What is the purpose of a recovery ride?
07-27-07, 01:30 PM
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What is the purpose of a recovery ride?
I am curious what the purpose of a recovery ride is? How long should it be and how frequently? I have been riding for about 3 months and am commuting 100 miles a week and then trying to ride on weekends.
I appreciate it.
Flip
I appreciate it.
Flip
07-27-07, 01:52 PM
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The purpose of the recovery ride is to stimulate blood flow through your muscles which helps speed recovery. But it's done at a low enough intensity so as not to break down your muscles like an interval session would.
Unless you're riding balls-to-the-wall on your commute, you probably don't need recovery rides.
Unless you're riding balls-to-the-wall on your commute, you probably don't need recovery rides.
Last edited by Sprocket Man; 07-27-07 at 02:34 PM.
07-27-07, 02:32 PM
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Yeah, with low volume, recovery rides aren't productive. I too ride about 100 miles/week, and I rarely waste any of those miles recovering (unless it's between intervals 
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07-27-07, 02:44 PM
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I thought it was just to hang with us commoners, who ordinarily wouldn't be able to stay with such fine-tuned athletic specimens.
07-27-07, 02:50 PM
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Recovery rides like some have said is designed to stimulate blood flow, and muscle recovery during the rebuilding process. Many times, particularly for a younger (or newer) rider, time off the bike would be a better idea. If you don't do recovery rides/time off you will find yourself burned out and not wanting to ride.
Some people (like myself) just need more recovery... that is like on the bike.
Some people (like myself) just need more recovery... that is like on the bike.
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07-27-07, 03:11 PM
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They're definitely not for recovery, that's for certain.
07-27-07, 03:17 PM
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That's what OCP's do, because they don't actually ride enough to need a recovery ride. Those of us who actually do hard rides, do a recovery ride for a specific purpose, and don't get distracted by racing non-racers.
