Improve Your Football Performance With These Simple Tips – Part 1

February 9, 2008 | Filed Under AFL News

As AFL clubs ramp up training for the coming season, local clubs are now well an truly underway with their pre-season programs too.

For many players that will involve simply running a couple of times a week, which experts say puts them in danger of serious injury. That being said I have teamed up with Mark Simpson from Pace Health Management to give all the Australian Rules Footballers out there an insight into what you can do to improve your footballing performance and get the most out of the Pre Season.

The first part of the series will concentrate on Nutrition For Peak Performance and what you should be eating and drinking during the week while undertaking your gruelling pre season programs. When it comes to most local football teams, nutrition is probably the last thing that enters the minds of the players and coaching staff.

Let me tell you if you take this information on board you will go along way to improving your own performance and in turn the performance of the team.

Your performance can be enhanced considerably if you follow a few SIMPLE guidelines.

AFTER TRAINING ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY.

Your food should be of a high glycaemic index – GI (high energy carbohydrates) and low in fat.
Research shows the first 30 minutes after training is the most crucial to muscle glycogen (energy) replenishment and recovery. As the body digests and absorbs carbohydrate at a much faster rate during this period.

Muscle stores of carbohydrate take between 24 to 48 hours to be fully replenished; if these stores aren’t refilled prior to the match you will not be able to perform at your peak.

PLEASE ENSURE YOU FOLLOW THESE TRAINING NIGHT NUTRITION GUIDELINES:

1) Drink 500ml – 1 litre of high carbohydrate source (sports drink) immediately after training.(<30 min)
2) Drink at least 1 litre of water that night.
3) Eat 2 to 3 pieces of fruit immediately after training. (<30 min)
4) Eat a meal high in carbohydrates within two hours of finishing training.

Foods with a high G.I. include:

White rice, noodles, pasta (avoid cream and cheese based sauces = high fat)
Vegetables like potatoes, beans, peas and corn.
White breads, muffins, crumpets, breakfast bars and pitas.

THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL FOR THE WEEK IS THE ONE DIRECTLY AFTER YOUR FINAL TRAINING SESSION. i.e THURSDAY!

HYDRATION

You should always drink at least two-three litres of water per day
Sports drinks are an excellent alternative
Drink a glass of fluid with every meal
FOR EVERY GLASS OF COFFEE, COKE, ALCOHOL YOU HAVE YOU
MUST HAVE AN EXTRA GLASS OF WATER, THESE DRINKS DEHYDRATE YOU.

If you would like any of this series emailed to you as a PDF Document then shoot me an email

If you would like some follow up information from Mark then you can send him an email also or visit Pace Health Managements Website and just mention that you read his article on AFL Football Blog.

In Part 2 we will be taking a look at Pre and Post Game Nutrtional Guidelines so make sure you SUBSCRIBE to AFL Football Blog’s RSS Feed so you don’t miss the rest of this series.