Maximizing Performance 3 Focus Areas for Every Athlete
We have worked with numerous professional and Olympic athletes over the years. One of the key areas that they wish they would have spent more time on is nutrition and flexibility. They have competed at a high level and their skill set is good enough that they are looking for every conceivable advantage. They learned that nutrition could help them with recovery and increased flexibility helped them with power development and also recovery. Over the next few articles I would like to share with you some of the advice these elite athletes have taught me and as well as some of the science behind what you need to do as an aspiring athlete or workout enthusiast.
How to Get Stronger
One of the areas our athletes commonly ask us about is how to get stronger. Besides a specific strengthening routine that we show them, we spend time educating them on how much protein they should have in their diets. For a developing athlete (someone who is not physically mature, even up to their early 20s) we encourage them to ingest .9 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. The first goal is to see how much protein they are normally getting. We want the athlete to start paying attention to labels and foods that are higher in protein such as lean meats, dairy, peanut butter or other type of nut butters, and even protein supplements (bars and powders). Once they learn how much they are ingesting each day then they want to gradually increase that intake to reach that .9g per pound of body weight level. For our female athletes, they typically are not achieving this goal and we remind them that if they are not getting enough protein then they cannot recover sufficiently from their workouts each day. This is to physically give 100% effort during each practice or game.
What Type of Protein Bar
The next question comes up about how busy everyone’s life is and what type of protein bar they can eat to help get enough protein. Here are some guidelines:
The protein bar should have less than 7 grams of sugar per serving size, and the carbohydrate to protein ratio should be no more than 2:1. For example if the bar has 10 grams of protein per serving, then the bar should have no more than 20 grams of carbohydrates. If the bar has more than 7 grams of sugar and/or the carbohydrate to protein ratio is more than 2:1, you are eating more of a “candy” bar than a protein bar.
What to Eat After a Workout
The final question that comes up is about what to eat after working out to help with recovery. After a workout you have a 30-60 minute window when ingesting protein is the most beneficial for muscle recovery. The optimal amount is around 20 grams. Please remember that a gram of protein is only 4 calories so we are talking about 80 calories of protein plus some carbs. This amounts to a 250-300 calorie snack. Often times the athlete will not be hungry after a workout so not feeling like they need to eat a big meal is helpful. They simply need some nourishment to replace the fuel they used during their workout.
Remembering how much protein to have daily, how to choose an appropriate protein bar and finally when to eat after a workout will help you optimize lean muscle development. Attention to these details will help your strength development.
**Remember to
Always plan ahead for what you are going to eat
Obtain adequate amounts of protein
Work on Flexibility
Supplement your diet with a fish oil and multi-vitamin
Let me know if I can help. Email me at architectsports@gmail.com
God Bless,
Alan Tyson
Physical Therapist, Athletic Trainer, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist