Train Low, Compete High?

“Training low” (with low carbohydrate stores) and "competing high" (with muscles fully loaded with glycogen) as a means to enhance competitive performance is receiving attention from coaches, elite athletes, and researchers alike. A 2005 study (1) with untrained subjects suggests that training with deplete glycogen stores can enhance adaptive muscle responses to conditions that might occur at the end of a competitive event. Training low might also reduce reliance on limited glycogen stores. When Hansen’s subjects “competed” with loaded glycogen stores, they performed better.

These results have raised questions and controversy. If you restrict your carbohydrate intake during training, you will become unable to train hard, and that can hurt your athletic ability. Sports dietitian Louise Burke PhD of the Australian Institute of Sports suggests inserting a few “training low” sessions into the training program where the focus is on making “aerobic” gains. You would want to target the sessions in the week where quality, intensity, or techniques are not as important.

You can train low by having either low blood glucose or low muscle glycogen; both scenarios can happen during a second training session in a day. Note: Adding caffeine to a “low” training session can enhance power by about 9%, but this still does not match the power generated by fully glycogen-loaded muscles plus caffeine.

Training low is not much fun. For most ordinary mortals, staying well fueled on a daily basis is a smart investment. I suggest you fuel your muscles on a daily basis with quality grains, fruits and vegetables. By being well fueled, you'll be able to work hard and enjoy improving your performance.

Best wishes,

Nancy

(1) Hansen A, C Fischer, P Plomgaard, J Andersen, B Saltin, B Pedersen 2005.Skeletal muscle adaptation: training twice every second day vs.training once daily. J Appl Physiol88(1):93-9

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD
Sports nutrition counselor, consultant, speaker

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Trust a Registered Dietitian – Not Supplement Store Personnel

Research suggest approximately 50% to 98.6% of university athletes use some form of supplements in hopes of improving exercise performance capacity and training adaptations.^1,2 It’s even more staggering to think some athletes are more likely to obtain information from employees at nutrition stores.³ Registered Dietitian Travis Piattoly said it best, “Would you go to a pharmacist who was unlicensed for advice on what drug to take? “Why should it be different for supplements?”  

                For registered dietitians, it may be hard to keep up to date on the potential adverse effects of all the dietary supplements on the market. The good news is there are several websites dedicated to providing information/potential hazards of common dietary supplements. One site you may find most beneficial is www.supplement411.org. The site has several resources available for both RDs and athletes. One resource on the website is the USADA “High Risk Dietary Supplement List.” (It is required to fill out some short information before you can access the list.)

                The list contains several brand names and the company who makes the dietary supplement. Additionally, the list states what the label says and includes useful comments concerning certain substances. i.e.

·         Product lists prohibited substances on the label.

·         Testing detected the presence of oxilofrine (methylsynephrine).

·         Product openly lists to contain a prohibited substance.

·         Testing reveals the product contains N-methylphenethlamine, and DHEA.

·         Product lists a prohibited substance on the label. Product also advertises itself by stating it is “EPO blood doping technology.

                Unfortunately, you cannot always trust what supplement companies put in their products. And as we all know, reading the ingredient list does not always tell you what may or not be in the product. At the end of the day, athletes are responsible for what supplements they take. Athletes interested in taking supplements should talk to a registered dietitian – your anti-doping tests may depend on it.

Gavin Van De Walle is an ISSA Certified Fitness Trainer, a NANBF Natural Competitive bodybuilder, a nutrition columnist for “The Collegian,” and a dietetic student at South Dakota State University. Once Gavin becomes an RD, he will aim to achieve the distinguished Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD) credential.

SCAN Symposium 2014 In Pictures

CEUs on the sunny shores of Lake Erie...

Soy Science Presentation

Great sponsors and great speakers.

Did you make it out to Huron, Ohio a few weeks ago to attend SCAN?  If not here are a few photos of what you've missed!

Raspberries!

Chocolate Milk sponsors

Dr. Kent Eichenauer & Dr. Glen Feltz

Speaking on behavior change & motivational interviewing

Hope to see you next year in Colorado!

Easy Ways to Add Vegetables to Your Diet

The vitamins and minerals provided by fruit and vegetables play a role in exercise performance and recovery following strenuous exercise, and maintaining health and well-being. These nutrients cannot be synthesized by the body so it’s essential that athletes consume a diet rich in fruits and vegetables to support daily training and recovery from training.

Sub-optimal intake of fruit and vegetables does affect your sport performance. A minimal intake of the vitamins and minerals found in fruits and vegetables can lead to fatigue, muscle damage and impaired immune function, all of which can have detrimental effects on training and recovery for competition.

Set a goal – If fruits and vegetables are minor items in your menu, start by eating one extra fruit or vegetable a day. When you’re used to that, add another and keep going.

Try something new – Don’t get tired of the same old thing every day.  Try a new vegetable or a new fruit.

Take advantage of prepared veggies – They’re a little bit more expensive when you buy them this way, but if it’s easier and you’re more likely to eat then it’s a better use of your money.  Bagged salads, prewashed spinach, peeled and diced butternut squash are great ways to cut down on prep time for dinner.

Stock your freezer – Frozen vegetables won’t go bad any time soon, and are easy to add to dishes you already make

o   Throw them in with pasta water in the last few minutes of cooking

o   Add to soups

o   Stir fry them with meat and serve with brown rice for a quick dinner

o   Frozen berries, mango, bananas

o   Add to oatmeal or yogurt with granola

o   Make smoothies with yogurt, low-fat milk, ice

Roast them – Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake at 425° F for 15 minutes.  Try  broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, carrots, butternut squash

Snack – Try baby carrots, celery sticks, broccoli florets or homemade sweet potato chips, dipped in salsa, light ranch dressing, spiced yogurt or hummus. Spread peanut butter on celery, apples or bananas

Cook with them – Sauté fresh or frozen spinach with garlic and olive oil, season with a dash of salt and pepper.  Add spinach, onions, asparagus or broccoli to omelets.

Improve on nature – Don’t hesitate to jazz up vegetables with spices, chopped nuts, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, or a specialty oil like walnut or sesame oil.

Eating Out – Add vegetable toppings to your pizza.  At a fast food restaurant, add a side salad with your burger, and eat it first.  Ask to substitute a side of vegetables for rice or pasta when you’re dining out.  Try the carrot cake if you’re ordering dessert!

Tara Boening is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian with a Board Certification in Sports Dietetics. She currently works as a sports nutrition consultant in Houston, TX.