Rest days are just as important as training days. Without rest you can experience burnout and a lack of energy so schedule your rest days and actually use them. You need to rest to repair muscle damage and if you don’t you can be left with more than just sore legs.

If you are training consistently you are actually putting stress on your body which in turn breaks down muscles. However, is you also consistently rest in-between your training then your muscles are repaired to be stronger than they were previously. So really if you rest, your going to be an absolute boss on the bike but how much rest do we need?

Everyone is different when it comes to rest periods and you will need to learn to listen to your body. Usually cyclists who are putting in some serious training have at least one rest day a week. This doesn’t mean you have to sat around all day though. Just make sure you stay off your bike for a minimum of one day a week.

On those recovery days make sure you are working your way through our to-do list! It’s super easy to follow and you will be thanking us when you are pushing harder and further in the saddle.

Fuel your body with protein which is known to repair damaged muscles and fruits and veggies for a dose of vitamins and minerals. This is great for recovery days but your recovery should start straight after your rides with water and a recovery drink.

Fit in a stretching session focusing mainly on the muscles that you use when riding your bike. We have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to this as we recognise just how important this stage is.

This is our favourite recovery day activity and that is sleep! Eight hours is the magic number when it comes to sleep but if you manage to get a little bit more than this on your recovery day then we see no harm. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep to be able to function never mind repair your muscles so really focus some energy on this one. If you find that you can’t get a solid eight hours sleep in one go then simply have a nap at some point throughout the day. Like you need an excuse to nap right?

Rest days don’t have to be days spent in bed with your feet up as you are still allowed to do some activity such as a walk or a swim. These activities will get your body moving and loosen up those muscles which should already be partly loose thanks to your stretching.

Although sticking to your training schedule should be important. It shouldn’t be the be all and end all so if life gets in the way and you miss a couple days, don’t worry! Just make the most of these extra recovery days and prepare your body in the best ways possible to make sure you are so ready to get back on your bike when the time presents itself!