Cycling

Before we look at active compression, let’s start off by understanding what compression therapy is. Simply put, it is an effective method of applying controlled pressure to the extremities in order to increase your blood flow activity. Doesn’t sound too complicated right?! While compression therapy has been in existence for some time now, it has primarily been used for treating conditions such as venous disease, diabetes and in general, conditions arising from poor circulation in your legs. Traditionally, compression therapy uses compression socks but in recent times, it has emerged as the latest trend in the sporting industry. If you’re a cyclist, you’ve likely heard some talk of this and have been wondering whether it has any impact on your performance and recovery. After all, the time spent off the bike recovering is as important to an athlete as the time spent training. It is now popular belief that wearing compression socks during and after exercise can aid performance & recovery by increasing oxygen delivery and blood flow. Let us explore what all the fuss is about! Why is compression gear in every cyclist’s list of must-haves’? Do compression socks have any impact on recovery and performance? Let us start off by looking at the pro’s & cons of compression clothes, and compare it to active compression, which is an alternative to the compression socks most people use.   What Are The Pros & Cons of Compression Clothes? Compression clothing has now become a necessary part of any athlete’s gear. You’ve likely wondered ”do compression tights work and do they really help with your soreness?’. While they are great in theory, we’d like to point out that accurately measuring soreness can be tricky business. The level of soreness an athlete experiences can be hard to quantify. So, we cannot simply ignore that there may be a very real placebo effect that has a part to play when wearing compression clothing while training. Despite the popularity of compression clothing, the evidence of a significant improvement in performance or recovery in athletes who wear them is not conclusive. It is possible that the psychological boost and the belief that the clothing helps to improve recovery, along with the sensation of compression, may have a greater effect on an athlete's perception of soreness. Let us look at some of the pros and cons of compression clothes in order to get a better idea before you decide on what is the best option for you.   Pro – They help to encourage blood flow They help to encourage blood flow back up towards the heart and counter the effects of gravity that can cause blood to pool, and thereby reduces swelling. Con – They can be too tight When looking at the disadvantages of compression socks, we would classify this as a  big one. If you are wondering, ‘is it bad to wear compression pants all day?’ well not really, unless it’s too tight! Too much compression can restrict blood flow, while too little compression has little impact. So, getting the right fit is important. Pro – You’ve got nothing to lose Although there is not much evidence in support of compression clothes for athletes to improve their performance, there is also no considerable harm to the wearer. Thus – no harm, no foul.    Con – It only works when you are active Compression socks use passive compression and for it to be effective and provide relief, it requires you to be active. This essentially means that it only works while you are training or on the bike. An alternative to wearing compression stockings is active compression solutions such as SPRYNG. SPRYNG mimics the action of your calf muscle pump without the need for you to do anything. Compression wraps such as SPRYNG do not require you to be constricted while training and can be worn in the comfort of your home. Check it out for yourself here.

Being an avid cyclist in this lockdown period may be quite tough! However, it is not all that cloudy. If you do have access to a spin bicycle, or if you can hook your bicycle to a turbo trainer, you have the opportunity to engage in the same workouts you would do on a regular day, albeit indoors. Finding the right concoction of workouts may pose a challenge to many cyclists due to the lack of competitions. So take it upon yourself to block all that negativity and focus on improving the weaker areas of your cycling routine. Here are some tips that will help you craft the ideal cycle training at home. Understanding your limits The first tip in making the right indoor cycling training program is to understand the state of your body. In other words, you have to gauge how fit you are. This may be a difficult task to many amateur cyclists. However, the simplest method is by calculating your Functional Threshold Power (FTP). FTP, simply put, is the maximum amount of power (calculated in Watts) you can put on the bicycle for a period of time. An FTP test normally includes a rigorous warm-up followed by the maximum effort. This can be done in the confines of your home with your smart turbo trainer linked to cycling based apps like Zwift. Once the test has been done, you have a clear idea of your cycling fitness to create your custom indoor cycling training workouts. Fitness Goals Once you have understood your fitness levels, it is now time to create your fitness goals. By using your FTP as your base, you will understand what areas you would need to work on. There are two important elements to consider First, improving leg strength. Second, improving endurance and technique Leg Strength Strength training for cyclists at home can be quite tricky to implement since these types of workouts generally require steep gradients only available in hilly courses. All that can be taken care of with your smart turbo trainer. If you do have a smart turbo trainer synced to your personal cycling training account, you can access special hilly courses. Although you ride the hills virtually, the smart trainer would automatically increase its resistance to mimic the gradients of those virtual hills.If you only have access to a mechanical trainer, you still can do leg strengthening workouts by manually increasing the resistance of the roller, or by selecting difficult gearing ratios on the bicycle. Just make sure you do not overdo it. Endurance and Technique The next step is endurance. Indoor cycling workouts that are specific to building endurance is relatively easier to plan out, since this is what most cycling workouts are based on anyways. With the lockdown in place, you now have the opportunity to improve on your pedal strokes maintain efficient energy output.If you are using a smart trainer, an app like Zwift can easily assist you with finding the right HIIT, or High-Intensity Interval Training. Cycling without a smart trainer? Fret not, a mechanical trainer would do; as long as you have timed rides with varying efforts along the way. This can be based on your FTP, heart rate, or even your perceived effort. Just make sure that your HIIT cycling training is in line with your leg strengthening workouts to avoid injury. Balancing Main Elements Once you have understood your fitness levels and goals, it is all about balancing the workout elements so that you can improve on your FTP and become a better cyclist overall. Depending on your goals, plan out your leg strength workouts and high-intensity training. Cycling workouts that incorporate both of these elements are guaranteed to bring results. If you fail to do so, you will experience sore muscles, muscle injury, ligament pulls, and many more strenuous injuries. Therefore, it is imperative that you incorporate rest and recovery during your workouts as well. Proper rest and recovery will aid the body to perform at the optimum level and prevent long term injuries. Long slow indoor rides on the trainer, coupled with some exercises, are great to flush out the excess lactic acid and help the recovery of muscles. If possible, make sure to incorporate your pair of SPRYNGs advanced muscle recovery tool too! SPRYNG aids in faster recovery due to the stimulation of the calf muscle pump using active compression. Do not worry if lockdown is making things hard, as every cyclist in the world is going through the same experience. Take this lockdown in good spirit! Take it as an opportunity for you to reset and work on the weaker points of your cycling routine. So, get your bicycle hooked on that trainer, keep calm, and do not stop pedelling!