# Recovering from those tired legs..



## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Hike or bike for long distances in summer. I used to ride 6 or 7 days a week up until this season. Now just 3 days. 

Even then you will be tired during the first month. We used to hot tub and yoga every afternoon too. I would get in a funk in January though and skip a week, that was more helpful than anything. Oh and naproxin sodium(alieve/nsaids) once or twice a week for any soreness.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Electrolyte supplements and hot showers do the trick for me!!!!!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

maybe compression sleeves on the calves...especially during riding and for an hour or 2 after


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

Timing of nutrition after riding is one of the keys (aside from rest). Think "endurance athlete"

Within 20 minutes you should drink something with a 4:1 carbrotein ratio.

After that... Within the hour, a good meal.

Drinking protein shakes with BCAA's will help also afterwards.


Sent from my iPhone. There may be horrible grammar and misspelling involved


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

Lots of sleep, protein and vitamins.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

wrathfuldeity said:


> maybe compression sleeves on the calves...especially during riding and for an hour or 2 after


I never have calf soreness. It's the inner thighs mostly. They are used to lift legs .


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## scotty100 (Apr 3, 2012)

TooNice said:


> Can anyone riding 5-7 days per week share some tips for getting the legs fresh again to go again the next day?
> 
> For the past 9 weeks I've been riding 5-6 days a week, 3-6 hours a day (there might have been two instances where I rode for 8 hours when went for fresh tracks and stayed out until the last lift), as hard as I can.
> 
> ...


Over or under 40?

Either way - do yoga. Vinyasa flow.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I'm 40. Efficiency with more experience definitely helps


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## joebloggs13 (Feb 28, 2013)

Maybe you should try beer eh.... Lol


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## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

I avoid serious muscle soreness and I stay loose before, during, and after riding by consuming a fair bit of alcohol.


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## gmore10 (Dec 23, 2011)

Same thing I do after leg day ice bath baby works every time.


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## biggator (Dec 29, 2015)

Drink tart cherry juice.. helps with recovery and muscle soreness. 

Not bs, either... science!

Influence of tart cherry juice on indices of recovery following marathon running. - PubMed - NCBI


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Been riding/hiking in Japan 10d non stop, without getting sore muscles or tired legs. Was very surprised... I expected soreness cos I usually only ride on weekends. Sure, I prepare the legs all summer long, but riding more than 3days in a row always led to tired legs. 

The daily Onsen did that magic... soaking in hot water after riding blew all muscle ache away. Trying to set up a hot pot at home.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I like hot tubs after riding or hiking so much that I put a portable one in my garage and use bath salts/minerals in it.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Argo said:


> I like hot tubs after riding or hiking so much that I put a portable one in my garage and use bath salts/minerals in it.


and floral scented oils, candles and mimosas :laugh2:


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> and floral scented oils, candles and mimosas :laugh2:


Damn, great ideas for additions.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

Love the hot tub. I enjoy a sauna but I was sad that even our fancy hotel in Switzerland did not have a hot tub. It always feels so good after a day of [insert any physical activity here].


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

H y d r a t e


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the only thing that actually works well... creatine.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

dave785 said:


> I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the only thing that actually works well... creatine.


Seriously!? There's a lot of good suggestions in here, I'd put creatine near the bottom of the list. You've been drinking too much fitness industry kool-aid, I see you mention it a lot. It's a good supplement, but it's not the answer to everything. Especially when approximately 20% of the population are non-responders.


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## dave785 (Jan 21, 2016)

Phedder said:


> Seriously!? There's a lot of good suggestions in here, I'd put creatine near the bottom of the list. You've been drinking too much fitness industry kool-aid, I see you mention it a lot. It's a good supplement, but it's not the answer to everything. Especially when approximately 20% of the population are non-responders.


There are some great suggestions here, but I don't think "you should've gotten in shape during the summer" is the kind of advice the OP was looking for.

Creatine is an amazing supplement that has been extensively tested. No other _legal_ supplement comes anywhere close in terms of scientifically observed strength gain or muscle recovery. 

It's definitely not the answer to everything... But it helps tremendously with any exercise that has repeated short-to-moderate bursts of energy followed by short-to-moderate periods of rest. The stuff has been out forever and there's tons of research on it. OP can google it and see for himself. 

I'm not sure where you're getting the 20% number of non responders from. I've never met anyone that doesn't respond to it. It's a naturally occurring compound that is found in extremely high concentrations in fish.. so maybe if someone has a high-fish diet then they wouldn't see as much of a benefit. It increases water retention drastically so it's very easy to see that it's affecting you (you'll gain 5-15lbs in three days).


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

I'm familiar with all of it's benefits. I've got a 4 year Exercise Science degree, competed at an international level in powerlifting, and still do online consulting. 

OP is asking about help for the soreness he's feeling _after_ riding. Creatine does nothing for post exercise recovery/soreness. It helps you recover quicker between bouts of exercise and keep your strength and power up _during_ exercise. So to say it's the only thing that 'actually works well' is very short sighted. 

EDIT: And the 20% I'm not going to go hunt through pub med, but it is observed in research. It may be closer to 15%. Personally, it does nothing for me. I get far more form Beta-Alanine but hate the tingles it gives. I've tested myself multiple times, never gained or lost any weight when sticking with the same diet and training program. I've done a few different protocols, up to 25g a day for the first week to 'load' and no difference in water retention or bodyweight. Also no noticeable difference in my own performance or recovery between sets etc when using it.

For the OP, I'd recommend making sure you're drinking enough for starters. Altitude + exercise is a recipe for easy dehydration. Throw some electrolytes in to be sure, no need to down powderades all day but even 1/2 or 1/3 strength helps a lot. Eating enough during the days riding to stay well fueled, and after to help you recover is important too. It's easy to underestimate your energy expenditure on the mountain. After riding, keeping the blood flowing will help the most. This is why compression clothing or saunas/spas help so much, they encourage blood flow. The more blood flow, the better and quicker your muscles will recover. Don't finish riding for the day, pack up, sit in your car, then sit on the couch. Do some stretching as soon as you've packed up your gear, then go for a 20 minute walk when you get home. The next day, do some form of warm up or dynamic stretching before riding. 

Basically it comes down to Hydration, Nutrition, and Movement. If you're hungry, thirsty, and can't move fully/properly, you're not going to be able to ride well or recover from the riding you do manage.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

So I was right. That's all I heard.


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## nutmegchoi (Feb 10, 2016)

Run!
Run lots!
My legs never let me down.


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## 2hellnbak (Sep 21, 2012)

Try hitting your legs with your purse, that might help


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## Kaladryn (Mar 18, 2016)

I'm a competitive heavyweight bodybuilder who has been teaching others this stuff for 25 years. I have also written a book relative to the subject.

Repair and recovery is the same across all sports, it's super simple: the body is ALWAYS in one of two modes: repair or breakdown. There is no in between.

Recovery is about maximizing the amount of time you spend in repair, not breakdown.

There is another way to describe the repair/breakdown, it is positive nitrogen balance (repair) and negative nitrogen balance (breakdown).

We want to maintain a positive nitrogen balance, which generally means you are going to need protein every 3-5 hours.

But it's not that simple, you need that protein directed at repair, which means you need carbohydrates also. Carbohydrates are _protein sparing_. This is very important, if you don't have carbs around, the protein gets turned into carbs and not used as repair. These carbohydrates should digest at a slow or moderate rate also, not very quickly (sugars) to maximize the protein sparing effect. Fat in the meal will help with this.

So, I just massively over complicated this: Eat macro-nutrient balanced meals every 3-5 hours.

That is 98% of recovery.


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## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

Kaladryn said:


> I'm a competitive heavyweight bodybuilder who has been teaching others this stuff for 25 years. I have also written a book relative to the subject.
> 
> Repair and recovery is the same across all sports, it's super simple: the body is ALWAYS in one of two modes: repair or breakdown. There is no in between.
> 
> ...


Too complicated unless macro-nutrient balanced meals = cheeseburger and fries in the lodge and a few apres-ski beers!

Seriously, though, please give us nutritional-noobs an example of what you would ideally eat (total) on a solid riding day. (Or just tell us to go buy your book!:grin

I quoted Kaladryn but I'd love to see Phedder's response, too.


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## Kaladryn (Mar 18, 2016)

Kenai said:


> Too complicated unless macro-nutrient balanced meals = cheeseburger and fries in the lodge and a few apres-ski beers!
> 
> Seriously, though, please give us nutritional-noobs an example of what you would ideally eat (total) on a solid riding day. (Or just tell us to go buy your book!:grin
> 
> I quoted Kaladryn but I'd love to see Phedder's response, too.


Almost all traditional meals are macro-nutrient balanced, and most traditional diets are even micro-nutrient balanced. It's not coincidence.

There are only three macro nutrients: protein, carbs, and fat. Everyone should have a general idea of what food are what, and the approximate proportions in each. Example, you should know that a hamburger patty has protein and fat and the bun has carbs. If you don't have this information, or would like to have a lot more knowledge in this area, all you have to do is keep a food log for a few days and you will gain a lifetime of knowledge.

There is no secret trick, supplement, ingredient, or method. It's just the accumulation of accurate knowledge and the meticulous application of that information. In this case, eating sensibly and consistently, which is much harder in our current society than it seems.


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## snowangel99 (Mar 11, 2016)

I agree with the protein. I find it very very hard to get enough.

Also FOAM ROLLING. I cannot stress enough about foam rolling. I try to remember to roll after every workout or snowboarding day. If I don't roll I am super sore.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Foam roller replaced chiro a couple years ago, not looking back.


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

What helps me is doing squats at the beginning of the season for a few weeks and thats it. You do 3 sets of 10 with some weights and it doesn't have to be heavy. You can do 45 lbs on each side. I used to take a Glutamine when I was really sore from jiu jitsu and I would recover by the time i wake up the next day. I haven't had to do take glutamine for snowboarding though.

I also found out that skidded turns takes more of my legs than compared to carves. If I carve most of the time on the mountain, my legs are never sore. It comes with time, next season you will be awesome.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

snowangel99 said:


> I agree with the protein. I find it very very hard to get enough.


If you're not into eating heaps of dairy food, fish or meat... you may like soups?

I cook loads of soups during winter. Rich soups which are a full meal. To get a good taste - and since hub is a full on carnivor - each soup contains miced beef or a big chunk of soup beef. Good ammount of potatoes, loads of different n varying vegetables, and always a good heap of either chickpeas or lentils (both these legumes have +20% protein). 
I usually cook half of the veges seperately to blend them and then add 'em to the clear meat pot to give the soup a nice thick-ish texture.
Cooked in 30mins, feeds us 3 days 

Additionally I love milk-fruit "shakes". I liter milk + 1 fresh mango + 1 banana + a handfull grinded spelt in a blender. Aaah, paradise . 
Another protein boost done in 5 mins. 



snowangel99 said:


> Also FOAM ROLLING. I cannot stress enough about foam rolling. I try to remember to roll after every workout or snowboarding day. If I don't roll I am super sore.


:question:


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)




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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

Oh no... Soon foam rollers will be banned too..


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

snowklinger said:


>


This isn't 'Nam........there are rules........


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## snowangel99 (Mar 11, 2016)

This is how you roll out your IT band...


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## kosmoz (Dec 27, 2013)

snowangel99 said:


> This is how you roll out your IT band...


more like pool noodle from conor mcgregor butt touch training camp


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## jae (Nov 27, 2015)

now I want a foam roller.


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## Kaladryn (Mar 18, 2016)

snowangel99 said:


> I agree with the protein. I find it very very hard to get enough.
> 
> Also FOAM ROLLING. I cannot stress enough about foam rolling. I try to remember to roll after every workout or snowboarding day. If I don't roll I am super sore.


It can be pretty easy to get enough protein, you need very little (20% to 30% of total calories), the trick is to keep it always available, and keep it from getting metabolized into energy.

I love the roller also, the Rumble Roller is great.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

mojo maestro said:


> This isn't 'Nam........there are rules........


Throwback thurs...........


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

Old thread but the answer remains the same, Protein shakes and nothing else comes close, every march I do a boarding road trip and I snowboard 16 straight days, which also includes driving through all the epic resorts (IL-CO-UT-CA-OR-WA-BC) and the one thing I gotta have is a bottle of optimum nutrition protein powder in double chocolate, I make sure to drink one as soon as I get back to my car, then eat an actual meal an hour or two later. I do at least 15k of vertical a day and average closer to 25k, pushing pass 30k a few times.


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## JDA (Feb 10, 2016)

I do 2 - 3 weeks of snowboarding in Japan each year in January which is the middle of summer here so I wouldn't have been on my board for a few months. I have been doing this the last 5 years and have tried lots of different ways to prepare my legs and body for the sudden and continuous snowboarding, I'm 42 so that doesn't help either. 
What I have found to be the best is riding my skateboard at our local pump track, continual laps trying to go as fast as possible I found uses the exact same muscles that get really fatigued when you snowboard every day. If you don't skate or don't have a pump track then do at least 20 squats per day for the month leading up to the trip. I do this too because I can't always get to the pump track. On my last visit to Japan my legs were still 100% fine at the end of the 2 weeks of snowboarding.
I have tried mountainbike before and even if you are super fit and can ride long distances on the MTB its the wrong muscles for snowboarding, still great for your general fitness though.


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

16gkid said:


> Old thread but the answer remains the same, Protein shakes and nothing else comes close, every march I do a boarding road trip and I snowboard 16 straight days, which also includes driving through all the epic resorts (IL-CO-UT-CA-OR-WA-BC) and the one thing I gotta have is a bottle of optimum nutrition protein powder in double chocolate, I make sure to drink one as soon as I get back to my car, then eat an actual meal an hour or two later. I do at least 15k of vertical a day and average closer to 25k, pushing pass 30k a few times.


I did a few days straight and I was feeling it. Next time I head up to jay for the week, I'll grab the blender and protein powder. Couldn't hurt.

Def need to get the foam roller too though!


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Onsen


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

Argo said:


> Hike or bike for long distances in summer. I used to ride 6 or 7 days a week up until this season. Now just 3 days.
> 
> Even then you will be tired during the first month. We used to hot tub and yoga every afternoon too. I would get in a funk in January though and skip a week, that was more helpful than anything. Oh and naproxin sodium(alieve/nsaids) once or twice a week for any soreness.


I’d be care with that Naproxen unless you’re dealing with joint swelling. Also i believe it’s a cumulative effect med, meaning, it’s not a pain reliever that will work quickly. Think something like a Zoloft vs a Xanax. I have arthritis, focused in my lower spine (im in my 30s lol fuck me right!?) and I’m on 1000mg a day - as a diabetic it’s really the only remedy I can safely use. I’ve got to say it’s really a miracle worker but it’s running havoc on my stomach. I’m sure you know this already but make sure to eat enough when you take it.

edit: forgot to take this mornings pill and this thread reminded me 

additional edit: I’m not a doctor, and speaking anecdotally. My opinion should not be taken as that of a doctor


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## SEWiShred (Jan 19, 2019)

I second creatine, but you need protein too. Protein is just a generic term for groups of amino acids. Your body needs all the groups to repair your muscles, and some "protein" doesn't have the required amino acids. Your body will only use protein based on the lowest of the amino acids you get. So if you have 20g of protein, and 15g is one kind of amino acid and 5g is another, you're only getting 5g effective protein. I personally take BCAAs and Creatine after hard day, and then I'll eat some natural source of protein, like chicken. Usually like an entire rotisserie chicken. I have one of those fitness watches and roughly monitors how many calories I burn. On a serious day, by the time I go to bed, it'll be above 6,000 calories. I don't know how accurate the watch is, but I sure eat like it. 

If you don't want to take supplements, you can make sure you eat a lot of quality protein. You are sore because your body is repairing your muscles and there's lactic acid in your muscles. BCAAs (amino acids) and creatine are fuel your body needs to repair your muscles. The more fuel they have, the faster you will repair. You can get it naturally too. Cheese and Chicken are some of the best protein-rich foods you can have. 

You also shouldn't be riding hard the day after. Like any sort of training you should have a hard day and a recovery day. The absolute worst thing you can do after a hard workout is to sit around and rest to recover. You will recover quicker if you are giving yourself a slight to moderate workout instead.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

All of this medical advice to a medical person. love it. It would be a serious problem if I was taking 1000mg daily. I take 750mg every 4 or 5 days. It works for my joint pain, mostly from a broken hip when I was 18 and a jacked up knee around 30, I am 43 now. I wish I had a private onsen in my back yard. lol I will work on that for the next time you visit @neni


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## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Thanks for all the replies. Since I made this thread, I have added a couple more seasons under my belt, here are some of my observations.

1. This is thread was made during my first full season of riding, and it was done under instruction. Basically, despite the will, my body was probably tired from learning new things, and learning to get used to it. I also started off the season without much pre-season conditioning.

2. Last season, I was able to ride 7 days a week, averaging about 7 hours per day (anywhere between 5-11) for 153 days (taking one day off the whole season due to the resort being closed for strong wind). I think that after about 10 days of ridding, my body got pretty much used to it (actually, I think I was just rusty the first few days, but didn't even struggle with leg tiredness from the beginning), and it would take a long day to tire me out, and a long week to make me think that I need an easy day. I didn't really do anything special -during- the season (very, very little stretching, no special diet), but two weeks before the start of the season, I started skipping rope.. And for the most part, that was it. I would do occasional push up, sit up and weightless squat, but maybe only like once 7-10 days.The rope though, I was doing 3-4 times per week. My goal was only to build cardio, and I figured that the strength should come back when I start riding, and for the most part, it worked as planned (perhaps with better preparation, I wouldn't even need the 10 days to get to peak riding condition).

3. This season, I came with no prep, and also 3kg of excess weight compared to last time. Two weeks into the season, I notice that I am still not at peak condition. I can ride about 5 hours comfortably, above 6 and my legs start to get tired and I can't do exactly what I want all the time anymore.Compared to the time I made this thread, I am still doing okay, but it is a huge level down from last season 

It's common sense, but pre-season conditioning is -probably- what matters the most. I suppose as a mini-case study, I will find out how long it would take for snowboarding to put me back in shape without any pre-season training.


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

SEWiShred said:


> I second creatine, but you need protein too. Protein is just a generic term for groups of amino acids. Your body needs all the groups to repair your muscles, and some "protein" doesn't have the required amino acids. Your body will only use protein based on the lowest of the amino acids you get. So if you have 20g of protein, and 15g is one kind of amino acid and 5g is another, you're only getting 5g effective protein. I personally take BCAAs and Creatine after hard day, and then I'll eat some natural source of protein, like chicken. Usually like an entire rotisserie chicken. I have one of those fitness watches and roughly monitors how many calories I burn. On a serious day, by the time I go to bed, it'll be above 6,000 calories. I don't know how accurate the watch is, but I sure eat like it.
> 
> If you don't want to take supplements, you can make sure you eat a lot of quality protein. You are sore because your body is repairing your muscles and there's lactic acid in your muscles. BCAAs (amino acids) and creatine are fuel your body needs to repair your muscles. The more fuel they have, the faster you will repair. You can get it naturally too. Cheese and Chicken are some of the best protein-rich foods you can have.
> 
> You also shouldn't be riding hard the day after. Like any sort of training you should have a hard day and a recovery day. The absolute worst thing you can do after a hard workout is to sit around and rest to recover. You will recover quicker if you are giving yourself a slight to moderate workout instead.


This is really not accurate at all. 

BCAA's are a subset of amino acids that are more bioavailable, but the big difference is that these can't be produced by your body. 

Protein isn't a generic term for AA's, but AA's are the building blocks of protein. BCAA's are just more bioavailable. Look at the breakdown of AA's in whey. They have plenty of BCAA's. Supplementation isn't a bad thing, but I'm just saying that straight up whey will suffice if you don't feel like spending the extra.


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Supplements and shakes are, in my mind, a load of horse shit. If you want something easy to consume that gives you everything you need really quick then that’s a different story. A shake will suffice. But I’ll take plain old fresh, home cooked food any day. Gives me everything I need to replenish. 

As far as multi day trips, first and foremost you need your body conditioned. If you aren’t riding 3-4 days per week or more, you cannot rely on riding to keep you in shape for riding. You need to bring you body to the mountain ready to rock and roll. Strength and endurance training. 

Finally what helps me most between days is stretching at the end of the day. Before that first beer. Before you take a shower. Before you plop on the couch, stretch out. Legs and core stretching. And an intermittent dose of ibuprofen 600mg before bed can do wonders.


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## Myoko (Dec 11, 2018)

I have found a combination of a few things works best for me. Fast walking in very soft sand with hundreds of steps 3-4 days a week and 2 x 15min sessions on a vibrating platform, which by the way really does allow you to do all the snowboarding motions and gets to all the necessary muscles. Fitness and legs sorted. Compression tights actually do work believe it or not and a doctor told me this stuff once on a surfing trip. We all thought it was amazing for repairing sore muscles.BioCeuticals Having said that, if I get there and its a sick powder day in the trees my back leg will probably still die lol. Harder when you're older, I think we tend to lose fitness much quicker than the young guys who also get fitter quicker.


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## ridethecliche (Feb 27, 2019)

From talking to older friends(masters racers in like 40-50+ classes) that tracked their performance through the years while cycling and racing, peak effort fitness and functional threshold drops pretty linearly. The biggest difference they found is that recovery is harder. They learned that they had to keep more in the tank if they were doing a stage race because they wouldn't bounce back the next day if they burned too many matches too early in a stage race.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

This will have to do until we get robot legs


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