Preparation

With a normal lifestyle, the body consumes 2-3 liters of water daily. With intense physical activity, more fluid is required, lack of proper attention to this feature can lead to dehydration. Therefore, before training for 1-2 hours it is useful to drink 0.5-0.6 liters of water (without gas). It is also desirable to take water with you and to the training. Additional fluid allows you to more effectively eliminate slags and metabolic products, the production of which due to the acceleration of metabolism becomes more intense. In addition, it is useful to enrich your diet on training days with products containing catechins: berries, fruits, green tea, cocoa beans. Catechins help fight excess kilocalories by regulating blood sugar levels, having antioxidant activity and helping to increase energy expenditure and speed up metabolism.

Meals on the day of training, if it is planned for the early hours, should be light: it is useful to eat granola with yogurt or drink tea with honey. In the afternoon, you can eat 2-3 hours, including legumes or cereals (the content of complex carbohydrates should be approximately 50-100 g) and 100-150 g of seafood or lean chicken. Do not completely neglect food: starvation lowers sugar levels and slows metabolism, which negatively affects the effectiveness of training.

During training

Intensive physical exercise is an additional load for the body. Already during the warm-up, it begins to reorganize itself for active activity, and resources are mobilized.

The source of energy for muscles is glycogen. It is intensively consumed during training. In addition, as a result of activation of metabolic processes, lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which prevents their contraction and creates painful sensations after exercise. Need: remove acid from the body

To obtain energy, the body first of all begins to use carbohydrates, then – fats. It is at this point in the workout that the feeling of hunger appears.

You should: refrain from eating anything for at least an hour after your workout.

Active muscles require additional oxygen and nutrition.

You should: provide your muscles with the necessary amount of substances.

Intense sweating leads to blood clotting.

Need: prevent possible blood clots.

During training, pay close attention to possible signs of dehydration: headache, dizziness, dry mouth. In the future, this can progress to general weakness, increased fatigue, loss of activity. Therefore, when the first symptoms of dehydration appear, you should start drinking water without delay. Interrupt training for this purpose until the condition normalizes. Approximate volume of water for a person weighing 60-75 kg: 100-150 ml per 10-15 minutes. More intense exercise requires more fluid, it is also useful to use not pure water, but special isotonic drinks that contain vitamins, trace elements and carbohydrates. Eating during training, on the contrary, is undesirable. Only if the duration of training is more than 2 hours, you should have a little bit of dried fruit.

After training

The main tasks of this period – to restore the normal rhythm of heartbeat and as quickly as possible to remove from the body accumulated slags formed as a result of muscle activity. For this purpose, you need additional fluids. In addition, you need to “return” to the body useful trace elements and vitamins that came out with sweat during training. Drink a glass of freshly squeezed apple or carrot juice half an hour after the exercise, it will also help to restore energy.

An hour after exercise is the time to eat. What is the best way to eat after a workout? In the first half of the day, those who want to lose weight can eat a green salad and boiled salmon, and those who are working on gaining muscle mass can eat grilled chicken breast and 100 grams of rice. In the second half of the day, you can limit yourself to 100-150 g of low-fat cottage cheese or 1-2 glasses of low-fat kefir.

Other methods of recovery

Walking. In order to calm the pulse and bring it to 60-80 beats, it is useful to walk a little quietly, better in the fresh air. This allows you to prolong the breakdown of fat, as well as provide the body with additional oxygen. When walking, the muscles return to their normal mode of operation within 10 minutes. The total recommended duration of the walk is 30-40 minutes.

Pool. It helps to restore the thermoregulatory system and muscle tissue, removes lactic acid, and creates additional aerobic exercise. Immediately after training it is useful to swim for 15-20 minutes.

Bath. Contributes to strengthening the immune system, improving the condition of ligaments and joints. On the other hand, bathing puts additional strain on the thermoregulatory system and the heart, and should be used with caution, especially after an intense workout. Recommended regime: 2-3 sessions, from 5 to 15 minutes each, after high loads it is better to limit yourself to one 5-minute session.

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Since athletes spend almost all their free time training, it is obvious that they spend much more energy than those who do not play sports. Therefore, it is very important to make the right balanced diet, which would not only keep the body in a healthy state, but also warn against possible injuries, etc. Each sport has significant differences and its individual characteristics, so you should choose the diet carefully, based on the needs of the athlete of a particular sport. But what unites all – the necessary daily calorie allowance, calculated taking into account the load.

Protein in sports nutrition

Proteins are a very important part of the diet, they act as a building material for tissues in the human body, as well as saturate tissues with oxygen and nutrients, participate in many processes.

The products most rich in protein are:

milk, kefir, cottage cheese, yogurts;

• oatmeal, rice;
• eggs;
• fish;
• rabbit meat and poultry.

Fats in an athlete’s diet

Fats are very important for the body, as they are involved in many structural and energetic processes. Fats are usually divided into saturated and unsaturated. In a proper diet, it is necessary to consume healthy unsaturated fats, while saturated fats should be avoided completely, as their consumption leads to obesity.

Products containing unsaturated fats:

• olive and sunflower oil;
• fish and seafood;
• nuts.

Foods that contain saturated fats (should be eliminated):

• Fast food;
• margarine;
• coconut oil;
• chocolate, etc.

Carbohydrates in the sports menu

Energy processes in the human body mainly depend on carbohydrates. To maintain proper nutrition, athletes need to eliminate simple carbohydrates, and consume complex carbohydrates.

Examples of complex carbohydrates needed on the menu:

• Fruits, berries, vegetables;
• legumes and grains;
• black bread;
• nuts.

Simple carbohydrates to avoid:

• sugar; candy;
• baked goods;
• carbonated water;
• sweet drinks and juices.

Water regimen of the athlete

Maintaining water balance is important for everyone, whether an athlete or not. However, for a professional athlete with a lot of physical activity to replenish the amount of water in the body is necessary times faster. On average, you should drink 1.5-2 liters. Water in the body maintains temperature balance, distributes nutrients and removes toxins. We recommend keeping a bottle of water in a prominent place to always be able to restore the percentage of fluid in the body in time.

We realize that in today’s reality, where training is combined with other personal activities, it is extremely difficult and tedious to keep track of nutrition. That’s why we recommend ordering a nutrition program to eat right and stay focused on what you love to do.

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So, in this article we will look at the key principles of proper nutrition during intense training.

Principles of nutrition during intense training

1. Drink enough water. During physical exertion, the body loses a lot of fluid. Dehydration leads to micro-injuries, slower metabolism and deterioration of most body functions.
2. As intensity increases, energy expenditure increases, and thus nutrient expenditure increases. If your diet is based on protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and fiber, it will be a good start on the road to strength, muscle and energy.
3. Never increase your calorie intake by the volume of a single serving. Increase the number of meals to 6-8 times a day.
4. The body needs fiber for normal digestion. For this purpose it is recommended to eat at least 400 g of vegetables per day.
5. Do not give up fats. Start consuming omega-3 and omega-6 fats that your body needs. Their sources are seafood and vegetable oils.
6. Do not skip meals. For breakfast, the body needs a boost of energy – carbohydrates. Before going to bed, it is useful to consume foods containing casein (long) protein. Skimmed cottage cheese before bedtime will help your muscles recover faster.
7. Help your body by replenishing its reserves with various microelements and minerals.

Features of nutrition depending on the goals of training

There are 3 main goals for which people make exercise a part of their lives: burning fat, increasing muscle mass, and keeping fit. Different goals require different proportions of proteins, fats and carbohydrates in the body.

Fat burning

Protein: 50%, fats: 30% carbohydrates: 20%.

If your goal is to lose weight, the first thing to do is to limit your carbohydrate intake in general, and minimize the proportion of fast carbs. Stick to a low-carbohydrate diet for most meals, make carbohydrates consumed part of breakfast.

Weight gain

Protein 30%, fat 40%, carbs 30%

Protein is the foundation of muscle. Make sure you get quality protein with your meals (meat, dairy products, nuts). Carbohydrates are equally important in weight gain. The quality of carbohydrate intake affects the quality of the mass.

Keeping in shape

Protein 30%, fats 45%, carbohydrates 25%.

All carbohydrates should be ingested during exercise and/or after 6:00 pm each day. High levels of protein are needed for timely recovery and to “fuel” gained muscle mass.

Inadequate or improper nutrition will delay the achievement of your goals, while proper energy recovery will allow the body to utilize its maximum potential!

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1. Warm up before interval training

Before training, you should warm up by jogging at an easy pace for 15-20 minutes and do some stretching. You can also perform a set of special running exercises to prepare your muscles for fast running.

You can prepare your body for interval training with the help of pre-training complexes.

2. Tailor your workout to your lap length

If you do interval training in a stadium or arena, try to adapt it to the lap length. The standard length of the first track in such sports facilities is 200 or 400 meters. You will be more comfortable if the intervals are multiples of these values.

3. Set up your workout on your sports gadget in advance

If your interval training takes place outside the stadium or if you’re doing timed intervals, you can create a workout in advance and upload it to your watch. Most sports watches have this feature. This will make it easier to track your intervals and help you monitor your pace and HR.

4. The first intervals should not be too fast

The desire to push yourself, to run as hard as you can, can play tricks on you if you use this tactic from the start.

The goal of the first intervals is to warm up, get the blood flowing through your muscles, and feel the condition of your legs and your entire body. If you start smoothly, you will be in a relatively fresh state by the middle and end of the workout.

Interval training will be beneficial if all intervals are about the same or if the final intervals are slightly faster than the first. This will indicate that you have properly distributed your strength for the entire workout.

Therefore, choose a pace at which you can complete all intervals.

5. If you feel unwell, stop training

It happens that for some reason the body is not ready to accept the proposed load. Stress, lack of sleep, working out on an empty stomach, malaise or feeling unwell can make you feel uncomfortable during your workout.

If at any point you realize that you feel dizzy, “your legs won’t run” and your workout is not enjoyable, the best solution is to stop it early.

It’s important to remember that interval training is intense work, so your body needs to be ready for the strain. Postpone this workout, go jogging or do a warm-up. And come back to intervals next time.

6. Don’t do interval training more than twice a week

Before interval training, as well as after it, you should have a rest day or a light recovery run. The optimal number of intervals per week is 1-2 workouts.

On the days of the week it can be different combinations: Tuesday and Thursday, Wednesday and Saturday, etc. The main thing is to remember to rest.

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Amount of rest between approaches

A short to medium rest between approaches (30 seconds to 2 minutes) can cause significant metabolic stress.

Number of approaches per exercise

According to scientists, performing 3 to 4 approaches gives the most effective mechanical stress for all muscles involved.

Speed of movement

Scientists recommend performing the maximal effort movement faster – 1-2 seconds (e.g. lifting a barbell) and the eccentric phase of the exercise (e.g. lowering a barbell) longer (2-6 seconds). The slower execution of the eccentric phase is necessary to ensure adequate mechanical tension – it is this “lighter” phase of the movement that is most important for muscle growth. “From a hypertrophy perspective, eccentric contraction has a greater impact on muscle development. In particular, eccentric exercise is associated with a greater increase in protein synthesis” (Schoenfeld, 2010).

Free weights or exercise machines

Scientist Schoenfeld states that each type of weights plays a different role in optimal muscle growth, “Free weights, which involve a large number of muscles, help increase muscle density, while the stabilization provided by exercise machines allows for more loading of individual muscles.”

Preparation before serious training

High metabolic and mechanical muscle growth training can cause serious muscle damage and is recommended for people with at least one year of experience.

It is necessary to start with a dynamic warm-up, load the cortical muscles (abs, stabilizer muscles and others) to prepare the muscle tissue for the stress of high-volume training.

Exercise order

It is preferable to start training with complex movements with free weights to involve the maximum number of muscles (e.g. squats with a barbell, deadlifts are better to do at the beginning of training), and in the course of training gradually move on to machines that affect individual muscles.

The last exercise

The last exercise in each training session should be performed in a weight-reducing machine: after all the repetitions of the approach to failure, the weight is reduced and with it you should also do the maximum possible number of repetitions to failure.

Weight reduction approaches can cause significant mechanical and metabolic stress, as well as significant discomfort, so they should be performed at the end of the exercise.

Overloading

It is important to dose the load that is right for you, because “overloading” can be just as harmful to muscle growth as “underloading”. For example, in the scientist-recommended program for muscle growth, cardio is limited. According to Schoenfeld, “too much energy expenditure can reduce muscle growth.”

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People need physical activity for various reasons, of which a few main ones stand out. Muscle strengthening. Regular exercise allows you to make your muscles more robust and optimize energy expenditure. In addition, certain types of exercise can increase muscle volume and strength.

Weight control. Physical activity helps to get rid of excess weight by expending additional calories obtained from food.

Cardiovascular training. The heart is also a muscle. Regular properly dosed loads help to make it more enduring, and the walls of blood vessels – more elastic. Development of motor skills. Specially selected exercises improve flexibility, sense of balance or make it easier to master sports equipment.

A way to combat stress. Psychologists claim that physical activity can relieve a person from increased anxiety and depression. Movement can reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol and increase levels of the pleasure hormone endorphin.

Entertainment. Movement brings a lot of joy. Rollerblading, orienteering, swimming in the river and horseback riding are also sets of exercises that train the muscular and cardiovascular systems.

Competition. Many people need to constantly be in competition with someone and strive to win.

Motor activity is the best way to fulfill this need: you can take up wrestling, join a basketball team, or train for a marathon race.

A way to socialize. There are enough types of exercises that it is more interesting to do together with other people: in aerobics or water aerobics courses, in yoga classes or in team sports.

Benefits of exercise Better heart. Physically active people have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and many types of cancer – all those diseases that arise, among others, because of excess weight, which regular caloric intake through movement helps to control.

Fewer injuries in older age. Staying physically active throughout your life reduces the likelihood of serious injury in old age by maintaining agility and balance, and keeps your mind clear because brain activity is stimulated by movement.

Preparedness for childbirth. Physical activity during pregnancy allows you to prepare the mother’s body for childbirth, to avoid disorders in the development of the baby during the intrauterine period and complications during and after childbirth.

Happiness in personal life. Regular physical exercise stimulates the production of sex hormones, thereby improving sex life in both men and women. In addition, they increase mood, and if done together with a partner – increases the level of trust in the couple. Healthy appetite. Even moderate physical activity reduces levels of the appetite-boosting hormone ghrelin. This allows you to better control the amount you eat.

Replacing bad habits. Movement can reduce cravings for cigarettes in people who are trying to quit smoking: physical activity distracts you during withdrawal and allows you to get a dose of pleasure hormones that nicotine used to supply.

Physical activity makes the body healthier and more resilient, which allows you to live longer. Therefore, it is necessary to move!

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