Recovery drink powers, do they work?

[Molala2]

Hi i am attempt to shorten the recovery period between days of riding, i have seen "recovery powder" which u can use to make chocolate drinks in bike stores, which i believe mainly comprises protein, my question is do they work? and will they make my legs ultra bulky like those body building buys?thanks

[Michele]

As you wrote yourself, those powders are not supposed to make your legs "bulky" but help recover after a ride; means rebuilt the muscles, not increase the mass.

[JayKosta]

YES, getting 'recovery nutrition' quickly after exercise does help.
Basically, the nutrition that your body needs post-exercise is:

1) hydration and electolyte replacement for what you have lost.

2) carbohydrates to 'refuel'.
E.g. about 300 Calories.

3) protein to help your muscles recover from the stress you have put on them.
About 20 grams of protein is the maximum that your body can use efficiently in a 3 hour period.
--
There IS NOT anything 'magical' about commercial 'recovery' products versus a good blend of regular foods - but they can be more convenient.
Low-fat chocolate milk is good as a recovery drink, but it might not be convenient to buy or keep at home.
Cooked rice & scrambled eggs are also good (e.g. fried rice).

What I use is Gatorade & powdered whey protein - for me, it is convenient and inexpensive.
I buy GA powder in a large container, Inexpensive (Walmart) powdered whey concentrate protein (I prefer the vanilla flavor) in a 2 pound container.
I use a wide-mouth plastic container with a tight lid (from powdered lemonade mix).
A scoop of whey powder and the GA powder, add water, close lid and shake to mix, drink. Wash with a few drops of dishwashing liquid, rinse, and let air dry so it is ready for next time.
I do this immediately after an exercise session.
It is quick, convenient, and inexpensive.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

[LauraLyn]

Hi i am attempt to shorten the recovery period between days of riding, i have seen "recovery powder" which u can use to make chocolate drinks in bike stores, which i believe mainly comprises protein, my question is do they work? and will they make my legs ultra bulky like those body building buys?thanks

Recovery is just as important as exercise. I just read a good interview with Tom Boonen yesterday and he talks about how he controls his weight but also why rest and recovery are so important.

You should try to get your recovery drink/food in within a half hour of riding (or exercising). You need proteins and carbs, but mostly the proteins for the recovery, as well as salts/minerals.

I make my own, using fruit juice (usually pineapple juice or grape juice), and then add ground up nuts (all kinds) ground chia, fresh chopped ginger (strong taste, but really good), ground dates, and whatever fruits are in season, and I like bananas.

I avoid whey tubs and most of the things you see processed at GNC. (I don't want a body-builder's body.) It just looks very unhealthy to me. Maca is really good stuff. And hemp seeds (or powder, but I prefer the seeds) are a higher source of protein than whey.

[I'm also a great believer in chocolate: 70% or 85%. You can also ground cocoa nibs and put the powder in your recovery drink.]

[JayKosta]

...
and will they make my legs ultra bulky like those body building buys?thanks

=============================
NO, recovery drinks / food / etc. don't add bulk - it is the type of training that you do that determines how your body responds.
Body builders typically do exercises in sets of a fairly low number of repetitions with a very high amount of resistance. That puts a very large stress on the muscles, with the result being that the muscles grow very large to handle the extreme stress. For this type of extreme muscle stress, body builders typically consume much larger amounts of protein than would be needed by someone doing 'endurance training' (e.g. typical cycling).

Extensive sprint training CAN put extreme stress on the muscles - much more than typical 'road training'. So that might add more muscle mass than would be advantageous for non-sprint situations.

Do training that is similar to what is needed for your cycling goals, and get good nutrition for recovery from that type of training.

I don't worry much about the amount of protein that I eat, but I do get good results from having some protein & carbs immediately after an exercise session.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

[richwagmn]

Recovery is just as important as exercise. I just read a good interview with Tom Boonen yesterday and he talks about how he controls his weight but also why rest and recovery are so important.

You should try to get your recovery drink/food in within a half hour of riding (or exercising). You need proteins and carbs, but mostly the proteins for the recovery, as well as salts/minerals.

I make my own, using fruit juice (usually pineapple juice or grape juice), and then add ground up nuts (all kinds) ground chia, fresh chopped ginger (strong taste, but really good), ground dates, and whatever fruits are in season, and I like bananas.

I avoid whey tubs and most of the things you see processed at GNC. (I don't want a body-builder's body.) It just looks very unhealthy to me. Maca is really good stuff. And hemp seeds (or powder, but I prefer the seeds) are a higher source of protein than whey.

[I'm also a great believer in chocolate: 70% or 85%. You can also ground cocoa nibs and put the powder in your recovery drink.]

Do you have a link for that?

[DirtyWorks]

Haha... I love it when the thing that works for two different people contradict one another and then the battle of wits begins! It's finding what works for you nutrition-wise. Keep in mind though, that the stuff at GNC mostly doesn't work over the short term and is really expensive compared to fresh foods.

I think you may need to re-examine the problem. Part of an athlete's skill set is working out enough such that there's sufficient rest/adaptation. I'm pretty sure you don't want this answer but, exercise with less intensity. Otherwise the best bets are massage and gravity. Lay on the floor with your legs in the air for 15 minutes, then lie flat. You can use a roller to simulate massage to some degree. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Finally, don't worry about what your legs look like. If you stick with the sport you'll see them all kinds of different ways as your interests vary.

[LauraLyn]

Do you have a link for that?

Menzo

It is not on the Menzo site. (A really weak site.) Only a few articles that refer to it in other press. It is the interview with Koen Wauters.

I read it at my hair dressers and I wanted to stick it in my bag when leaving. But the guy's really sweet. I couldn't do that to him.

Good article. Fun read.

[LauraLyn]

A good book, available on Amazon.com: Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life

I'm not a vegan, by any means, but I found it good discussion of nutrition. Even more interesting for me is his discussion on stress.

Lot's of suggestions on recovery drinks.

I'm still not finished reading it. I fly today to Germany for a race. Something good to read on the plane.

[ray j willings]

Jack daniels and a kebab.

[42x16ss]

As said earlier, expensive whey proteins aren't necessarily the way to go, just make sure that you get the carbs back into your body, along with some protein and plenty of water within 15-20 minutes after finishing. For me I'll have some combination of fruit, muesli with yogurt, poached eggs on toast, pasta or sandwiches depending on when I'm finishing.

If I'm especially dehydrated I'll include some magnesium in the water to assist with cramping and dehydration. Ultra Muscle Eze is a good option for when you go a little too deep on a hot summer day. Also, knowing your typical sweat rate is very, very useful, I use a spreadsheet to calculate it and use this to find the minimum amount I need to drink after training.

[JackRabbitSlims]

I've been using "Hammer Nutrition" products for around 10 years now.

http://www.hammernutrition.co.nz

Perpetuem for rides longer than 2hours
Edurolytes in my Drink Bottles
Recoverite in the fridge for post ride recovery

Perpetuem amazed me the first few times - 6 hour rides on an empty stomach (strong black coffee only) - mix to a paste and pour into two squeeze flasks and all the nutrition you need!
Have some friends doing ultra marathons using the stuff also -highly recommend!

Post exercise is a tough one - I have to use some strong self control not to walk in the door and eat like a villain after a long hard ride....grab the recoverite out of the fridge (pre-mixed in a 750ml bottle), shower, and then eat some good clean food - usually left overs

Can get expensive buying all this stuff - there are cheaper alternatives, but the best thing post exercise is to replace
what you've used up....rehydrate and get some carbs and proteins back into the body.

"Horses for Courses'

Avoid alcohol until you pee clear.

[eternalforce]

I have tried all sorts of drinks and powders over the years and I always came back to just a good meal before and plenty water. Then I found that adding these O2 drops to my water my endurance and recovery was much better. I've been riding for too many years to mention and I was amazed at the results. I don't want to plug a product on this blog but my email is catus02@gmail.com. Bill

[ray j willings]

I have tried all sorts of drinks and powders over the years and I always came back to just a good meal before and plenty water. Then I found that adding these O2 drops to my water my endurance and recovery was much better. I've been riding for too many years to mention and I was amazed at the results. I don't want to plug a product on this blog but my email is catus02@gmail.com. Bill

Sounds interesting , chuck a few my way and I will give a unbiased and honest review

[fabramowski]

Sorry, But you will not get body builder legs just riding a bike. You would need to over stress you muscle with weights to do that. If you read anything, protein is the building blocks of muscles. You body is unique onto itself, so only 20 grams of protein for you might not be enough. I take in 40-50 grams of protein after a hard ride or a weightlifting workout. The most important is when you sleep. 25-30 grams of protein before bed help to build and recover your body. Just read, do some research only you will know your body.

[BigMac]

I can't take any recovery or energy drinks. Always feel like throwing up.

[StyrbjornSterki]

The theory I've heard is that the muscle's "glycogen window" is open widest for about the first 30 minutes after the ride ends (and gradually narrows until closed at about four hours post-ride). And this is energy stored within the muscles themselves, at the cellular level, rather than in the liver or in the bloodstream. If true, this means your best opportunity to get a jump on refuelling for tomorrow's ride is within half an hour of when today's ride ends. And the fuel of choice is a carbohydrate, because of the narrow time frame (30 minutes) and the carb's quick uptake.

I've also read that the glycogen uptake might be boosted by as much as 25% if the beverage is caffeinated. Some claim even higher but I think those 'studies' were sponsored by the coffee industry (j.k.).

You can make a home-brewed post ride drink that covers the carbs and caffeine for a lot less than the commercial stuff. You might miss out on the commercial stuff's fancy ingredients, like branched chain amino acids, but you still get most of the benefits for a fraction of the cost.

[King Boonen]

4 year old thread folks.

[StyrbjornSterki]

4 year old thread folks.

I read slow.

[jahn]

Recovery is still as important as it was 4 years ago.