• How much rest do you need before a running competition? Everything about proper nutrition for athletes

    10.09.2023

    Often a martial artist is forced to lose extra pounds in order to stay in his weight category. And sometimes this weight gain can reach 10 kg or more! But how to gain strength for a successful performance, how to withstand physical and psychological fatigue when the body requires only one thing - food, preferably meat!? This question is relevant for all wrestlers and fighters, for everyone who wants to know everything about martial arts and martial arts. Martial arts require very strong speed and strength qualities. Over several periods of contraction, an athlete sometimes loses up to 2 kg through sweat, and this is with a dehydrated, “depleted” body!

    To quickly replenish vitamins, minerals, and calories after weighing, an athlete must have iron self-discipline subject to some of the rules described below, or rather tips.

    Never eat too much after fasting. This is the law of all fasting, losing weight and getting in shape. It is dangerous to eat proteins especially after weighing. No, don’t think about it, you should definitely eat meat, fatty cottage cheese, and legumes, but only during the training process of preparing for competitions. But after weighing, the stomach is simply not ready to digest heavy protein, everyone will watch on the mat, tatami or ring a talented, promising athlete, but with “cotton” arms and legs, slow and absolutely exhausted. From light proteins you can:
    - a little broth to give strength (but only at least an hour and a half before the contraction);
    - a small piece of lean chicken without skin or lean fish;
    - porridges that contain vegetable protein and carbohydrates.
    About them below.

    When you need to reach the final in one day and win this final, the body needs light carbohydrates . They perfectly provide the necessary energy, while being easily digested, without causing damage to either the stomach or the brain. On the contrary, it is supplied with energy and controls the speed and coordination of movements. The most beneficial carbohydrates during rest periods between fights are:
    - Hercules porridge (will make you strong like the ancient Greek gods) and buckwheat;
    - pasta without butter, without gravy and cutlets;
    - a piece of cheese, a little low-fat cottage cheese;
    - Vegetables and citrus fruits (not apples!) are perfect for snacking.

    Perfect fit folk recipe – dried fruits and nuts in honey. Pieces of raisins, dried apricots, prunes, walnuts or pine nuts are “soaked” in natural honey. Take no more than one teaspoon in the morning and evening. In general, sweets should be specifically limited; they interfere with the digestion of food. As well as fats, the consumption of which should be reduced to a few drops, which we take with vegetables.

    Now about drinking. Immediately after weighing, you should drink mineral water to slightly compensate for the deficiency of salts in the body. Don't drink it anymore. After half an hour - a piece of black bread with salt to “wake up” the gastric juice. Then just start eating.

    Prepare for competition day tea. In the Altai Mountains in Siberia there grows an amazing plant, popularly known as “red root”, or tea kopeck. An infusion or decoction of tea from this plant acts as a natural energy drink - instantly relieves fatigue, increases endurance, and awakens the nervous system. Take a tablespoon before the fight. It doesn’t hurt to simply prepare green tea, which will quench your thirst and restore strength after a fight. Many athletes and coaches create carbohydrate-mineral drinks from green tea, adding ascorbic and glutamic acids, which they take before the final.

    Of course, the fundamental factor for victory is the tactical and physical preparation of the athlete. But proper nutrition, especially on competition days, can become another step to the coveted podium.

    Spring is approaching, which means the season for the much-anticipated running competitions. Everyone has different goals, but one thing is certain: everyone wants to achieve the best results they can and have fun while doing it. How you eat before and during the race plays a significant role in this. It should be noted here that it is unlikely that you will be able to significantly improve your results through proper nutrition, because it includes many factors. But to significantly worsen it and spoil the overall impression of participating in the competition is enough.

    Therefore, it is important to follow a few simple principles.

    Meals before the start

    The day before the start, try to eat simple food, without any frills. This especially applies to those who have traveled abroad and want to try something “sort of”. A usual breakfast, mainly carbohydrate lunch and dinner - these are your friends before the start. If you want to eat meat or fish, let it be a baked or boiled dish. Any spicy, heavily fried, smoked options put a strain on the liver, and it is the body’s energy station. Please her on the eve of the start and you will feel a surge of strength.

    On the morning of the race, you need complex (starchy) carbohydrates: porridge, toast, etc. You don't need a lot of protein, so you shouldn't eat scrambled eggs, ham, etc. Also try to avoid a lot of sweets. A little jam on your toast or scone won't hurt. However, remember that any sugars (including honey) quickly increase blood sugar levels, but a peak in blood sugar levels may be followed by a similar drop (associated with a sharp release of insulin), and if this moment occurs during the start, you will experience weakness from - for low glucose levels. The correct natural running technique will help level out such differences.

    Also, on the eve of the start, you should avoid foods with high levels of fiber (potatoes, vegetable salads, large amounts of fruit) so as not to increase the volume of mass in the large intestine.

    Meals during competitions

    And then the starting shot rang out! When the euphoria of the first kilometers is over and the race becomes overcoming oneself, how to decide whether to eat for the distance or be patient and leave the recovery until after the finish? It is better to look for the answer to this question in training. Experiment with longer workouts. As a rule, the body functions well for the first 45-60 minutes of continuous exercise if you have the correct natural running technique. Next, it needs recharge. This is due to the fact that a person is not a machine. You can drive the car at maximum power until the fuel tank is empty, then refuel it and continue the race at the same speed. It happens differently in the body. When our reserves of glycogen – the source of “fast” fuel – remain less than half, the body begins to slowly save it, reducing the intensity of its mobilization from depots in the liver and muscles.

    To maintain the rate of glucose supply to working muscles, distance nutrition is necessary. This is especially true for the marathon, but can also be useful for shorter distances. An approximate rule is the following: take the first dose of energy gel 40-50 minutes from the start of the run and then 100-150 kcal every 20-25 minutes of the race.
    There is now a huge variety of sports nutrition available for use during competition. I think the best advice for choosing is to experiment with training.

    Each person is unique, including in their reaction to food. Moreover, taken in a state of submaximal physical activity. What is good for your friends may cause you to reject the same gel or bar. Therefore, during training, try different gels and flavors in advance to determine what suits you. Even the taste of the gel or drink is important, because... in difficult moments, the runner can simply give up and throw away that hated sticky sweet gel. Be prepared for thoughts like: “...it’s so hard, but now you have to squeeze it out.”
    him, he’s cloying, disgusting, you still need to drink him down...”, etc. Therefore, decide for yourself in advance or consult with a trainer at what marks you need to take nutrition, and take the appropriate number of +1 gel sachets just in case.

    Most gels need to be taken with a few sips of water to improve absorption and digestion in the stomach. Arrange yourself a last food point 5-6 km before the finish, this will be enough to run at a brisk pace. Special mention should be made about gels with caffeine. At a half marathon, you can take a couple of these for the second half of the distance. If you are at the start of a marathon, then you should not overload your body with caffeine in the first 2/3 of the race. Overstimulating yourself can lead to speeding and increased energy consumption.
    first half, which will negatively affect the second. Give yourself 2 markers along the course where you will be consuming caffeine-containing nutrition, for example at 25-27 km (when it first gets tough) and at 35-37 km (when you need to muster the last of your strength to finish). Let the rest be normal food so that you use your natural strengths.

    Meals after the finish

    And here is the long-awaited finish! The finish line, a well-deserved medal and the long-awaited finisher’s package: water, a drink (and if you’re lucky, then beer ), fruit. What to do after the finish?
    Take a breath, wait 10-20 minutes and... muscle nutrition continues! Muscles are most susceptible to restoring their reserves in the first 60 minutes after the end of the load. Therefore, for the best recovery, you should not wait for dinner in a cafe or restaurant. Be sure to eat a pre-prepared candy bar or piece of fruit from your finishing bag. And if during the distance you only needed carbohydrates, after the finish you can already supplement your nutrition with a protein component. This could be a special protein bar or just nuts in addition to fruit. The body will thank you with faster recovery. Don't forget about fluid restoration. As a rule, even if you haven’t missed a single point with water, fluid losses during exercise are usually higher than the body’s ability to compensate for them while running. If the competition was in hot weather, wet your forehead, neck and limbs - this will help restore body temperature.

    All of the above tips are based not only on scientific data, but also on my own many years of experience as a marathon runner and as a coach of people like you. I hope they will help you realize your potential and bring positive emotions from participating in competitions.

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    Date of: 2017-02-05 Views: 25 341 Visit the website of the author of this article Each organism is individual. There will definitely be a person who, after drinking milk and cola, will be able to lift enormous weights. There are also those whose stomachs churn from an aspirin tablet diluted in a liter of water. Therefore, the recommendations may not be suitable for everyone. And the dosage for your body will have to be selected experimentally.

    Part 1. What to take before the competition

    Liquid

    In the practice of weightlifting and powerlifting, there are situations when an athlete needs to move to a heavier weight category, usually in the interests of the team. To achieve the goal, you have to drink up to 2.5 liters of water or juice. In all the cases I observed, the athlete performed well; as a rule, all or almost all approaches were completed successfully. Despite the initial unpleasant sensations (how to keep it all in) and swelling (my legs could barely fit into the weightlifting weights), the liquid was quickly absorbed and already during the warm-up I felt increased performance. I don’t encourage everyone to drink 2 liters before starting, but there should be enough fluid in the body. If you had to lose weight and limit yourself to water, you need to weigh yourself as early as possible and immediately drink 1 - 1.5 liters. The liquid will be absorbed in 7-10 minutes and you will have enough time to warm up.

    5-10 g 2 hours before the first appearance on the platform. If the competition drags on, then after the bench press another portion.

    Carbohydrates

    There should be a lot of them (for a performance in a separate powerlifting exercise, a moderate portion is enough), they should not create a feeling of heaviness in the stomach. If you are in a weight category with a reserve, you can eat your usual food before weighing in so that you have time to digest it. It could be pasta or potatoes. I prefer buckwheat. If the weight is close, you will have to eat after weighing along with fluid intake. There will be less time for absorption, you will need simpler carbohydrates: muesli, cookies, jam, honey, condensed milk. Competitions can drag on, sometimes up to 7 hours. You'll have to add carbohydrates a few more times. In this case, you should have chocolate and glucose tablets in your bag; bananas will also do.

    Typically, athletes treat it as a building material for muscles. During a performance, the main function of proteins is signal transmission and regulation of physiological processes. It doesn't require a lot of protein. 100 g of meat or a pack of cottage cheese is enough. If you are planning a result in weightlifting or eventing that is higher than the CMR, also take a good portion.

    Combilipen or milgamma

    1 ampoule intramuscularly shortly before warm-up, the peak of action should approximately fall on the 3rd approach of the first exercise. And for another 2 hours after this, the concentration in the blood will be noticeable. If the competition drags on, you can add one more after the bench press.

    A nicotinic acid

    For many athletes, taking 100-150 mg causes a warming sensation, as if the capillaries are opening. As a result, warm-up is accelerated, performance increases, and warm-up time is reduced. Works when taken on an empty stomach. It turns out that there is a problem of inconsistency in time. If you take nicotine and then start eating, by the time you start warming up, its effect will begin to wane. Can be used before the second and third exercises, since it will not be possible to eat heavily between exercises.

    Ascorbic acid

    Moderate tonic effect. 500-1000 mg - the effect is subtle, but it won’t be worse.

    Asparkam

    One tablet so that the body has enough potassium and magnesium. If you sweat a lot, then more.

    500-1000 mg 10-15 minutes before warm-up helps to warm up and reduces warm-up time. Especially useful if the warm-up room is cold.

    Allowed for now. But WADA has already included it in the monitoring list along with nicotine. Use it and don’t forget to check the list of prohibited drugs for updates. The advantage of tablets from a pharmacy is the exact dosage. The caffeine content in coffee and tea depends on the variety and processing method. I prefer a large thermos of strong tea. But if the hotel's electricity goes out, due to the lack of boiling water, a supply of tablets will come in handy.

    Nootropil or piracetam

    An excellent stimulant of the nervous system. It doesn’t make you feel crazy, but makes you focused, the brain works better in all respects, and sends more powerful signals to the muscles. Sensations from the senses are heightened. Sometimes this can have an undesirable side effect, for example, the usual clanging of iron seems louder and more annoying. Therefore, check the effect of the drug during training. Single dose from 1 to 2 grams. Capsules are better than tablets. Treat your withdrawal coach to Piracetam. He will pay more attention to the protocol and, without a calculator, will calculate how much to raise in order to beat his opponents.

    Alcohol tinctures

    Ginseng, aralia, eleutherococcus, etc., everything except hawthorn. Action not proven. They often seem to help. There is an opinion that the effect of tinctures ends long before the indicated expiration date and you need to buy very fresh tinctures. Perhaps the effect depends on the quality of the raw materials, it is impossible to guess. In any case, do not drink in glasses; alcohol impairs coordination.

    They are unlikely to help you lift more. They will almost certainly prevent you from absorbing the necessary substances. If the body needs any fatty acids during a performance, it will find them in its reserves.

    Milk and fermented milk drinks

    For most people, it causes increased mucus production, which can make breathing difficult. It especially interferes with and. 100 g of milk added to tea or coffee is an insignificant dose.

    Carbonated drinks

    Instructions

    You should prepare for competitions several days before they start. Physical activity is reduced. More attention is paid to technical and tactical training. It is recommended to conduct training at the same time as planned. It is advisable to adhere to the usual sleep, rest and nutrition patterns. When competitions are held in a different climate and time zone, the athlete needs to travel to the competition site in advance and adapt to them.

    Try to take your mind off your upcoming performance the day before the competition. Go to a concert, visit a circus performance, or read an interesting book. If the competition is taking place in an unfamiliar area, you can arrange an introductory walk and visit the local museum. Have a relaxation session. Achieve a calm and relaxed state. Avoid talking about the possible outcome of the competition. Take your own thoughts and emotions. This will save you from “burning out” at the start.

    Immediately before the performance, inspect the competition area and do a light warm-up with competition equipment. Warm-up helps in the fight against excessive anxiety and negative emotions. It improves the functioning of all body systems, tones muscles and activates brain function. Warm-up is a necessary means of preventing injuries and is carried out 5-10 minutes before going to the start.

    During the warm-up, repeat pre-prepared formulas for self-hypnosis, for example: “I am calm. I am confident in my abilities. I will succeed. I’m one hundred percent ready to compete.” It is better to start practicing self-hypnosis a month before the competition. Then it will be perceived by the psyche as a trigger - a quick switch from one state to another.

    Sources:

    • competitive spirit

    In any team competition, sports, intellectual or computer game, not only the preparation of the team is important, but also its attitude. History is replete with examples of objectively weaker players winning simply through the will to win.

    Instructions

    Coaches, captains and just ordinary players can change the outcome of any competition in favor of their team by finding the right words. It is necessary to understand that a team can only win if it believes in the reality of its victory. Often players lose only because they subconsciously do not want to win and do not consider victory as a likely outcome.

    To prevent this from happening to your team, do not use negative speech patterns. This is one of the basic principles of neuro-linguistic programming: the particle “not” immediately becomes a clue to a negative answer. Instead of "we can't lose," say "we can win." In general, you should not use the words “loss”, “defeat”. There may be people on your team who take such words too seriously.

    You can instill confidence in your team by talking about victory as if it were a done deal. Not “if we win,” but “when we win.” Infect other team members with your conviction, and victory will become closer.

    Experienced coaches and captains have special techniques that allow them to get their teams out of hopeless situations. They tell jokes, sing songs, give inspirational talks, and even talk to the players in a raised voice. From the outside it looks strange, but it must be taken into account that any team has its own special atmosphere, within which the coach’s actions are absolutely correct. Many eminent team coaches have earned a reputation as tough and rude people, but their players almost always say that it was this toughness and rudeness that helped them win.

    A good way to set up a team to win is to change concepts. Try to convince the players that this is not a game that can be won or lost, but an ordinary job that just needs to be done well. In general, it has been noted that not all players need to realize the enormous significance of winning in order to win, since the burden of responsibility that falls on them makes the game more difficult for them. On the other hand, a certain type of people, on the contrary, needs to realize that they are doing something outstanding, heroic, and then their strength and will to win increases many times over.

    Each team, each player needs to find their own approach, their own ways to set them up for victory. The art of an experienced mentor also lies in quickly understanding what and how to say so that the team does not even dare to think about losing. Take a close look at the team members, feel its atmosphere, find the right words and intonations, and victory will be in your hands.

    Video on the topic

    note

    If you choose the wrong tone, resort to undeserved insults, this will not bring your team closer to victory, since most people usually get confused and give up from such aggression.

    Basketball is a sports game that develops all muscle groups, analytical abilities, teaches dexterity and the ability to act as a team. Victory in this game depends not only on technique and experience, but also on the ability to tune in to the desired result.

    Advice from the senior coach of the Tajikistan Greco-Roman wrestling team Bakhrom ORIPOVA.

    How to prevent injuries?

    - Athletes are often injured due to the coach’s oversight and leave the sport. If you are going for something, you need to think through everything carefully before doing any exercise.

    - How to breathe correctly?

    There is body-strengthening breathing, healing breathing and endogenous breathing, which “raises” all body functions. This is breathing that allows you to absorb oxygen more efficiently. Everyone is breathing through their chests. This is not always true. We do not allow the lungs to be filled with air in large volumes or the tops of the lungs to be ventilated. All Japanese wrestlers breathe well, the center of gravity of the body is very low.

    Learning to breathe correctly is not difficult - we place our hand on the chest and control that the breathing occurs lower, “into the stomach”; with a long exhalation, the need for oxygen arises and subsequent breaths will be deeper.

    - Sports nutrition: what is possible, what is not?

    - When you train, you need to divide your training into significant and insignificant, i.e. distinguish between significant and insignificant tournaments. A month before the tournament, pasta, fried meat, milk, and foods that do not allow recovery and interfere with breathing are completely excluded. 2 weeks before the tournament, we completely remove dairy products, but remember that each person is individual.

    A week before the tournament, we completely remove white bread (flatbread) from the diet, leaving only black bread. But you need to remember about individual needs, you yourself know which foods have a positive or negative effect on you, but be sure to eat raw cabbage, carrots, beets, apples (up to a kilogram of apples per day).

    - What about food on the day of the competition?

    Chicken, not frozen, but fresh, cooked with vegetables. Excess fat from the chicken goes into the water and the bird is quickly digested. Fresh vegetables should not be eaten two hours before a contraction. Learn to drink hot tea with honey, which is good for maintaining strength. Good quality fish is also quick to digest and good for maintaining strength. Don't eat sausage. This is death for an athlete. Food must be alive, in the sense that it is not frozen and canned. Honey from the store is most often not honey. You also need to know how to buy honey on the market. The amount of honey is individual.

    - Is it worth starving?

    - I do not advise young people to starve. Because after fasting you need to go out with the help of the highest quality products, which are rare in our country. People over 30 also fast if they have certain illnesses. The most important thing for young people is not to drink or smoke.

    - How to form a training cycle?

    In the preparatory period, usually in the summer, there is a large volume of training, a lot of general physical preparation, as well as psychological, in overcoming the severity of training. In the pre-competition period - development of speed qualities. Then you can train ahead of the curve, improve your functional training, and you can go to competitions.

    - How to effectively prepare for competitions?

    Find out which competitions are the most significant and prepare for them first; other competitions should serve as preparation. After the competition, you should be given complete rest for two to three days. In general, those who know how to rest show better results.

    - What can and cannot be done before competitions?

    - A month before the competition, you need to complete strength training with weights. Otherwise, the muscles are clogged, they cannot develop the required speed, and can be injured by sudden movements. In two weeks you do not need any special strength training. Five days before the competition, contractions end. There is no need to correct an athlete’s mistakes shortly before the competition, this will only confuse his skills.

    There is no need to do stretching exercises a week before the competition, as the muscles lose speed. Before any tournament, athletes need to be forced to overcome their fear through certain exercises. But you can’t psychologically overload a student. If you want to succeed in sports, you need to constantly think about it.

    - What to do with old injuries?

    A chronic injury is often the result of improper training. Therefore, you need to correlate the training process with your readiness. You can’t stop studying, but you shouldn’t study to your detriment either. For example, it is worth saving an injured limb by not using it in exercises, giving it the opportunity to recover.

    - How can an athlete find strength in the finals?

    Attune athletes to the importance of the final fight during training, giving tasks, repeating the importance of this very thing - the final task.

    - How do you feel about mixed groups?

    Groups should be mixed, there should be both strong and weak athletes. The weak grow faster, and the strong can practice techniques on equally strong ones. It is also good when there is an age difference in the groups. Then the young can work at full strength, without fear of injuring their opponent, and the older ones can practice their technique without putting force into it.

    - How to help an athlete move from youth to juniors and from juniors to adults?

    - We need to make sure that everyone works with seniors, give them a year to work, only in training, and then only enter them into competitions. It is forbidden to let unformed athletes compete in serious tournaments, where they can quickly lose their health and desire to perform.

    - When can you give strength training?

    Strength training should not be given to children under at least 12 years of age.

    - Should we provide equipment that is the same for everyone?

    - Try to individualize the technique of each athlete, practice the techniques that he can achieve. There is no need to force an athlete to do something that does not work out at all. You shouldn’t get hung up on one technique, but you don’t need to spread yourself across the entire spectrum of techniques.

    - How to combine strength and special physical training?

    During the preparatory period, you can safely combine all types of physical training, but you must try to train strength exercises as quickly as possible, to “explode”.

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