Sports-specific fueling guidance -
For speed, the central nervous system also needs the correct nutrient substrates due to the highly coordinated, neurologically demanding, and focused nature required for optimal expression.
The goals of performance nutrition interventions as they pertain to speed then become providing the most economical energy system fuel that will meet the demands of the sport or event and ensuring there are adequate substrates available to fuel optimal performance.
Below, we will discuss in greater detail each of the five nutritional strategies I have identified to positively impact speed and power development and performance. When it comes to performance nutrition, carbohydrates are king.
They are extremely pertinent to speed and often overlooked in favor of viewing fuel as simply muscular energy, but the fact is that the brain and CNS prefer to run on glucose, and carbohydrates play a significant role in neurotransmission and cerebral metabolism.
Based on this fact alone, we can see where they would play a substantial role in sprint performance and speed development; on top of that, they are the primary fuel for our anaerobic energy system while also being the most efficient and economical substrate available.
Carbohydrate depletion leads to fatigue, which would typically be thought of as occurring in a longer duration sprint through the reduction of glycolysis. But did you know that this depletion can also lead to reductions in sport-specific skills, decreased work rates, and impaired concentration?
These are all factors that need to be locked in for improvement in a refined and complex motor skill such as sprinting. In fact, at the neurological level, a reduction in available glucose inhibits CNS and neuromuscular coordination and efficiency, potentially leading to decrements in motor skills and increased perception of fatigue!
Video 1. Speed training. So how do we address this? We know that our storage capacity for glycogen is approximately grams in the muscle and grams in the liver.
Carbohydrates also help spare protein instead of it being oxidized, allowing it to be used for muscle protein synthesis, which is vital for speed training adaptations discussed in more detail below.
While body composition is influenced by multiple factors, carbohydrate and protein intake discussed in the next section can be manipulated within the total energy intake to support these goals. When looking to gain fat-free mass in a speed athlete, the objective should be to optimize the power-to-strength ratio as opposed to gaining absolute strength and size.
When changes in body composition are warranted and could help the athlete optimize performance, they should be done in the off-season or early pre-season to avoid any possible decrements to performance.
We will discuss body composition further in the next section. Carbohydrate needs vary based on body size, lean mass, and sport and training demands, but current recommendations support athletes consuming between 4 and 12 grams per kilogram of body weight daily to help optimize performance.
Within these daily needs to support glycogen storage levels, we can look at specific nutrient timing to best support training, competition, and recovery. In the pre-training window, athletes should seek to consume 1—4 grams of carbohydrates per kilogram of body weight one to four hours pre-training.
In the window directly pre-training 15—30 minutes out , an easily digested, simple carbohydrate item can provide a source of glucose and aid in glycogen sparing, leaving that fuel for anaerobic glycolysis and preventing protein oxidation for optimal MPS.
In the post-training window, we aim to replenish glycogen stores used during training or competition. Athletes should seek to consume 1—1. The role of carbohydrates intra-training as they pertain to speed is not limited solely to glycogen sparing. This has been demonstrated mostly in to minute activities e.
If carbohydrates are the king of performance nutrition, protein is the queen. Protein serves as a substrate but also a trigger for the synthesis of contractile proteins through a process known as muscle protein synthesis MPS.
This process is critical in creating the training adaptations we are looking for in speed development training, and protein itself can serve as a trigger for those metabolic adaptations we seek. Like carbohydrates and dietary fats , protein has a direct effect on body composition—not only through its contribution to total energy intake but also in the maintenance of lean body mass on a hypocaloric diet.
If body composition changes are warranted to optimize performance remember, body comp and body weight do not accurately predict performance , keeping protein levels higher can help maintain lean mass while in a caloric deficit to see body fat reductions. Recommendations for protein intake when reducing total calories to make body composition changes range from 2.
Daily protein intake for athletes is currently set at 1. Most literature supports an ideal range of 1. Protein timing throughout the day is important to optimize MPS. The majority of protein intake in regard to training is focused in the post-window.
However, pre-training protein consumption can aid in satiety to lower the physiological hunger experienced during training and competition. During training, protein consumption can help spare amino acids from being oxidized, leaving them available for MPS.
The total protein content of this feeding should be around. It is recommended that this dose is then repeated about every 3—5 hours throughout the day to optimize MPS and recovery. Intakes of more than 40 grams of protein have not been shown to further improve MPS but may be warranted for larger athletes, individuals on a hypocaloric diet, or those with higher total daily protein needs.
A good goal for most athletes is to consume doses of 20—40 grams of protein every 3—4 hours while awake to optimize MPS and hit total daily protein intake needs.
Protein intake in the post-training window can also lower carbohydrate needs to achieve the same glycogen resynthesis. Research supports that an intake of. This is yet another reason to consume protein in the post-training window and throughout the day, especially for an athlete who struggles to meet higher carbohydrate needs post-training.
Hydration has multiple impacts on athletic performance, including the role of electrolytes in muscular contraction, injury prevention, and maintenance of electrolyte balance in the body. Pre-exercise hypohydration can increase muscle strength and power, and too great of a loss of fluids and electrolytes can impair performance.
At these levels, we can begin to see alterations to CNS and metabolic function due to hypovolemia and increased glycogen use leaving less fuel for glycolysis. The focus post-training should then be on rehydrating and replacing lost fluids and electrolytes. Sweat losses per hour can range from.
For every kilogram lost during training, an athlete needs about 1—1. The general recommendation is to consume. As mentioned above, this could also be used to provide glucose for glycogen sparing and as a mouth rinse.
The average sodium loss per liter of sweat is 1 gram or 1, milligrams as mentioned above, this varies significantly between athletes.
Replenishing these losses post-training and competition is vital to help the body retain the fluids consumed, restoring optimal plasma volume and levels of extracellular fluids. Any athlete should aim to prevent micronutrient deficiencies through a balanced intake that meets total energy, macro, and micronutrient needs.
And while all micronutrients have an indirect role in supporting energy production—and thus performance—there are three we should be extra aware of as they pertain to muscular function and speed:.
Calcium aids in the regulation of muscular contraction and nerve conduction. As we know, calcium facilitates the myosin and actin interaction within the muscle cell. It is then, when calcium is pumped back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum, that the muscle relaxes.
Calcium is also an important mineral in bone health along with vitamin D and phosphorus , which can help prevent bone injury. It is important to note that high levels of calcium in the blood can cause muscle weakness, and supplements should be used under the direction of a physician or dietitian.
Vitamin D has a role in bone health aiding in calcium and phosphorus absorption and playing a biomolecular role in mediating the metabolic functions of the muscle.
Athletes living above the 35th parallel, or those who train and compete indoors, are at the highest risk of deficiency. Supplementation may be warranted in amounts of 2,—5, IUs daily as indicated by lab work. We know iron deficiency, with or without anemia, reduces muscular function and work capacity, as maximal oxygen uptake will be limited.
Elite athletes, especially females, can be at risk of developing iron deficiency. Where opinions differ is on the use and benefit of antioxidant supplements like tart cherry juice.
I do not recommend that my athletes use these antioxidant supplements in the off-season or pre-season when our goal is adaptation, as these supplements could negatively influence it.
Instead, they should be used during the season, potentially in the evening before competition or key training sessions. The role of supplementation in positively impacting speed performance lies in providing energy system fuel, preventing acid-base disturbances, and reducing perceptions of fatigue.
There are four supplements I lean on to help optimize sprint performance:. Supplements should be third-party tested with effectiveness and dosages backed by research. Creatine is one of the most studied and safest supplements on the market and, in my opinion, the most impactful on performance.
On the bike when doing longer rides, sports nutritionist Dr. Stacy Sims recommends aiming for 1. Good examples include: small salted potatoes, white bread peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and energy balls. gastrointestinal distress.
If you do want to fuel during a run workout, the best options are typically fluids electrolyte drinks or energy drinks or energy chews or gels.
Keeping your blood sugar up and minimizing any digestion issues is usually the top priority. RELATED: How Much Salt Do You Need for Training and Racing?
Any good triathlon training diet will always feature plentiful protein and carbs, not just to help you fuel, but equally as importantly, to help you refuel.
The recovery process can really only get under way when you are giving your body the nutrients it needs to adapt, rebuild, repair, and prepare for whatever you have lined up next.
Consuming grams of protein in the minutes after finishing your workout particularly long or harder workouts can help your body to repair faster, stimulating protein synthesis in the muscles.
Good examples of high-protein refueling foods might include: eggs, yogurt, kefir, cottage cheese, and protein shakes. RELATED: Ask Stacy: Which is Better, Whey or Plant Protein? Of course, you need more than just protein: Carbs are important for refueling too and will help replenish glycogen stores.
Good examples of post-exercise carbs can include sweet potatoes, quinoa or any grains , fruit and veggies. Pairing proteins with carbs post-exercise is ideal and some athletes prefer to take on a lighter, high-protein snack within their refueling window and then eat a more substantial carb and protein meal within 90 minutes of finishing their workout.
This article on How to Eat for Recovery gives a lot of tips on how to eat to prevent illness, recover from illness, prevent injury, and recovery from injury. Ensuring you eat enough, especially after training, can go a long way to keeping you fit, well, and healthy.
It is far too easy for triathletes to prioritize weight goals or body composition targets at the expense of adequate fueling and refueling.
This can lead to the Relative Energy Deficit in Sports RED-S , which can diminish performance, affect immunity along with menstrual function for women and bone health, and be tied to overtraining syndrome since the body cannot recover. It can also lead to longer-term health problems.
An important part of the triathlon training diet is figuring out in training what works for you, so come race day and race eve you can tuck into your pre-race meal knowing it will deliver you all the calories and goodness you need without any risk of upset stomachs or worse!
Many triathletes tend to stick with one tried-and-true pre-race meal the night before they race, which is often something simple such as a sweet potato or rice with a simple protein.
Others swear by pizza or steak—so it really is as unique as you are. RELATED: The Expert-Curated, Triathlete-Approved Race Week Menu. On race morning assuming you are racing early in the morning, as is typically the case with triathlon your pre-event meal should ideally be consumed 1.
A small breakfast such as toast, instant oatmeal, or a smoothie is ideal. A small carbohydrate-rich snack e. For longer races breakfast—you are looking to top up glycogen stores, prevent hunger, and have some reserves to start the race. You can do this in the same 1. Stacy Sims often recommend toast with jam and instant oatmeal mixed with milk or a milk alternative as a liquid meal.
Given that most athletes have pre-race nerves , the easier your meal is to consume and digest the better chance you stand of getting it down.
RELATED : Ask Stacy: What Makes a Good Pre-Race Meal? Many a triathlete will tell you that what you eat during your race can have an epic impact on how well your day goes.
Get it wrong and you can find yourself feeling bloated and heavy — or worse, in the port-o-potties wondering what on earth just happened.
We have this at-a-glance guide to race-day nutrition from Dr. Stacy Sims that covers sprint, Olympic-distance, Note: These guidelines below assume you have fueled well pre-race so make sure you do!
For races up to an hour in duration, your focus should be hydration , taking small sips throughout the race. If you feel low on energy on the run, you can use a few glucose tablets or energy chews to boost your blood sugar. Aim for one to two energy chews every 15 minutes. RELATED: How To Fuel For Your First Triathlon.
Once out of the swim, focus on hydration with small sips of drink, and then aim to eat calories of food per hour.
Our websites Sports-specitic use Herbal remedies for blood pressure to personalize and Sporrts-specific your Herbal remedies for blood pressure. By continuing without changing Recovery services cookie settings, you agree Sports-speecific this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice. Specifically how to go about it when your runs get long. When training for a marathon, people tend to focus on and stress about the obvious: running long and often. Everyone wants to Glucose monitoring faster. Vuidance dedicate hours upon hours to Sports-specific fueling guidance and Allergy relief supplements ways to improve technique, giudance output, and the effectiveness of ghidance training modalities. And while SSports-specific all admit Artichoke soup recipes importance of huidance Sports-specific fueling guidance fueoing application to speed and athletic performance, we spend little time on this area that could give us a level up on our competition. Enter the Fueling Speed Hierarchy, nutritional items with a direct application to speed. Nutritional strategies have a range of important benefits when we look at optimizing speed and power output, whether providing fuel for our energy systems and the brain and central nervous system, assisting with muscle protein synthesis, promoting optimal body composition, aiding in muscular contraction and nerve conduction, or playing a role in injury prevention.
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