Why We Bike With (Not Against) Traffic

Don't be a bike salmon.

February 10, 2020 Susan Lacke

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Many cyclists, especially those who are new to riding, feel some degree of anxiety about riding in the road. After all, in a crash between a vehicle and a bike, it’s the cyclist who is most likely to be injured or killed. It makes sense, then, that cyclists want to do whatever possible to minimize that risk, be it donning neon colors from head to toe for added visibility, seeking out less-trafficked side streets, and eschewing headphones so they can better hear their surroundings.

This usually leads to a well-intentioned question: “Why do I ride with my back to traffic?” On the surface, this is a perfectly reasonable query – after all, it could make sense that riding against the flow of traffic, instead of in the same direction, allows a cyclist to see oncoming traffic and get out of the way when needed.

But is this type of riding really safer for cyclists? In a word, no. In a study of cyclists riding on the road, cyclists traveling against the direction of vehicular flow were found to be an average of 3.6 times more likely to be in an incident than those traveling with traffic.

“Going the wrong way, against traffic, is known as ‘salmoning’ in the bike community,” says Laura Shepard of Bike New York, who explains that bike lanes flow with traffic for the safety of the cyclist, for many reasons:

You’re more likely to be seen.

When vehicles pull out of driveways or turn at an intersection, especially when making a right-hand turn, they’re most often looking in the direction traffic is already coming; rarely do they look both ways, and they’re certainly not expecting traffic in the bike lane to be coming the wrong way. Ditto for pedestrians, who look for oncoming vehicles their expected lane. In general, it’s safest to do what is expected, says Shepard: “Cyclists are typically required by law to travel in the same direction as traffic to reduce confusion for drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists. The best way to stay safe is to ride predictably.”

Drivers can respond quickly and appropriately.

If you cycle with traffic and the car behind you does not have room to pass, the driver only needs to slow down to your speed until there it’s clear to pass. Riding against traffic, however, decreases the driver’s reaction time, leaving only two choices: hit the cyclist, or drive into oncoming traffic.

It’s basic physics.

If you’re riding at 15 miles per hour when a car hits you from behind at 35 miles per hour, the speed of the cyclist reduces the approaching speed to 20 miles per hour, since both the bike and car are going in the same direction. If there’s a head-on collision at those same speeds, however, the impact happens at 50 miles per hour. The higher the impact speed, the higher the risk of injury and death for the cyclist.

Riding with traffic protects your fellow cyclists.

“Salmoning is often frowned upon because it creates a hazardous situation for cyclists traveling in the correct direction,” says Shepard. Bike lanes are narrow as it is – and when two cyclists are traveling in opposite directions, one will have to swerve into vehicular traffic to avoid a collision.

Green (and red) lights aren’t just for cars.

Traffic lights and road signs are positioned for visibility by traffic traveling in the correct direction. When riding against traffic, you may miss important information – or worse, enter an intersection at an improper (and unsafe) time.

It’s the law.

In general, cyclists tend to follow laws, not break them. One study found that less than 5% of cyclists break traffic laws while riding, compared to 66 percent of motorists; another study found that on the rare occasions cyclists do break the rules, it’s because they have no other safe option. Still, none of these stats will fly with a police officer who wants to ticket you. If you’re riding the wrong way on the road, it’s breaking the law. If you are an in a collision while riding the wrong way, you will be at fault.

What about riding on the sidewalk?

In many states, bikes are considered vehicles, which means they are not allowed on sidewalks (some areas make exceptions for children). The majority of bike laws are determined by state and local officials, not at the federal level, so it’s important to make sure you check the laws in your state, particularly if you a visitor or new resident.

However, there are many areas where bike infrastructure is absent and streets are intimidating for cyclists. Speeding, double parking, and other reckless driving behavior cause cyclists to feel unsafe and vulnerable on streets that lack dedicated, protected bike lanes.

“It’s common to see bikes on the sidewalks where these conditions persist, particularly where there are few pedestrians, says Shepard. “Most cyclists will assess the risks and make a case-by-case decision.”

For some, that may mean briefly moving to a sidewalk. However, Shepard says taking the lane is also an option to consider: “In general, the best way to stay safe is to ride confidently and predictably. When there are no bike lanes, taking the lane is often the safest strategy. This means riding in the center of a lane on either side of the street to deter drivers from attempting to pass at close range. We recommend signaling when changing lanes, slowing down, or stopping.”

Healthy Habits

Healthy Habits That Can Help You Live Longer—and

Easy Ways to Make Them Stick

    

Elizabeth Millard

 

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The question of how to live longer—and how to increase your health span, not just life span—is a centuries-old pursuit. But recent research has narrowed down some possible answers to longevity. You’ve likely already heard them: Eat nutritious foods, move more often, moderate alcohol, don’t smoke, maintain a healthy weight, and get solid sleep.

It turns out this list isn’t just for those in good health who want to spend a few more years playing pickleball and riding centuries, it’s also a powerful approach even for those with chronic conditions.

A recent study published in Age and Ageing looked at nearly 50,000 people throughout Japan during a 20-year period and found that these six habits, even when adopted later in life, were associated with longer life expectancy. That was true even with participants who had chronic diseases like cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

The biggest challenge isn’t just building these healthy habits, it’s making them stick. Fortunately, sometimes it takes only one meaningful change to gain momentum. Here are some simple tactics to help you build healthy habits that help you live longer and how to make them part of your everyday mix.

Healthy habit: eating well

Focus on: getting more fiber

Numerous studies have pointed toward plant-based eating as a way to kick up nutrition, and a large part of that has to do with fiber. On average, only 7.4 percent of U.S. adults meet the recommended daily intake of fiber, according to a study presented at the Nutrition 2021 Live online conference.

Health guidelines from the Institute of Medicine recommend eating 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories, which means that reaching that goal would involve eating about 25 grams for a 2,000-calorie diet. Here’s the good news: It really doesn’t take that long to see significant effects.

Even just two weeks of a higher-fiber diet with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains can change your gut health in a way that helps you absorb nutrients better, according to a study in the journal mSystems. That can improve far more than your digestion, says study’s lead author, Katrine Whiteson, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular biology and biochemistry at the University of California Irvine.

She tells Bicycling that better gut health can lower inflammation in the body, reduce chronic disease risk, and boost immune health. All of those outcomes can have a meaningful effect on healthy aging.

Heathy habit: move more

Focus on: making it engaging

Whether you want to establish a brand new fitness habit or you’re looking to expand what you’ve already got going, choose the same time each day to exercise to make it part of your regular routine. But here’s the hack: Every once in awhile, switch it up.

That means, swapping your 7 a.m. start time with a 7:23 a.m. start, changing the pace, route, or terrain of your ride, adding some fresh new exercises into your strength workout, or trying a brand new workout every month, like running or Pilates or a bootcamp class.

Our brains love novelty, and finding even little ways to add some into your fitness routine sets off a cascade of responses that can improve your workout. A study in Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews found that novelty boosts perception, increases motivation, and enhances learning.

“Introducing different movements to the body provides the brain with added knowledge and keeps it interesting, which makes it easier to turn into a habit,” strength and conditioning coach Rocky Snyder, C.S.C.S., author of strength-training guide Return to Center tells Bicycling.

Healthy habit: quit smoking

Focus on: exercising to fight cravings

There are numerous recommendations for smoking cessation, from using nicotine replacement products to hypnosis. But here’s one that comes with a bigger ripple effect: Go for another ride.

Not only will this help clear your cardiorespiratory system, but research in the British Journal of Pharmacology suggests exercise (in this case, it was running) can cut down on cravings significantly. Although that study was done with mice, researchers noted that the effect is likely similar for humans. Those that went running every day showed considerably fewer withdrawal symptoms compared to a sedentary group.

According to the National Institutes of Health, studies show that even short periods of fitness, and especially aerobic exercise, can reduce the urge to smoke, with the effect lasting up to an hour after your workout.

Healthy habit: get better sleep

Focus on: your weekly hours

By now, we all know the standard advice about getting seven to nine hours of sleep per night or you’ll risk becoming sleep deprived. But what if that advice isn’t as set in stone as it appears to be?

“There’s more debate about this in the sleep research community than you might think," says W. Chris Winter, M.D., of the Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, and author of The Sleep Solution. He tells Bicycling that some researchers suggest what matters is how much sleep you get weekly—not nightly—and that people tend to do best putting in around 50 to 56 hours on average.

“This makes it easier for people who might stay up late on a couple weeknights and then need to sleep longer other nights or take naps to get to that number,” he says.

Instead of focusing on a rock-solid eight hours nightly, a better approach is to track variables like daytime sleepiness and energy levels, as well as how long it takes you to fall asleep, and to count up your hours-per-week number to see if more or less is making a difference.

There’s no guarantee that putting all of these habits in place will make you live longer, but as you stack them up, you have a much better chance at living healthier.

How do you Deal with Sore Muscles?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness Hurts, But You Can Get Rid of It

by Lauren Steele and Molly Hurford

 

It’s the day after you sprinted a few extra hill repeats, survived a long-overdue squat session, or finally got back into your regular cycling routine, and your muscles feel like they are made of rocks lodged between your bones. You can thank a condition called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for that.

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Causes of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Feeling sore after a hard ride is normal—even if it shows up a day or two after you’ve stopped pedaling. Delayed onset muscle soreness describes the achy sensation you feel 24 to 48 hours after exercise, the cause of which is still not exactly known. Many believe it's the result of exercise-induced muscle damage or microscopic tears as a result of eccentric movement (when the muscle lengthens versus shortens, known as concentric).

For example, pushing down on the pedals is an eccentric movement for your hamstrings, which lengthen with every stroke. DOMS is common in cyclists because of that movement, especially after harder workouts, says Oliver Witard, Ph.D., senior lecturer in Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism at the University of Stirling and part of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute’s extended network of experts.

Muscle soreness may also be a result of inflammation, a necessary part of cellular repair and recovery, which lessens as we adapt to exercise. But the degree of your DOMS discomfort doesn’t need to be so extreme that you avoid training because of it.

“DOMS is a natural occurrence, but you can control it so it doesn’t affect your workout the next day,” says physical therapist Gary Guerriero, co-owner of the U.S. Athletic Training Center. Adopting smart strategies that fit your lifestyle can make huge differences in your pain levels. “Consistency is key—whatever you’re doing, if you’re consistent, it will help you,” Guerriero adds.

Effects of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

Although some soreness is normal, you don’t necessarily want to celebrate DOMS. “Feeling sore after a workout can feel like validation that you worked hard, [but] you shouldn’t seek that after every workout,” says Blair Callaghan, D.P.T., a physical therapist at Washington Wellness Physical Therapy & SportsCare. “DOMS is a sign of damage and fatigue.”

“You sprain your ankle, then you’re going to walk differently; if you have DOMS, then you’re going to exercise differently,” she adds. “You sit in the saddle differently, you pedal differently, and you exert energy differently—and that’s how you end up injured. There’s no long-term or short-term benefit to being sore, so let your muscles catch up to the workload. Just because you’re not sore doesn’t mean you aren’t getting stronger.”

We tapped a panel of experts including Witard, Guerriero, and Callaghan to help you prevent DOMS with nutrition and lifestyle changes, tips to ride in a way that produces less soreness, and post-ride recovery tricks. Get ready to get rid of sore muscles and make your training schedule stick.

What to Eat to Prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness

1. Eat More Antioxidants

There’s been some scrutiny of the claim that antioxidants decrease inflammation, but significant research suggests antioxidants blunt cell damage by strengthening the immune system and interrupting the domino-like damaging effects of free radicals that contribute to initial soreness and DOMS. However, foods containing antioxidants like vitamins A, C, and E—blueberries, pomegranates, and cherries, Witard says—offer benefits outside of antioxidants, so you might as well dig in.

2. Up Your Intake of Healthy Fat

Fat helps keep our cells intact. “Omega-3s like those in fish oil incorporate themselves into the cell membrane of the muscle and form a barrier, and they may preserve the cell membrane’s integrity,” Witard says.

The alternative is leaky cells that spill an enzyme called creatine kinase into your system, which contributes to muscle aches and cramps. Fatty fish (not fish oil supplements) pack the most significant amount of omega-3s, though the fish-averse can resort to foods such as flax seeds and spinach.

3. Consider Supplementing With Vitamin D

Witard also recommends adding vitamin D to your diet, which recent studies have identified as a key agent in expediting muscle repair. Other studies have seen vitamin D improve muscle function and protect against injuries. Choose foods like fatty fish and dairy products for a vitamin D boost.

4. Graze on Protein

You will best limit DOMS if you eat protein throughout the day, says Nate Dunn, a USAC Level 1 certified coach. Aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein every three hours. When you are “dosing” with protein all day, you are providing your muscles with a steady stream of amino acids—the building blocks of healthy muscle. It doesn’t have to be a complicated protein shake—snack on Greek yogurt, nuts, or whatever protein-source you like best.

What to Do in Workouts to Prevent DOMS

 

Photo credit: Justin Paget - Getty Images

1. Start Slow

The most basic rule of preventing muscle damage is using progression. “You get DOMS when you bite off more than you can chew while training,” Dunn says. “Figure out where you’re coming from and work from there. Are you lean? Overweight? Active? Coming back from an injury? Honestly assess where you’re at.”

If you’re coming off the couch, he says, ride three times a week at most, with each ride lasting between 60 and 90 minutes. Utilizing a steady, progressive loading strategy is ideal for getting stronger without overwhelming your body.

3. Spin, Don’t Push

Maintaining a higher cadence will “minimize the amount of torque transferred to your joints and overall stress on your muscles,” Dunn says. “You want to stay in the 90 rpm range and get comfortable there before you start doing sprint intervals.” That means gear down and spin faster instead of gearing up and mashing on the pedals.

4. Know Your Limits—Then Push Them

“There’s no problem with overreaching and giving yourself a big workout or a hard week of training, but after you overreach, accept that you wont feel as good,” says Dr. Stuart Phillips, a professor of kinesiology at McMaster University and fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the American College of Nutrition. “You have to scale back after pushing the limit so you don’t go over the edge and end up with a muscle injury. If you can do that, a week or two down the road, you’ll have improved fitness since your muscles have been pushed and had the opportunity to rebuild. Successive big weeks are overdoing it. And overdoing it is overtraining.”

5. Force Yourself to Cross-Train

For many of us, saddle time is sacred, but we can become stronger riders by supplementing cycling—even exchanging it—with other activities.

“It’s really difficult to say, ‘I’ll skip my ride and go to the pool and swim’ when that ride is what you look forward to doing,” Callaghan says. “But if you commit a day or two a week to lifting weights and supporting stabilizing muscles, you’ll be a healthy, well-rounded athlete, and I guarantee you’ll see improvement on the bike.” She recommends cyclists take one or two days a week to weight-train, do yoga, swim, jog, or walk fast to vary muscle utilization and decrease stress on cycling-specific muscles.

What to Do After You Ride to Prevent DOMS

1. Refuel the Right Way

Our bodies use amino acids from protein to repair exercise-induced muscle damage. Supplement that process with a protein-packed snack between 30 and 60 minutes after working out, and then keep “dosing” to minimize DOMS by eating around 20 grams of protein after your workout for optimal recovery, , recommends Nanci Guest, lead dietician for the Pan Am Games. Choose snacks with whey protein for best results; whey contains the amino acid leucine, which helps initiate muscle protein synthesis.

2. Foam-Roll the Pain Away

Muscles fibers can knot up after exercise, but we can help them function more smoothly by breaking up these adhesions and scar tissue with self-massage using a foam roller.

“I’m a huge fan of the foam roller,” Callaghan says. “It mimics a soft tissue massage and increases blood flow and nutrition to injured muscles and heals them faster.”

Most foam rollers usually cost less than $50, and come in various sizes; that initial investment definitely pays off when you can soothe and prevent aches anywhere, any time. Roll out on the go or in front of your favorite Netflix show for significantly less dough than a regular professional massage. “There’s no excuse not to do it,” Callaghan says.

What to Do If the Pain Sets In

Don’t Rely on Pain Relievers

Witard suggests avoiding dependence on anti-inflammatory drugs or other pain relievers to get through a workout in the midst of DOMS recovery. It’s tempting to reach for the bottle of Advil after tough rides, but anti-inflammatories can do more harm than good; rather than solving your problem, these drugs simply mask it, allowing you to do more damage and feel worse later. Delaying soreness doesn’t alleviate it.

Seek Help

If you feel plagued with DOMS after every workout, consider looking for a physical therapist who is experienced in helping cyclists. There are tons of (less accessible) alternative therapies, Guerriero says, from cryotherapy to acupuncture to electric-stim massage to floatation therapy.

“The hard thing is finding someone good who does these things,” he adds, so before signing up with the nearest PT, assess your options, and don’t be afraid to ask questions about how they deal with DOMS.

Keeping up on your fluid intake may help prevent heart failure, so drink up!

By Elizabeth Millard

• Keeping up on your fluid intake may help prevent heart failure, according to research presented at the recent European Society of Cardiology meeting.
• A good rule of thumb when it comes to hydration is to aim for about 60 to 80 ounces of water daily.

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Keeping up on your fluid intake is an important part of race performance and training recovery, but here’s one more reason to keep emptying that water bottle: It’s good for your heart.

Maintaining good hydration over time may slow down age-related changes within the heart that lead to heart failure, according to research presented at the recent European Society of Cardiology meeting.

Researched looked at nearly 16,000 middle-aged adults who were part of the long-running Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, and they found those who had good hydration habits were less likely to develop heart failure over a 25-year time period.

That’s because when you drink less fluid—particularly water—your concentration of serum sodium increases. Basically, you have too much sodium in your blood, and the longer that continues, the higher your risk of heart problems becomes.

Over time, your body shifts toward conserving water as a way to counteract that abundance, and that can activate processes related to poor heart function, researchers noted. For example, in the study, those with heart failure tended to develop a condition called left ventricular hypertrophy, which affects the heart’s ability to pump blood, and involves a thickening of tissue within the heart muscle.

Another potential factor when it comes to increased sodium in your blood is cognitive function. Although that wasn’t covered in the study, it’s important to recognize how seriously dehydration can affect brain as well as heart function, said Barbara Bergin, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Texas Orthopedics, Sports & Rehabilitation Associates in Austin.

“With high serum sodium levels, your brain cells basically shrink because they don’t have enough water,” she told Runner’s World. “Not surprisingly, that leads to more confusion or brain fog because they’re not working optimally.”

Other potential signs that you’re not getting enough fluid include lightheadedness, dry mouth, constipation, and orthostatic dizziness—which is that “whoosh” feeling you may get when transitioning from sitting or lying down to standing.

“When you’re dehydrated, your blood volume decreases,” she said. “Plus, blood pools in the legs when you’re sitting or lying down, so when that’s combined with less volume, you’ll get lower blood volume to the brain. Subsequently, there’s dizziness.”

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Another major consideration is that we tend to hold on to less water as we age, according to Scott Kaiser, M.D., geriatrician and director of geriatric cognitive health for Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in California.

He told Runner’s World that it’s like driving with a smaller gas tank—you can still fuel up for where you need to go, but frequency of filling up is just as important as volume.

“You can get fluids from many sources, including fruits and vegetables, as well as non-caffeinated beverages,” he said. “But it’s helpful to simply drink water more often, before you get thirsty. That’s important at any age, but especially as you get older.”

Recommendations on daily fluid intake vary, but span from 54 to 71 ounces for women and 67 to 101 ounces for men. The researchers of the recent study noted that worldwide surveys show that many people don’t meet even the lower ends of these ranges. How much you get will depend on your weight, age, and whether you’re active, but a good rule of thumb is usually to aim for about 60 to 80 ounces daily.

From: Runner's World US

Elizabeth Millard Elizabeth Millard is a freelance writer focusing on health, wellness, fitness, and food. 

Recoverey Tips

Muscle Recovery: 8 Tips for a Faster Recovery after Exercise

by Sascha Wingenfeld

 

What does “muscle recovery” mean? It means that your body can recoup after a race or a training session. After the body recovers, you are once again fit and ready to perform.
How much your body develops and how much your performance improves depends on how well and how quickly you can recover. The faster you recover, the sooner you can begin again with the next training session. A fully recovered body is far more resilient. Plus, you don’t tend to get injured as easily. In fact, it’s during the time after your workout that the body improves its performance.

Training is designed to fatigue your body

The important thing to understand is that you are systematically tiring your body during training. Bones, ligaments, muscles and tendons are being strained and your energy reserves are being depleted. At first, this leads to decreased performance, but then your body starts working to restore your level of performance immediately after your workout. “Given the necessary time, the body will use the recovery phase to raise its capabilities to a new level and build up longer lasting resources. If there is too little time for this process and the body cannot recover completely before the next training session, the body reacts with stagnation or decreased performance,” emphasizes running expert, Sascha Wingenfeld. The rest phase determines whether and how quickly the body can improve its performance. Or whether the sum total of the training sessions is simply too much for it.

Important:

It’s common to overdo it when you’re training for a competition or have joined a challenge like Run for The Oceans, but don’t forget to give yourself time to recover so you can perform your best.

Two muscle recovery techniques

There are basically two types of recovery: passive and active.
Passive: We rely solely on the body’s own powers of recovery and hope that it can compensate for the training load as well as it can and restore its physical capabilities as quickly as possible.
Active: We can also positively influence the regeneration process.  Active support means using a variety of measures to stimulate the body during the rest phase. The effect: Your body requires far less time to recover. “We can get back to training faster or increase the intensity of our workout, which in the end leads to enhanced performance in a shorter period of time,” explains Sascha.

What can you do for a faster recovery?

Sascha has put together a list of the most effective methods for your recovery. Follow them to improve your performance after your workout.

1. Cool-down phase

Always finish your training session with a short “cool-down phase” for a faster recovery. In the last ten minutes, slow your pace down to recovery intensity. By doing this, your body slowly begins to return your metabolism and cardiovascular system back to normal.  It also breaks up any accumulations and reduces the hyperacidity of the muscles. The reduced intensity of the last few minutes of training speeds up your body’s transition to the recovery phase. It also prevents your body from trying to remobilize too rapidly.

2. Recover by stretching

After each training session, complete a short and easy stretching program. This helps reduce any immediate tightness after running, so you can recover faster. Your muscles can already begin to get ready to perform again. Stretching also decreases muscle tension directly after your workout, and the muscles remain flexible. Stretching in the cool-down phase has a relaxing effect on your mind and body, which supports and accelerates the recovery process.

3. Cold/warm baths (Kneipp method)

After your workout, you need a shower anyway. Use this to do something good for your muscles. Shower for 30-40 seconds, alternating between ice cold and warm water. Repeat this procedure about 5-8 times. The ice water keeps your muscles from hurting and getting sore. The warm water, in contrast, promotes blood circulation and relaxes your tendons and muscles. “If you have the chance, use a traditional Kneipp facility,” recommends Sascha.

4. Ice bath

In the case of particularly intense runs, the muscles may work so hard that there is actual muscle damage. This is when it’s so important to focus on muscle recovery. “An ice bath after the workout reduces the circulation of blood in the muscles and stops the internal bleeding in these injuries. After the ice bath, the blood circulation of the muscles is strongly stimulated, which also helps remove the waste products of an intense metabolism,” explains the running expert.

How it works:

Fill the bathtub or a plunge pool with 8°C (46.4°F) cold water. Remain in the ice water for about 5 minutes and afterwards let your body warm up again on its own.

5. Active relaxation training

There is a direct connection between the body and the mind. Our thoughts control our bodily reactions. This natural law forms the foundation of all forms of active relaxation. These include autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, yoga and many more.  A relaxation program as short as 10 minutes has been shown to reduce tightness and lactate concentration in the muscles. Test out which method helps you recover fastest and which relaxation techniques are most effective for you.

6. Nourishment

Try to refill your reserves quickly after your workout. Your body needs energy to recover. A good combination of complex carbohydrates, like those in whole-grain products, and protein bolster the recovery process. The combination of macronutrients help you to build muscle and keep your insulin level stable. 

It’s important to rehydrate after a workout for a faster recovery. Depending on the intensity of your workout, your body requires 500 -700 ml per hour. Thus, it is important to replace these right away. Muscle performance, in particular, largely depends on a steady supply of fluids. But avoid alcohol. Your liver expends a lot of energy when you exercise, and if you drink alcohol, your already stressed liver has to work twice as hard to metabolize the alcohol too. Alcohol can also hurt your performance.

7. Sleep

Of course, the easiest and most effective method of helping us recover faster is sleep. All of the training stimuli are processed while our body sleeps. Minor tissue damage is repaired, muscles are developed and our whole body and mind are restored. True to the motto: “… your muscles grow while you sleep.” Depending on the intensity of your workout, you should get between 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Our body’s reaction to lack of sleep includes a reduction in metabolism, a slower recovery, irritability, a weakening of the immune system and uncontrollable hunger attacks.

8. SAUNA

A visit to the sauna is a tried and true method of relaxing your body after sports. The muscles loosen and their blood flow increases significantly. This helps injuries to heal faster and speeds up overall muscle recovery. In addition, the body experiences a feeling of inner peace and mental relaxation, which helps to reduce muscle tightness and contributes to an intense recovery.  Just keep in mind that you need to replenish the fluids you lost in the sauna as soon as you get out. Also, be aware that a visit to the sauna decreases your body and muscle tone to the point that your performance on the next day can be severely diminished. Therefore, avoid a visit to the sauna before intense training days.