Download Nutrition, Recovery and Performance in Wrestling

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.