 Athlete
Rob