Really tight quads

[Chris S]

My own doing of course - over 460km of cycling over the weekend, some rolling hills, and about half into a headwind.

Should I stretch and rest, get on the turbo and spin it out, or both?

Or something else?

Edit: I'm talking tight - you could play 'em with a violin bow. I'm having to take the stairs really carefully.

[mike]

an hour on the rowing machine should sort that out!!

 



(srsly, I'd stretch lots today then do a gentle pootle tomorrow)

[Ian H]

Walking yesterday sorted out my legs from Saturday's event. Now every muscle is aching.

Quads are a difficult muscle to stretch. Standing, hold the front of your ankle and bring heel to buttock; pull up and back, keeping the knee in. Hold the position for 20 secs or so.

[annie]

Stretch but not for too long at any one time.  Walk around.

If you can't do the quad stretch whilst standing then do it whilst lying on your front.

Massage, get Debs to massage them if you can stand the pain.

 

A few examples here and here

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

Yoga - great for stretching all the muscles.

[Greenbank]

Or something else?

Do nothing until The Dean, on fixed. You know it makes sense.

Stretching and soak in a nice hot bath and more stretching.

[delthebike]

Yoga - great for stretching all the muscles.

As some of us found out on Saturday. 

[simonp]

Stretching: 10 seconds at a time, then rest.  Repeat 2-4 times for each stretch.

I've been doing this stretch as well:

www.keepingyourunning.com/site_assets/kyr-staging.jammicron.com/images/dynamic/7%20Quads.pdf

Of course you stretched before and after each ride as well, right?

[Chris S]

Of course you stretched before and after each ride as well, right?

I had a stretch when I got out of bed those mornings, yes. Same thing isn't it?

[toontra]

I've started self-massaging the legs when they get tight and sore.  For each major muscle group (i.e. quads, hamstrings, calves) the procedure is:

1)  Rub either side of the muscle group quite quickly with both hands as if you were rubbing your hands together.  This warms up the muscles.  Do this for 1 minute per area.

2)  Knead the muscle, starting in the centre and working outwards, with both hands. 2 minutes per area.

3)  Rub up and down the area fairly gently.  2 minutes per area.

You need some lubricant, so either massage oil or talcum powder will do.  Quite often I'll just do the quads, as they seem to suffer most and luckily are the easiest accessible.  It really works, especially between successive long days, so will be put into practice on LEL.

[chillmoister]

definitely worth trying some stretching, during stops on the ride and  especially straight after you finish i.e. within a few minutes.....I did this at the end of my 300 at the weekend and it seemed to have worked a treat ...no post ride cramps and legs not too sore.  There are mixed view on pre-ride stretching ....some schools of thought say that a gentle warm up on the bike is better....but all seem to agree with stretching at the end.

[Ian H]

I never bother to stretch before or after rides unless I'm actually in pain.

[simonp]

I never bother to stretch before or after rides unless I'm actually in pain.

I've become more keen on stretching after reading about the link between tight quads and hams, and kneecap wearing out. 

[Ian H]

I never bother to stretch before or after rides unless I'm actually in pain.

I've become more keen on stretching after reading about the link between tight quads and hams, and kneecap wearing out. 

Most of me's wearing out. Hmm...I confess I don't know what the kneecap actually does (despite being brought up a catholic).

[simonp]

I never bother to stretch before or after rides unless I'm actually in pain.

I've become more keen on stretching after reading about the link between tight quads and hams, and kneecap wearing out. 

Most of me's wearing out. Hmm...I confess I don't know what the kneecap actually does (despite being brought up a catholic).

It acts as a fulcrum for the knee joint, increasing the leverage of the quadriceps tendon.  It's apparently one of the earliest to show signs of degeneration due to aging - by the age of 35 in most people, apparently.