Overview:
The Quarterfinals is just around the corner and it’s time to dial everything in to faciliate your performance. A lot of people are probably in the shape of their life but end up feeling flat and drained due to porr nutrition strategies. This article is going into detail how to fuel properly leading up and during the Quarterfinals to give you the best possible placement.
The lead up:
At least one month before the Quarterfinals, the focus should be on testing all intended nutritional strategies to be implemented during the competition. It’s essential to avoid experimenting with unfamiliar supplements or nutritional plans during the event itself. Everything should be thoroughly tested beforehand. But what nutritional approaches can provide a competitive edge on game day?
Carb loading:
Carbohydrate loading, also known as glycogen loading, is a nutritional strategy utilized by endurance athletes to maximize glycogen stores in their muscles before a competition or strenuous exercise event. The process involves increasing carbohydrate intake several days prior to the event while simultaneously decreasing training intensity, allowing the muscles to store more glycogen. This increased glycogen storage provides athletes with a readily available source of energy during prolonged exercise, delaying the onset of fatigue and enhancing performance. By effectively saturating the muscles with glycogen, carbohydrate loading helps athletes sustain higher levels of intensity for longer durations, ultimately improving their endurance and overall athletic performance.
Protocol: In the final three days leading up to the competition increase your carbohydrate intake to 8-10g x bodyweight. This will top of your glycogen stores and leave you with more readily fuel for gameday.
Beetroot juice:
Beetroot loading, a strategy gaining popularity among endurance athletes, involves consuming beetroot juice or concentrated beetroot supplements in the days leading up to a competition. This approach capitalizes on the high nitrate content found in beetroots, which is converted into nitric oxide in the body. Nitric oxide helps to dilate blood vessels, improving blood flow and oxygen delivery to muscles during exercise. By enhancing oxygen utilization and reducing the oxygen cost of exercise, beetroot loading can potentially improve endurance performance and delay fatigue. Additionally, beetroot loading may aid in lowering blood pressure and improving cardiovascular health. However, individual responses to beetroot loading may vary, and athletes should experiment with timing and dosages to find what works best for them.
Protocol:
5-7 days leading up to the competition intake 5-8mmol of nitrate / day. This will equate to around 500-700ml of beetroot juice so it might be worth to find a concentrate. During the actual competition dial the intake down to half the volume to avoid unneccesary gastric distress.
Beta-alanin:
Beta-alanine is a popular supplement among athletes and fitness enthusiasts due to its potential to enhance exercise performance. When ingested, beta-alanine increases the concentration of carnosine in muscles, which helps buffer the accumulation of lactic acid during high-intensity exercise, delaying fatigue and improving endurance. To use beta-alanine effectively, athletes typically supplement with doses ranging from 2 to 5 grams per day, divided into smaller doses throughout the day to minimize the tingling sensation known as paresthesia, a common side effect. It’s often recommended to take beta-alanine for several weeks to build up carnosine levels in the muscles before expecting noticeable improvements in performance.
Creatine:
Creatine is a well-researched and widely used supplement renowned for its ability to boost strength and power. It functions by elevating phosphocreatine levels, a compound crucial for rapidly regenerating the energy currency of the body (ATP) during short bursts of intense exercise. Athletes typically begin with a loading phase of around 20 grams per day for five to seven days, divided into smaller doses, to rapidly saturate muscle stores. Following the loading phase, a maintenance dose of 3 to 5 grams per day is recommended to sustain elevated creatine levels. Combining creatine with carbohydrates or protein may enhance its uptake by muscle cells.
During the competition
Keeping yourself fueled for the entire 3-4 days of competition is essential if you want to perform well across all of the events. The problem is not to stay fueled for the one event but rather to keep yourself fueled throughout all 5 events.
Carb and protein shakes:
Immediately post-workout, prioritize replenishing glycogen stores with a carbohydrate and protein bolus, capitalizing on heightened glycogen synthase activity and insulin sensitivity. This simply means that your body is more ready to take in the carbohydrates and transport them into the working muscles straigth after an intense workout. Aim for half your body weight in grams of carbohydrates and a third in protein, adjusting based on exercise intensity. A 150lb individual might consume 75g of carbs and 25g of protein post-workout. This combats fatigue, keeps cortisol levels low, and kick-starts glycogen restoration. If the timetable allows for it, consume another high-carb meal 2-4 hours later, ensuring 1-3 hours between the last meal and your next event. Aim to keep the meal consisting of simple carbohydrates such as rice or bread combined with low fat protein such as chicken. Your goal should be to minimize fat intake during this period to avoid slowing down the digestion rate of the food.
Conclusion
As the Quarterfinals loom ahead, fine-tuning nutrition becomes crucial for achieving top performance. It’s imperative to test nutritional strategies at least a month prior to ensure familiarity and effectiveness without introducing new supplements during competition. Carb loading, involving a gradual increase in carbohydrate intake to 8-10g x bodyweight in the days leading up to the event, maximizes glycogen stores for sustained energy. Beetroot loading, through a regimen of 5-8mmol of nitrate daily for 5-7 days, enhances endurance by optimizing oxygen delivery to muscles. Beta-alanine supplementation, typically ranging from 2 to 5 grams per day, serves to buffer lactic acid buildup during high-intensity exercise, delaying fatigue. Creatine, with a loading phase of 20 grams per day for 5-7 days followed by a maintenance dose, supports strength and muscle growth. During competition, post-workout carb and protein shakes, with a ratio of half body weight in grams of carbs and a third in protein, facilitate glycogen restoration and combat fatigue, ensuring sustained performance across multiple events. Carefully timing meals with simple carbs and low-fat protein aids digestion and maintains energy levels throughout the competition.
