Recovery Rides

Ok, please remember that I am posting in the newbie section...My question is, how do you ride a recovery ride? Are you supposed to still spin at your 80+ cadence but in an easier gear? Or are you just supposed to pedal at around 65-70 rpm at an easy gear? The reason I ask this is that it seems no matter how slow or how easy I plan on riding it seems my HR gets up into the 85% of MHR area if I'm pedaling at 80+ rpm no matter what gear I'm in. I don't seem to know how to ride and keep my HR low. This probably sounds like a dumb question but I need some help...otherwise all my rides end up being hard rides (for me anyhow).

I thought recovery rides had more to do with muscle memory than HR. I just ride for an hour or two with no hills, relaxed pace.

I thought it was to allow your muscles to recover from a hard ride the previous day. I could be wrong though. I just can't figure out how to ride without my HR going over 160....other than coasting downhill.;)

the best piece of advice I read for a recovery ride was to ride slower than a kid on a Big Wheel!! (RBR Review) For my recovery rides I don't worry about cadence so much as making sure my muscles aren't pushing. So if it means low gears and slow speeds than so be it. It may even include some coasting and seated climbing in the lowest gears, or switchback climbing if I need to.

Welcome to the board by the way: if you get a chance there's a thread under the Open titled "getting to know you"....gives you a chance to meet us and tell us something about you - if you're so inclined!

A recovery ride is a short (45-60 min), easy effort. For most riders, this means no hills. With my clients, I don't let them go into the big ring. This is actually one of those rides best done on a stationary trainer, at the gym or on a flat bike path. You want a consistent effort (no stop & go). This type of ride is best done immediately after your hard rides, later that day, or early the next morning. The purpose is to circulate some blood/oxygen to your fatigued muscles and also flush out waste products. This will help you recover faster (thus the name). Sitting on the couch is not considered recovery.

There is a difference between recovery and rest. Recovery is active (ie a recovery ride). Rest is a day off (ie sitting on the couch). Both are necessary in your training.

Regarding cadence, either focus on your normal preferred cadence or just slightly lower. If a lower cadence, you might find you feel more comfortable in a slightly harder gear.

Like velogirl says, very low speed, about an hour...

I train at about 27kph, I race at about 30kph... my recovery rides are about 20-24kph...

And even as my race speed improves, my recovery rides will stay at the same pace.

What works well for me is going out with the slow cycling club group. It's fun, too!

Nanci

li10up,

I'm glad you asked this question because I sometimes have the same issue. Thank you everyone for the great answers!

T~

[QUOTE=CorsairMac]the best piece of advice I read for a recovery ride was to ride slower than a kid on a Big Wheel!! (RBR Review) For my recovery rides I don't worry about cadence so much as making sure my muscles aren't pushing. So if it means low gears and slow speeds than so be it. It may even include some coasting and seated climbing in the lowest gears, or switchback climbing if I need to. QUOTE]

Thanks everyone for the advice. But being new my average speed is only about 14 mph. If I went much slower I think the bike would fall over. :D It just seems like as soon as I start pedaling my HR jumps up. I can't seem to take a slow (based on HR) ride. I guess I'll just have to drop my cadence really low.

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Originally Posted by li10up

Thanks everyone for the advice. But being new my average speed is only about 14 mph. If I went much slower I think the bike would fall over. :D It just seems like as soon as I start pedaling my HR jumps up. I can't seem to take a slow (based on HR) ride. I guess I'll just have to drop my cadence really low.

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The heart rate increase is just a heart that's not used to it. In time you'll have a lower heart rate at the same speed. I would say this is one that's more by "feel" than the numbers on the HRM.

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Originally Posted by li10up

Thanks everyone for the advice. But being new my average speed is only about 14 mph. If I went much slower I think the bike would fall over. :D It just seems like as soon as I start pedaling my HR jumps up. I can't seem to take a slow (based on HR) ride. I guess I'll just have to drop my cadence really low.

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Have you had your HR tested (ie an AT test)? Maybe you have a very high HR. I had one client who as soon as she got on the bike her HR was over 200 -- yes, 200! She had a little hummingbird heart. Both of her parents are cardiac surgeons and ensured her that she was normal. So, for her, a recovery ride was based on perceived exertion -- not HR. Her exercise HR range was very small.

Since you're new to riding, I wouldn't worry much about HR until you've logged some good miles. Just go out and vary what you do from day to day. Work on perfecting your form and technique (learn how to not fall over at 14mph). And have fun. As a new cyclist, your HR ranges will continue to change significantly in the early months of riding, so don't worry about it too much.

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Originally Posted by velogirl

Have you had your HR tested (ie an AT test)? Maybe you have a very high HR. I had one client who as soon as she got on the bike her HR was over 200 -- yes, 200! She had a little hummingbird heart. Both of her parents are cardiac surgeons and ensured her that she was normal. So, for her, a recovery ride was based on perceived exertion -- not HR. Her exercise HR range was very small.

Since you're new to riding, I wouldn't worry much about HR until you've logged some good miles. Just go out and vary what you do from day to day. Work on perfecting your form and technique (learn how to not fall over at 14mph). And have fun. As a new cyclist, your HR ranges will continue to change significantly in the early months of riding, so don't worry about it too much.

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My resting HR is 56 and when I've stopped at the store and checked my BP and pulse on one of those machines it's always right around 80...so I don't think my HR is high normally. I guess I'll just have to go by perceived exertion rather than HR when I'm trying to take it easy. But it is always so tempting to push myself because I so badly want to improve. I hate being the last one in the pack on club rides! I hate how it feels when they all stop at an intersection and all eyes are focused back on me to see how long before I catch up. Then after my 10 second rest (their minute or two) we're off...only to find me trying to keep up again.

Is a recovery ride really necessary for someone like me who is just beginning? Or is it for someone who is really training hard? Although all my rides seem hard to me at this point. :)