The benefits of electrostimulation for cycling

The practice of cycling requires good physical preparation and the maintenance of strong muscles in order to avoid joint and muscle injuries which are generally painful.

Find out how electrostimulation can help you recover after a bike ride, increase your performance, or soothe some post-workout pain.

The benefits of electrostimulation when cycling

Electrostimulation allows you to specifically target almost every muscle in the body individually. This is particularly useful for professional or beginner cyclists wishing to target the calves, thighs, knees or even the abs.

With a suitable electrostimulation device, users can easily choose the frequency of repetition of the impulses, the duration of each muscle contraction and the duration of the training programs.

This versatility allows you to adapt your electrostimulation sessions to your personal objectives, whether it is to increase physical performance with an EMS program or to relieve pain with TENS electrostimulation.

Optimize recovery after a bike ride

During a bike ride, many of the leg muscles are used intensively. This stress causes a degradation of the muscle fibers which then need a sufficiently long recovery period in order to repair themselves. The repaired muscles are stronger than before and able to withstand increased strain on future bike rides.

This cycle of muscle breakdown and repair allows cyclists to improve their physical performance. To achieve this, it is important to relieve and relax the muscles after exercise.

Targeted electrostimulation of the muscles used during cycling promotes the recovery process in several ways:

● It helps the muscles to relax by massaging them to reduce muscle tension,

● It accelerates the healing of damaged muscle fibers,

● It improves blood circulation and drains toxins.

These benefits allow athletes to recover faster and resume training sooner.

However, there are certain basic practices promoting recovery that must be followed in order to obtain conclusive results:

● Sleep well and avoid heavy exertion of the leg muscles,

● Pedal at a slow pace for at least five minutes before stopping training,

● Do not stay still after training, even after the five-minute cool-down period,

● Stay well hydrated,

● Consume enough protein.

Electrostimulation to improve physical performance

Improving physical performance is essential for cyclists. The leg muscles are naturally the most important and need to be strengthened to increase strength, resistance, and endurance, but also force.

Certain muscles in the upper body also play an important role in cycling. The abdominals, arms and shoulders help the cyclist to adopt the proper posture during a race. A good posture drastically improves how they feel during a race.

The advantage of electrostimulation is that it works the muscles in two ways (active and passive) making it possible to further develop the strength and endurance of the muscles in a single session.

To obtain conclusive results, it is recommended to combine physical exercises with electrostimulation sessions.

Here are some examples of exercises that are particularly beneficial to cyclists:

● Thighs: squat, leg press, lunge, deadlift, back leg curl,

● Calves: standing calf extension straight legs, seated calf extension,

● Shoulders: dumbbell front raise, standing dumbbell press,

● Abdominal belt: sheathing, plank transfer, V-shaped abs.

Relieve tension and prevent injuries after cycling

Cycling can be the cause of certain muscle and joint pain.

The most common injuries and conditions encountered by cyclists are:

● Tendonitis,

● Patella syndrome,

● Body aches,

● Lower back pain,

● Etc.

Whether chronic or occasional, localized pain in the lower back or in the legs is very common among cyclists. Without adequate care, this pain can worsen over time and cause real disabilities.

TENS electrostimulation is a drug-free and painless method that effectively relieves the pain experienced by cyclists.

The electrical impulses are sent over a specific wavelength in order to reach the nerves, rather than the muscles as with EMS electrostimulation. Electrical stimulation prevents pain receptors from traveling between the nerves and the brain.

Specialized electrostimulation programs for cyclists

Some electrostimulators, such as those offered by Bluetens, are connected to a smartphone application with programs specially developed to target muscles or treat common conditions among cyclists.

The programs are designed by a team of health professionals to obtain real results according to the objectives expected by the user.

In cases of chronic conditions, a premium function allows the user to consult a team of physiotherapists and receive a tailor-made program.

How to use electrostimulation properly?

The use of an electrostimulator is within everyone's reach. All you have to do is place the electrodes on the muscles to be strengthened or the painful area to be relieved. Then you select a suitable program via the intuitive app.

It is recommended that you perform electrostimulation sessions of at least 20 minutes, 3 to 5 times a week in order to feel a real difference.

If electrostimulation is used to treat chronic pain or as part of a rehabilitation process, it is recommended that you consult a physiotherapist. The results obtained are indeed much more convincing when electrostimulation is combined with treatment by a specialist.