recovery powders

furyen

hi all,
i am looking for a good recovery powder, was using ZipVit Sport ZV3 Recovery Drink Rapide but the product has being discontinued looking for anything as good.
thanks.

koutoubia

I use Bulk Powders Protein with a sachet of dioarlyte thown in and mixed with water.A banana or some fruit cake.

OleRodrigo

Chocolate milk is as good as anything.

For Goodness Shakes have some nice powdered sachets.

RobFowl

Large glass of full fat milk, seriously as good if not better than anything else

dahat

I have started using High5 4:1 powder recently and finding it good stuff, for high intensity recovery and during spins/sessions that are demanding.

smacl

dahat wrote: »

I have started using High5 4:1 powder recently and finding it good stuff, for high intensity recovery and during spins/sessions that are demanding.

I use their 4:1 cycling and occasionally a glass of water with a scoop of their protein recovery powder afterwards. Used to use the for goodness shakes sachets, but I'd typically only use a half one and ended up binning the unused other half. Oh, and a bottle of stout after the shower. Essential.

Macy0161

Generally go for a protein shake made with milk rather than water.

Listened to a velo news podcast recently, and they reckoned high glucose straight after (like Sagan and his gummy bears), and then normal healthy diet.

Kaisr Sose

Hard to beat a good balanced diet. Maybe I am too old-school?

ThisRegard

A balanced diet wouldn't always plan for a few hours hard cycling or running, and recovery drinks do aid muscle recovery. Like some of the guys said, I stopped using the likes of High 5 and replaced it with chocolate or regular milk.

moonshadow

Heineken

neris

moonshadow wrote: »

Heineken

ThisRegard

moonshadow wrote: »

Heineken

Erdinger label one of their nonalcoholic beers as isotonic.

ballyharpat

I take a flat of cocoa to races and also a few apples for straight after. Natural and easy on the stomach. None of that processed crap, although if the race is over 120km, I do have a sachet of his 5 recovery protein mixed in as well.

Macy0161

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

Hard to beat a good balanced diet. Maybe I am too old-school?

In general yes, but I think there is evidence to support giving the body a boost straight after. Sometimes hard to differentiate the "bro-science" from real science, but the 20 minute window is often talked about.

The velonews podcast I mentioned was putting glucose above all for immediately after. It was aimed at racing cyclists, but they basically said the gel 30 minutes from the end would do you more good immediately afterwards, as the glucose gets to the muscles quicker, than for example, fructose.

I don't race (just) on the bike, but I'm now using the whole glucose thing to stuff even more cake into me after sportives!

ford2600

Macy0161 wrote: »

In general yes, but I think there is evidence to support giving the body a boost straight after. Sometimes hard to differentiate the "bro-science" from real science, but the 20 minute window is often talked about.

The velonews podcast I mentioned was putting glucose above all for immediately after. It was aimed at racing cyclists, but they basically said the gel 30 minutes from the end would do you more good immediately afterwards, as the glucose gets to the muscles quicker, than for example, fructose.

I don't race (just) on the bike, but I'm now using the whole glucose thing to stuff even more cake into me after sportives!

The 20/30 min studies are nearly all on elite level athletes; who given the demands they put on themselves if can be a factor. For your average weekend warrior doing an odd mid week spin; complete waste of money.

It's an easy sell though, dress cake/gels/chocolate up as sports supplement/aid and everyone is keen..

Getting the basics of eating and resting well nailed down has no quick fix or no one to make money out of it so you get these threads.


Get the simple stuff right, eat and sleep well and your body will figure it out.

Macy0161

Well they were just using the gel as an example - in a way they were making the point that everyone taking them a few k's out was a waste as it wouldn't be processed in time to make a difference, physically at least.

I don't know where the line is drawn as to when the 20 minute window is drawn - I tend to do some form of training 6 days a week, so I'd rather err on the side of taking something post workout/ session/ event. I go with just the protein shake myself - I have the protein anyway, it doesn't actually cost that much. Probably works out less than a pint of chocolate milk. And cake, if cake is available! So my N=1 research is it works for me, in conjunction with a generally healthy and balanced diet.

smacl

I find with the 4:1 in the bidons, I tend not to need to stop when cycling, which at my plodding pace is no bad thing. Bananas work well too, but carrying more than a couple of them gets to be a pain. I don't much like chocolate milk, so a small protein shake after a long spin saves a few aches and pains the next morning.

ThisRegard

I've been told (never looked into the research of it) that if you really need something to eat when out on a ride, a banana may not be the best thing due to the length of time it takes to digest and thus provide you with energy. So it'll be fine if taking as part of a planned eat break, but not so good if you're bonking.

mathie

ThisRegard wrote: »

I've been told (never looked into the research of it) that if you really need something to eat when out on a ride, a banana may not be the best thing due to the length of time it takes to digest and thus provide you with energy. So it'll be fine if taking as part of a planned eat break, but not so good if you're bonking.

You're referring to the "Glycemic load per serving"

http://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods

Bananas come in at 11 on that list which isn't very high.
If you're bonking you need to spike your blood sugar quickly. Like a sports drink or coke or Sagans gummy bears

ThisRegard

I always have those small packets of jellies with me, I still find packets in random jackets, tops and bags, many years out of date, but still tasty.

OleRodrigo

Bonking is something you should be avoiding anyway, which still leaves the humble banana high on the list of ideal foods.

Actually, banana blended with milk with a smidgen of vanilla extract is a tasty post ride drink.

Alek

Actually, banana blended with milk with a smidgen of vanilla extract is a tasty post ride drink.

And a big spoon of smooth peanut butter for the yummy goodness extra protein

(I could possibly live on peanut butter only, but thats another story )

py

I've been using SIS Rego (chocolate) for a while now, has helped with recovery. Would've opted for milk previously but some reading around absorption rates, the casein within milk is slow to work compared to Whey/Soy based proteins.

Somedude9

I'm using SIS Rego too ( got some at a good price ). Curiously I didn't take any after a tough ride yesterday & the legs felt rubbish today, which was not the case when taken shortly after previous rides.

brocbrocach

ford2600 wrote: »

The 20/30 min studies are nearly all on elite level athletes; who given the demands they put on themselves if can be a factor. For your average weekend warrior doing an odd mid week spin; complete waste of money.

It's an easy sell though, dress cake/gels/chocolate up as sports supplement/aid and everyone is keen..

Getting the basics of eating and resting well nailed down has no quick fix or no one to make money out of it so you get these threads.


Get the simple stuff right, eat and sleep well and your body will figure it out.

But an elite athlete is an elite athlete and thus will find their events less taxing whereas the weekend warrior will be wrecked after a 50km/100km/200km spin maybe, the body having shovelled all it's reserves in the furnace to keep the engine going.
I can only speak for my own experience but when I was trying to increase my distances cycled I noticed a definite difference in the wreckedometer afterwards if I didn't take any supplementy stuff, energy bars or protien shakes after. I played other sports for many years with nothing in that line of things taken but I'd credit the supplements with helping me keep it together on many's the Sunday afternoon in the last few years.
That said I'd avoid all but the hydration tabs on short or medium cycles.

nordicb

I find it gives me more predictability / consistency when training every day. I take less than recommended though, to, sort of, iron out gaps in my diet. I really appreciate those who can avoid it altogether.

OleRodrigo

Alek wrote: »

And a big spoon of smooth peanut butter for the yummy goodness extra protein

(I could possibly live on peanut butter only, but thats another story )

Aww, now you're talking. Just gonna throw this out here:

Pancakes with strawberries ( or banana, if you prefer ) , peanut butter, nutella, a splash of maple syrup topped off with whipped cream.

I'd happily ride around the Mayo coast in the depths of a miserable January just for a plate of those bad boys.

Alek

Peanut butter for peace! Finally something we agree on

OleRodrigo

Whoever said love makes the world go round has never reckoned with peanut butter. FACT.

ford2600

brocbrocach wrote: »

But an elite athlete is an elite athlete and thus will find their events less taxing whereas the weekend warrior will be wrecked after a 50km/100km/200km spin maybe, the body having shovelled all it's reserves in the furnace to keep the engine going.

Elite athletes feel miserable/wrecked a lot.

With a high training load it can be difficult to get adequate nutrients in and get adequate rest. Pro athlete doesn't equate to feeling good.

All the ingredients of recovery products are readily available from real food. If a weekend warrior hasn't optimal sleep/nutrition he/she will probably get a benefit from recovery products but it's not really fixing the problem.

Seriously how hard is it to get glucose & a bit of protein into your system. If fellas aren't bother that's fine but in no way are they necessary.

If bonking is a regular problem there's probably a few others things need addressing.

Miklos

I use Optimum Nutrition Whey Protein after spins, definitely find it helps with recovery when you're out three or four times a week training/racing. Everything else I just get through normal food.