Pre/early season Nutrition and Training
Carbohydrate
During the late winter/early spring (depending on climate) we are focusing on high-volume and low to moderate intensity training, using a fairly balanced mixture of carbohydrate and fat for fuel. As the duration of our workout increases we become more reliant on fat for energy. When we exceed 90 minutes of exercise above 65 percent of max effort, fatigue sets in just as we deplete our muscle glycogen stores. There is a finite amount of glycogen available from the muscles and liver and we are forced to reduce our exercise intensity as fat becomes the primary source of energy.
To ensure that we are beginning each training session with full glycogen stores, it is important to consume 2.5 to 3 grams of carbohydrate (per lb) everyday of the pre/early season. This will ensure we have the right mixture of fuels available to burn during our high volume, low intensity workouts.
Protein
A common misconception about protein is that more is better. Science has recently shown that consuming above .9 g/lb per day has no benefits and what excess can't be converted to glycogen in the liver is converted to fat.
As athletes we should consume 0.5-0.6 g/lb of protein during the base phase. The protein we consume is essential in providing the amino-acid building blocks of enzymes and structures that the aerobic system needs to improve its capacity to burn carbohydrate and fat for energy.
Fat
Recent research suggests that the only way to restore intramuscular stores of fat is through ingesting fat therefore intramuscular fats may play an important role in fat's contribution to energy expenditure during aerobic exercise, particularly prolonged aerobic exercise like that found during the early/pre-season.
The types of fats we consume are an important consideration. We want to stay away from saturated fats hydrogenated oils or "trans-fats" and try to use mono and poly unsaturated fats. We should consume 0.4g/lb of healthy fats everyday during the pre/early season.
This is a general guideline for nutrition on the findings of some of our leading sports nutritionists including, Michael Colgan Edmond Burke, and Chris Carmichael. The build up to a successful peak is proper training combined with sound nutritional choices made during the pre/early season. Combining 2.5 g/lb of carbohydrate, 0.5-0.6g/lb protein and 0.4 g/lb fat should give our bodies the fuels necessary to burn at peak performance.
neopro
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If you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin hard enough
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