By Dario Fredrick

Effective training has many components: proper intensity, sufficient volume, intelligent nutrition and a balanced psychological approach. While each of these components plays a key role, the most important part of effective training actually happens when not physically training – during recovery.

Most competitive athletes have little difficulty pushing themselves, devoting plenty of energy to physical output. While it is essential to apply workloads that stress the body beyond its current state in order to improve, benefits are realized only when recovery from training occurs. The body must rebuild itself to adapt to a higher level of power or endurance. Without proper recovery, the subtly damaging effects of training accumulate and can lead to burnout, overtraining or injury. Recovery is as important a part of training as the physical training itself.

The rate of recovery is important for competitive athletes, particularly as they commonly train and race on consecutive days. A proactive approach can speed the rate of recovery, improving performance potential for subsequent workouts or on back to back race days. We can separate proactive recovery into three main categories: refueling, rebuilding and restoring.

Refueling for Recovery

The primary fuel during exercise is carbohydrate stored as glycogen. Muscle glycogen is a “fast” fuel located around muscle and in the liver, and its depletion leads to fatigue, reducing peak sustainable power. Logically, replenishing muscle glycogen stores after a race or training session is a priority to optimize recovery. Also, sufficient carbohydrate intake before and during endurance exercise can help reduce stress on the immune system inherent in prolonged and intense training.

The timing of replenishing glycogen affects how quickly you recover. A window of opportunity exists within the first 30-60 minutes immediately following exercise in which ingested carbohydrates are more quickly stored as glycogen. This accelerated rate gradually slows over the next few hours to a normal, resting level. After a glycogen depleting exercise session, such as a long training ride or race, the highest post-exercise glycogen resynthesis occurs when ingesting at least one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight in that first hour. For a 150 lb athlete, this translates to approximately 68 grams of carbohydrates (divide weight in pounds by 2.2). High glycemic carbohydrates (simple sugar) appear to be most effective during the post-exercise window. Some research has suggested that including a small amount of protein improves the rate of glycogen storage as well. Given that protein is an essential component for rebuilding tissue and that it does not limit glycogen storage, it makes sense to take in both. If real foods are not available, there are numerous sports recovery foods and drink mixes that use a carbohydrate/protein ratio of 3:1 or 4:1, simplifying the process for you.

Hydration

Re-hydration is arguably the most important element of refueling for recovery. Exercise can cause a large loss in fluid, and in hotter conditions, endurance athletes can lose as much as three liters of sweat per hour. A fluid deficit of as little as 2% of body weight can impair performance, emphasizing the importance of hydration as part of optimal recovery. Try to take in at least 16-20 ounces of fluid for every pound of body weight lost during a training session or race. It is also important to recognize that the thirst mechanism is delayed compared to your body’s hydration needs. Drink before you’re thirsty, and consume the appropriate amount of fluid during recovery regardless of thirst. Minerals such as sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium are also lost through sweat and a mineral imbalance can negatively affect muscular contraction and hormone function. Replacing the minerals that are lost in the highest quantity (sodium & potassium) can be easily achieved using many of the common sports drinks and mineral supplements available today.

Vitamins and minerals play an important role in energy production. For example, the mineral iron is essential for carrying and transporting oxygen in the blood. Vitamins such as B1 and B2 are involved in metabolizing fuel for working muscle. The vitamin and mineral needs of most athletes are satisfied with a well balanced diet. If you suspect that you are lacking in some areas of your diet, a multivitamin may help fill some of the nutritional gaps. Antioxidant vitamins such as C, E & beta carotene appear to help reduce some of the damage from oxidative stress in muscle. Keep in mind that vitamin supplements should not replace a balanced diet, as nutrients are best obtained from wholesome foods.

Rebuilding for Recovery

Protein is an essential element in the structure of every cell. Without it we would not be able to repair the muscular damage caused by training. Furthermore, amino acids (which form proteins) play an important role in metabolism and in regulating blood glucose levels, directly affecting the fueling of muscle. The optimal amount of dietary protein intake has been argued over extensively, and is still not entirely agreed upon. For endurance athletes, the ideal amount appears to range somewhere between 1.0-1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This suggests that a 150 lb. (68 kg) athlete should consume between 68-120 grams daily. While this is clearly a wide range, the timing of protein intake should also be considered. For example, when tissue repair is critical to recovery, such as during periods of significant volume or intensity, protein needs may be closer to the higher end of the range, while less intense training phases may require a slightly lower protein intake.

Sleep

During sleep, the body goes through its most significant regenerative processes, which include the production of growth hormone (GH). GH stimulates rebuilding of muscle, improves the delivery of fuel to muscle and stimulates fat metabolism. Taking a brief nap during the day can provide additional GH release, potentially improving recovery. The duration of a nap need not exceed 20-30 minutes to be effective. Sleep also supports proper mental functioning such as memory and other important tasks required for optimal performance. Sleep deprivation, on the other hand, can affect maximal exercise performance, reducing exercise time to exhaustion by as much as 20%. Loss of sleep can also increase your perceived effort during exercise, with potentially adverse affects on your confidence and motivation. While researchers are not certain of the optimal volume of sleep for athletes, it is clear that sleep deprivation can hinder performance and recovery. If your mental focus seems impaired after a limited number of sleep hours, or your perception of effort seems higher than it should, try gradually increasing your hours of sleep until feeling clear minded and strong again.

Restoring for Recovery

Intense physical training stimulates the stress response of the nervous system. Stress hormones are produced that increase the breakdown of glycogen and muscle tissue, while challenging the immune system as well. Conversely, the counterpart of the stress response in the nervous system is naturally enhanced during periods of rest or while digesting a calm meal. When the “counter-stress” response takes over, restoration and recovery are enhanced.

Psychological stress produces a similar response as intense exercise even when not exercising. You can promote the restorative effects of recovery by reducing sympathetic activity and encourage parasympathetic activity whenever possible. For example, restorative Yoga poses and meditation support parasympathetic activity, enhancing recovery. We can train this response in the brain in a similar way that we train the body during exercise. By practicing relaxation, the mind learns to reduce the magnitude of the stress response, minimizing the detrimental effects.

Musculoskeletal alignment refers to creating and maintaining the natural and full range of motion in the joints, muscles and connective tissues of the body. Flexibility and joint alignment allow optimal movement patterns. Flexibility can also describe a tissue’s ability to change in length or form without injury. Restoring muscle tissue to its natural length from a chronically contracted state can improve its ability to produce force. Good flexibility also supports joint health through improved lubrication and prevention of injury. Alignment-based stretching, such as in certain styles of Yoga can help improve these restorative aspects of recovery.

Massage is a commonly employed recovery tool for athletes. It is interesting that little scientific evidence supports performance benefits from massage other than a reduction in perceived effort. Nonetheless, massage can increase circulation to a given area, nourishing heavily worked muscles with fresh blood to help repair and restore damaged tissue. Massage can also assist in realigning overworked joint movement patterns. Even self-massage can be a restorative practice. The healing effects of massage are apparent to those who take advantage of this recovery tool.

Elements of Optimal Recovery

Refueling

• Replenish glycogen stores within 30-60 minutes following a workout or race. Take in one gram per kilogram of body weight of high-glycemic carbohydrates.
• Consume 16-20 oz of fluid per pound of weight lost during exercise.

Rebuilding

• Consume adequate protein (2-4 gm per pound per day), especially during intense period of training or racing.
• Sufficient sleep is important for optimal growth hormone production and rebuilding and repairing damage. “Power naps” of 20-30 minutes also help do the job.

Restoring

• Minimize the stress response when not training to maximize restoration. Practice calming the mind and recovery will improve as well.
• Stretch or practice alignment-based forms of Yoga to restore muscle/connective tissue and joint alignment. o Massage is a long-time recovery tool of successful athletes. Take advantage of its restorative effects.

Dario Fredrick is an exercise physiologist and the director of the Whole Athlete Performance Center in San Anselmo, CA. He can be reached via www.wholeathlete.com.

Starting on June 19 (with amateur events) and wrapping up on June 27 (with the Men’s Pro race), the Italian National Championships will be in our backyard at Conegliano.

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The main climb of the course, the Ca’ del Poggio, is basically at the far end of the Canal Ride, and we’ll surely make a detour to see exactly what it’s like for ourselves. Pat found video from the 2009 Giro that shows it may be short, but it’s not easy – especially 11 times like they’ll do in June.

And now, the Giro d’Italia Femminile (Giro Donne), will also have two stages in our backyard this July. The second stage from Sacile finishes 15kms away in Riese Pio X on July 3. The next day is a 17km TT starting in Caerano San Marco, heading up to Cornuda, and finishing back in Biadene.

2010 Giro d'Italia Femminile - Stage 3 TT

And this is all, of course, in addition to the usual events, like UDACE racing, and the Gran Fondo Damiano Cunego on June 6, the Gran Fondo dei 7 Comuni Rigoni di Asiago on June 13, the Gran Fondo Sportful (Campagnolo) on June 20, Sella Ronda Bike Day on June 27, the Gran Fondo Monte Grappa on July 4, and of course la Pinarello (Gran Fondo Pinarello) on July 18.

Ci vediamo presto!!

By Dario Fredrick

It’s the time of year when many cyclists’ knees begin to protest the combination of increased mileage and cold temperatures. Some may take the knees for granted, but many experience knee pain at one time or another when cycling, especially in winter. Understanding the knee joint and its role in pedaling can help. Preventative maintenance such as good biomechanics and proper use and care is important, and what you do off the bike can make a difference as well.

Know Your Knee

The knee joint is fundamental in producing pedaling power on the bike. The torque applied through the downward segment of the pedal stroke is the highest area of force production, accomplished through a combination of hip and knee extension. The extension of the knee is a result of contracting the quadriceps muscles in the front of the thigh, which cross the front of the knee joint and pull against the lower leg. The quads straighten the leg at the knee, a hinge joint. Since the quadriceps make up the largest muscle group (especially in cyclists!) the knee joint deals with much of the workload in cycling.

While many tend to associate the illio-tibial (IT) band with the knee, it is not directly involved in movement of the joint. The IT band is a long, broad tendon that originates above the hip at the illium bone (hence “illio”), runs along the side of the outermost quadriceps muscle (vastus lateralis), and crosses the lower, front of the knee, attaching to the larger of the two lower leg bones (tibia = “tibial”).

The IT band actually begins as two muscles, the gluteus maximus and the tensor fascie latae (TFL) at the hip. The glut max is a hip extensor, a primary muscle involved in downward torque in the pedal stroke. The TFL is an abductor, so while its main job is to take the leg away from the midline to the side, in cycling it works more to stabilize the leg as the hip flexes and extends.

Knee Problems

Knee pain is one of the most common problems cyclists experience, typically a result of various degrees of tendonitis: inflammation or strain of the tissue that connects the quadriceps across the knee to the lower leg, or friction along the outer knee from illio-tibial band tension. Although many people refer to IT band tightness as the cause of their knee problems, technically it’s the muscles that develop tightness initially, rather than the tendon itself. If the glut max is tight, it can pull the IT band. Since the IT band runs along the outer quad like a sheath, if the muscle develops knots or tension, these areas can inhibit movement of the IT band. IT tension can result in friction where it passes across the side of the knee, creating an internal “blister” called a bursa.

Lateral misalignment of the knee joint can also result in tendonitis from pedaling when the muscles on one side become overworked. When the knees are valgus (bowed inward when standing), or the outer quads are extremely tight, the mid and inner quadriceps (rectus femoris & vastus medialis, A.K.A. VMO) can become challenged and fatigued, straining its tendon attachment. The result is pain along the inner border and/or the lower front of the kneecap (patella). This situation is often coupled with resulting IT band tension. Less common, although equally challenging is pain in the back of the knee – usually a result of hamstring tendonitis where the muscles that flex the knee become overworked and their lower attachments strain.

Acupuncture & massage can help keep our knees healthy

Solutions

Many tendon problems can be avoided or reduced by deeply relaxing and smoothing out the muscle from which the tendon originates, or in the case of the IT, also the muscle along which it runs (lateral quadriceps). Chronically tight or knotted muscles can increase tension at the attachment, thus overloading the tendon. Avoid stretching a muscle with an inflamed tendon, as it often places additional strain on the weak or injured tendon attachment. Instead, massage the belly of the muscle itself to help release it. Professional deep tissue sports massage can do wonders for overworked or knotted cycling muscles, while acupuncture can be extremely effective at healing damaged tissue as well.

Keep the knees warm in winter

Knees are no exception to the chestnut of ‘prevention being the best medicine’. First and foremost, proper biomechanics are fundamental to minimizing risk of injury. As a professional bike fitter and long time cyclist myself, I cannot stress highly enough the importance of optimal bike positioning for the knees. This includes cleat alignment in addition to proper saddle position. Once you have an optimal fit, how you pedal determines the load at the knees as well. Try to pedal in a more horizontal rather than vertical, downward manner at times to develop the weaker areas of the pedal stroke. Avoid overgearing, especially when climbing. For the same relative power, climbing vs. flat terrain tends to require higher force, as we are limited by gearing and working against gravity. We know that the most efficient range of cadence when climbing is ~70-90 rpm, depending on the workload. Have low enough gears on your bike to pedal at a minimum of 70 rpm on most climbs and at a moderate level of intensity.

Keep your knees warm. Since tendons do not receive direct blood supply like muscle tissue, the body cannot regulate their temperature as well. Like most elastic tissue, when it is colder, it loses elasticity, becoming more vulnerable to tearing at higher force. A pre-ride knee prep I have found effective in the winter includes massaging arnica oil into the knees and wearing leg or knee warmers. The oil serves as both a barrier to the cold, as well as a lubricating, anti-inflammatory agent, and the warmers keep both muscles and joints warm.

The Bee’s Knees

Be kind to your knees – they’re the only ones you’ve got. Keep your cycling muscles long and relaxed off the bike, and be sure that your fit and pedaling mechanics are the best you can create. Keep your knees warm on the bike, and spin light enough gears to become supple in your pedal stroke and strong in your legs. Your knees will thank you in the long run.

Dario Fredrick is an exercise physiologist and the director of the Whole Athlete Performance Center in San Anselmo, CA. He can be reached via www.wholeathlete.com.

• We will have access to what we’re calling Villa II – the Bolzon family home just behind the Hotel Monte Grappa. For everyone, this means a secure place to leave your bike and bike case, a laundry facility, and where we will have the rack, workstand, and a small toolset. It also means that at particularly busy times, we will have access to bedrooms in Villa II!
• Luca has asked that we give him rooming lists as early as possible this year, so he can make sure that everybody has a bed, and every bed has a body. For the Giro trip, this means we’d like to have our list to him by the end of January. You can put your name and dates in on our Registration page, and we’re finally taking PayPal deposits.

We’re happy and excited for Luca, and the more we plan for and talk about next year, the more excited we get about heading back! If you have any thoughts, or suggestions, leave a comment below or give us a shout.

On Monte Grappa the Italian Army did not breakdown. Outnumbered, outgunned, with their backs to the abyss and their faces to onrushing enemy and winter weather, they found a renewed spirit that would carry on until victory the following year. They opposed German flamethrower and gas with rifle and bayonet counterattacks. Against torrents of artillery and trench mortars, these soldati hurled hand grenades and finally without ammunition, the mountain’s stones.

 
Whether you are in Italy, remembering la Grande Guerra on November 4th (the Armistice of villa Giusti), or elsewhere on November 11th, it is tales like these that put our suffering on the bike into perspective.
 

Another reminder, since our package deals include Gran Fondo entry fees, if you are accepted into the 2010 Maratona dles Dolomites, we will credit your 75Euro entry fee towards your camp fee. Let’s go do some serious climbing!