AFTER COMPETITION RECOVERY

FOUR AREAS OF RECOVERY:

• Replenish muscle and liver glycogen

• Consume protein to repair tissue

• Restore fluids and electrolytes

• Support immune system to handle the damage to the body’s tissue

REPLACING MUSCLE GLYCOGEN

• Skeletal muscles can store more glycogen within 30 minutes after exercise than at any other time.

• The clock on the 30 minutes starts as soon as you enter the cool down phase of your workout.

HOW MUCH GLYCOGEN DO YOU NEED?

• The recommendation for glycogen replacement is .5 to .7 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight.

• Example: A 150 pound athlete would need 75 to 100 grams of carbohydrates to replace what

was lost during a competition or exercise.

CONSUMING PROTEIN• Consuming a high quality protein with all 9

essential amino acids will start the rebuilding process of tissue that was damaged during competition or exercise.

• Once recovery begins the catabolic process is reduced and the anabolic process increases and continues for 24 hours after training.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO I NEED?

• It is recommended to consume 20 to 30 grams of protein within the first hour of ending a competition or exercise.

• Example:

• 10 ounces of milk

• 3 slices of cheese

• 4 eggs

• 8 ounces of greek yogurt

COMBINING CARBOHYDRATES AND PROTEIN

• Research from the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism shows that ingesting protein with a complex carbohydrate replaces muscle glycogen faster than just carbohydrates alone.

• This should be done with a ratio of 3:1 carbohydrates to protein.

• If too much protein is ingested immediately after a completion or exercise it can slow hydration and glycogen replacement.

RESTORING FLUIDS

• All athletes will end a competition in a fluid deficit.

• Sodium and potassium must be included in the rehydration process.

• Electrolytes can be restored with food or fluids that contain electrolytes.

RESTORING FLUIDS

• The best way to know how much fluid you need:• Weigh yourself before and after competition

• You will need to replace 16 to 24 fluid ounces for every pound that you lost

• Example: If you lost 3 pounds you need to replace 48 to 72 fluid ounces

• You can also replace fluids during your competition or exercise so that you do not have to replace as much after

REHYDRATION CHOICES

• The best choices for rehydration after competition are:

• Sports drinks

• Fruit juice

• Flavored milk

• Recent studies have shown that chocolate milk may be the best recovery drink because it rehydrates and provides electrolytes, while supplying carbohydrates and protein.

SUPPORTING THE IMMUNE SYTEM

• Intense training or competition will suppress the immune system for up to 3 hours after.

• This puts athletes at risk of infection.

HOW TO SUPPORT THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

• Research shows that maintaining glycogen storage both pre and post completion will reduce immune system disturbance.

• This is the result of carbohydrates reducing the body’s release of stress hormones during intense training or competition.

FAILING TO RECOVER PROPERLY

• Will:

• Affect energy levels in future training session or completion

• Affect muscular gains and recovery

• Affect hydration level and affect overall body function

• Affect your immune system and potentially cause an infection