Thursday, March 29, 2012

Next Step - Creating A Nutritional Plan


The first post was all about being able to create a program for yourself so that you would be able to peak right before your big game.  This post is going to be about creating a healthy nutritional plan for you.
Nutrition in athletics is one of the most important things you should be concerned about.  The food that you consume has the potential to enhance or hinder your performance.  It is essential that whatever type of athlete you are that you get the proper amount of carbohydrates, fats, protein, water, vitamins, and minerals in your diet so that you will be able to perform to the best of your ability.  Eating a well balanced diet also gives you a better sense of well-being.  For now we will cover the macronutrients, which are carbs, protein, and fats.
Protein is an important macronutrient because during cell turnover  - the constant breakdown and regeneration of cells – the immediate supplier of amino acids is the body’s free amino acid pool.  The pool is replenished from dietary protein digestion, as well as the amino acid released from tissue turnover (NSCA Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 3rd edition).  As you can see protein is very important in the repair of tissues.  If you are an aerobic endurance athlete it is recommended that you consume between 0.8g/kg body weight – 1.4g/kg body weight because you will use a higher amount of protein to fuel your activity.  If you don’t know how much you weight in kilograms (kg) you just take your weight in pounds (lbs) and divide by 2.2 (there are 2.2 lbs in 1 kg).  If you are an athlete engaged in heavy resistance training you may have to increase your protein requirements up to 1.7 g/kg of body weight.  However if you are among the many that find yourself in a cross between the two groups a general recommendation of 1.5g/kg o 2.0g/kg of body weight would ensure adequate protein consumption.  Protein should account for 10%-15% of your total caloric intake.  Lean meats such as chicken, turkey, and fish are healthier alternatives to ham, and other red meats. 
Carbohydrates provide fuel for energy.  Without them you would feel sluggish and may experience a decrease in performance.  Bottom line, you need to eat carbs.  Aerobic endurance athletes (cyclists, tri-athletes, distance runners, soccer players) who train for 90 minutes or more a day should consume high levels of carbs this equates to about 8 to 10g/kg body weight a day.  Athletes who participate in sports such as football, basketball, and track need about half the amount of carbohydrates recommended for endurance athletes.  To support training and performance of strength, sprint, and skill athletes it is recommended that you eat between 5 and 6g/kg body weight a day.  Because carbohydrates are your major source of fuel the Institute of Medicine recommends 45-65% of your total caloric intake be from carbs.  With this being said, it is important to note that some athletes do not do well on a high carb diet as well as others.  Individualizing carbohydrate intake should be based on the athletes training program for optimal results.  You should focus on eating whole grains for energy sources.  However if you are eating less than 2 hours before a practice or event it’s better to eat more refined grains so that the fiber content is lower.  This decreases gastrointestinal discomfort and increases the absorption rate of glucose into the bloodstream.
The last macronutrient we will discuss is fats or lipids.  Some fats are better than others, fat provides lots of energy.  You need to consume fat to be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.  Fats that are preferred for consumption are those found in olive oil, avocados, and fish.  All three of these sources are omega 3 fatty acids, which lack in the average American diet.  These types of fat help reduce inflammation which reduces stress on your body.  The recommendation for the general public from the Institute of Medicine is that fat should constitute 20% to 35% of the total calories consumed, with less than 10% from saturated fats (solid at room temperature). 
A moderate varied diet not only includes lean meat, whole grains, and unsaturated fats, but also remember it is important for athletes to never skip a meal.  This ensures that you will always maintain a steady level of energy throughout the day and also during exercise.

Friday, February 3, 2012

Start With The Basics - Create A Program

Dear Athletes,

When entering into a fitness program it is important you don't rush into it, but rather build up your body.  This type of training is known as Periodization.

The first stage is known as the prepatory period, this phase is the longest and occurs when NO competition is taking place. In this period Endurance/Hypertrophy and Basic Strength are emphasized (this is what's going to give you a base for later progression). After basic strength the strength/power phase comes in.

Periodization Model for Strength Training:
Endurance/Hypertophy (H)
- increase lean body mass and endurance
- 1 to 6 weeks
- low intensity to moderate (50-75% 1RM)
- high volume (3-6 sets, 10-20 reps)

Basic Strength (BS)
- occurs in transition after Endurance/Hypertrophy
- increase strength of muscles essential to primary sport movement
- high intensity (80-90% 1RM)
- moderate volume (3-5 sets, 4-8 reps)

Strength/Power (SP)
- after basic strength phase
- first transition into competition mode
- high intensity (75-95% 1RM)
- low volume (3-5 sets, 2-5 reps)

Now that you are in tip top shape you are ready to peak during competition and or maintain what you have gained in the past 3-6 months.

Peak (P)
- very high intensity (> 93% 1RM)
- very low volume (1-3 sets, 1-3 reps)

Maintenance
- moderate intensity (80-85% 1RM)
- moderate volume  (2-3 sets, 6-8 reps)

After your season is done it is really important to actively rest (AR) for 1 week, meaning play other sports etc. to recuperate before you begin training again.

A sample year would look like this:
Postseason (May 26-August 18)
H - BS - H - BS

          AR
Off-Season (September 1-November 24)
H - BS - SP - P
          AR
Preseason (December 1 - February 16)
SP - P - AR - SP - P
          AR
In-season (February 23 - May 7)
Maintenance Phase
         AR

Hopefully with the information I have provided you, you will be able to adjust the year plan to accommodate your sport and you will see improvements in your performance!