Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
By Jon Mcgovern Muscle recovery is a major issue in the sport of wrestling. Athletes need to recover quickly from morning weightlifting sessions in order to perform well in afternoon practices, and they need to recover quickly from evening practices to be ready for tomorrow's training. In tournaments, the stakes are higher and the challenge is greater. Athletes may wrestle five or more opponents with only 30 to 60 minutes between matches. To complicate matters more, they are likely to begin even the first match in an energy-depleted state due to the caloric restriction that generally precedes one- and two-hour weigh-ins. The ability of wrestlers to perform at peak levels is limited by how quickly their muscles recover and repair themselves after strenuous practices and competitions. Although many factors contribute to recovery, nutrition, which may be the most important, is often neglected, misunderstood and surrounded by misconceptions. In the last decade, research coming out of leading exercise physiology laboratories has given us a greater understanding of how nutrition can enhance recovery and performance. Wrestlers who put the latest knowledge into practice will have a distinct advantage over their competitors who don't. Window for Recovery Workouts, practices, and matches greatly deplete wrestlers' muscle glycogen (i.e. carbohydrate fuel) stores and damage muscle cells, which leads to muscle fatigue and soreness. The ability to perform at a high level several days per week is limited by how well the body recovers its glycogen stores and repairs muscle tissues after strenuous work. The key to maximizing recovery is to consume carbohydrates and proteins immediately after exercise. Research indicates that the ideal nutrition is a liquid supplement containing high-glycemic carbohydrates and quality proteins in approximately a 4:1 ratio, because this formula is faster acting than any other. Timing is essential, because the muscle cells are highly insulin receptive after exercise. Insulin is the hormone that is responsible for transporting glucose and amino acids into the muscle cells so that muscle glycogen stores can be replenished and muscle proteins rebuilt. When carbohydrate and protein are consumed immediately after exercise, these recovery processes occur much faster than at any other time. But this window of opportunity is only open for about 45 minutes. If athletes wait too long to eat or drink recovery nutrition, not only will their muscles no longer be insulin receptive but they will in fact become insulin resistant and their recovery will be severely compromised. In a study at Vanderbilt University, researchers looked at the effect of a carbohydrate-protein supplement on protein synthesis following a one-hour workout. Subjects were given the supplement immediately after exercise or three hours later. Protein synthesis was almost three times higher when the supplement was given immediately after the workout. Other studies have shown a similar pattern with respect to muscle glycogen replenishment. Still other studies have looked at the effect of proper recovery nutrition on performance in a subsequent workout. For example, in one study athletes performed a hard workout and were then fed either a regular sports drink or a carb-protein recovery drink during a one-hour recovery period. After the one-hour recovery period the subjects performed another hard work out. Those that had taken the carb-protein recovery supplement outperformed the others by 20%. These results have clear implications for how wrestlers should approach nutrition in tournament situations. Maintaining Strength and Health During the competitive season, many wrestlers have difficulty maintaining muscle mass and strength. Consistently taking in protein with carbohydrate immediately after workouts and practices makes it a lot easier. This was demonstrated in a study published in the Journal of Physiology. Subjects were given a carbohydrate-protein supplement either immediately after exercise or two hours later while participating in a 12-week strength-training program. In subjects receiving a carbohydrate-protein mixture immediately after each exercise session, muscle size increased 8 percent and strength improved 15 percent. When the supplement was given two hours later, there was no muscle growth or improvement in strength. The Bottom Line The bottom line is that proper recovery tradition makes a tremendous difference. Wrestlers who are serious about their performance should use a carbohydrate-protein recovery drink after every workout, practice, and match. They will be rewarded with greater energy, better muscle maintenance, greater strength gains, less muscle soreness, and fewer injuries and illnesses. Who wouldn't want all of that? For more training and nutrition tips for wrestling log onto www.jonmcgovern.com.