Behind every great rider, there’s a great soigneur. The right hand man, the go-to guy, who tends every whim of his rider, feeding, watering, mending and massaging. Behind the humble Velominatus Regularus, however, there’s a string of injuries, tight muscles, bad posture and aching guns. We are our own soigneurs, and if you’re like me, that’s not a great thing.
Heading towards a half century on the earth and most of that on two wheels, you’d think an old dog would pick up plenty of tricks along the way. Basics like stretching and self-massage, drinking plenty of water, and not as much beer are learned early, but virtually ignored totally. I never stretch; no matter how many times I’ve been advised to, I just seem to lack whatever disciplinary gene that encourages me to put aside half an hour after a ride or whenever I feel tight (ie always) to roll around on the floor and pull a few limbs into strange positions. After particularly long or hard rides, I might give the hammys a cursory tweak in the shower or rub the legs a bit once out. I have one of those trigger-point rollers, but it hardly sees out from under the bed. It feels good and no doubt helps, but it’s just way too easy to flop on the couch with a beer and zone out on the idiot box.
As I increasingly find it harder to get out of bed, or walk up the stairs (there’s about a hundred to my house) it seems the only time I’m comfortable is when I’m on the bike. As soon as I dismount, I’m like a foal with a hunchback trying to take its first steps. But it’s about time to get real and help prolong an injury-free riding life. I see guys my age or even younger nursing injuries and think maybe I’m just lucky, and surely my time will come if I continue my lax routine. The same care that goes into my bikes needs to go into myself. Stretching every day, maybe some core exercises, self massage after rides, might even try some yoga.
And my own swanny.
My friend Josh, a recently graduated massage therapist, has offered to try and ‘sort me out’ with a round of treatments over the next month or so. When he asked what area needed work, I replied ‘everywhere’. As he’s been gently reminding me for years that I need to stretch, he knows what sort of state I’m in and what I put myself through on the bike. It’ll be interesting to see what regular massage can do for a regular Cyclist, even if it’s once a week rather than the everyday luxury of the Pro. And if nothing else, I hear there are some pretty good looking women at the yoga place…
I’ll keep you posted over the next few weeks as to my progress. What sort of self-soigneur techniques do you all employ, if any?
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@brett - now that I am one year beyond six decades stretching is a must. However, like you, if I headed out on a short ride, the couch beckons. If I am out for two or more hours then I return to roll around on the floor as you suggest. Pull the left knee up and over to the right side as far as possible, then the right knee to the left side. Wait for a couple of vertabae to pop. Legs up over the head and try to touch toes to floor followed by reaching the toes to the ceiling. A few stretches to touch the toes and hold it followed by standing up and pulling out the quads. Then, look for some glue to put the pieces back together. The trigger point roller for the quads is fantastic - as my lacrosse coach used to say, "it hurts so good!" The lab and the chihuahua seem to enjoy the spectacle. Doesn't take long, but the routine makes a huge difference when I sit down later with the odd glass of wine.
wear compression gear, try and keep the legs up, and this : "if you're standing, sit. if you're sitting, lay down."
We should strive to take some good care of ourselves. Bretto I'm just like you; Even when I was young and running middle distance in HS and was forced to stretch, I never really limbered up. Wired wrong for it I suppose.
That said, I do self-soigneur at least a couple times a week. Usually in the shower...........
@scaler911
Is there crying involved?
@xced
No. Just, no.
This is my last year in the 50-54 Masters. Self massage is a must after every hard training ride or race. If I am racing the compression tights go on before I get in the car for the post race drive home. Those two disciplines make a tremendous difference in my recovery. Better recovery, more hard rides. Not a bad thing.
@BMack The key to self massage -- is it duration or intensity ??
Ice baths aid recovery amazingly. Sore muscles today. Ice bath. No sore muscles tomorrow. Alternating between hot and cold water in the shower works to a lesser extent. But for the days when you have gone all out- ice bath.
What girl said for extreme efforts. Ice bath, toque on and two sweaters, and iPod or something to keep my mind off the desire to leap out of the water.
Daily post ride:
External hip rotation stretches are required to keep my back from going wonky - funny how all that stuff works together or fails together. Start with a foot on the bed, drop the knee out, lean forward and work that for a bit. Throw the heel into the middle of the bed, stretch a hamstring for a bit, then rotate 90° and work the groin for a bit, then rotate another 90° and stretch the hip capsule while flexing the glute. Switch legs, repeat. Then, standing toe touches with opposite hand, feet shoulder width apart. Left hand to right foot, hold ten seconds, and so on. Also strengthens lower back for sustained psycho aero assaults. Then stand and throw a foot up behind and stretch the quad, then the other.
Midride:
Niggling wee pains in the knee respond well to massage of whatever part of the calf feels oddly painful to the touch. 'Release and continue riding' as it were. Knuckles to the IT band while coasting if hip discomfort is becoming evident are effective. 20 to 30 seconds, grind them in and work up and down.
Plenty others I do on occasion, or not at all.
@brett ask your friend to work on your deep gluteals - it is the most exquisite agony imaginable! I've been going to a chiropractor for the last 9 months - amazing difference to stability on the bike, can now spin like EPOman, but , yeah, similarly finding the time to stretch is forever delayed no matter how much I know I should. First conversation with chiro went along the lines of "How long have you had back pain?" , "OHHHH, 20-25 years maybe, that's just normal, right?"