That Triathlon Show
Workout fuelling - best practices of top coaches | EP#306
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- Fueling should match the demands of each session for optimal performance.
- Intensity affects nutritional needs; understand to optimize fueling.
- Proper nutrition is crucial for ultra-endurance events due to prolonged activity.
- For rides lasting 2-5 hours, carb intake ranges from 40-80g per hour.
- Individualized nutrition plans are essential based on specific needs and phases.
Deep dives
Main Idea 1 - Importance of Nutrition in Endurance Training
Proper nutrition in endurance training plays a vital role in an athlete's performance. Athletes need to fuel their bodies according to the duration and intensity of their workouts, ensuring they consume enough carbohydrates and other essential nutrients to sustain their energy levels and facilitate recovery.
Main Idea 2 - Fueling Strategy for Different Training Durations
The fueling strategy for endurance athletes varies based on the duration of their training sessions. Longer and more intense workouts require higher carbohydrate intake to replenish glycogen stores and sustain performance, while shorter and easier sessions may need less immediate fueling. Athletes should match their nutrition to the demands of each training session.
Main Idea 3 - Balancing Intensity and Nutrition in Training
Athletes need to balance the intensity of their workouts with their nutritional intake. Higher-intensity training sessions demand more immediate fueling to support glycogen usage, while lower-intensity exercises may not require as much carbohydrate consumption. Understanding how intensity affects nutritional needs is essential for optimizing performance.
Main Idea 4 - Impact of Fueling on Long-Distance Endurance Sports
In long-distance endurance sports, such as ultras, nutrition plays a critical role due to the extended duration of the activity. Athletes participating in ultra-endurance events must carefully plan their nutrition to meet not only immediate energy requirements but also sustain their overall nutritional needs over prolonged periods. Proper fueling becomes a deciding factor in the success of ultra-endurance performances.
Fueling Strategies for Different Ride Durations
For long endurance rides lasting over an hour, it's crucial to consider fueling strategies. Starting with consuming carbohydrates beforehand helps maintain energy levels. During intense shorter rides, fueling beforehand with a lot of carbohydrates is recommended. For rides lasting 2 to 5 hours, suggested carb intake ranges from 40 to 50 grams per hour for lower FTP ranges to 70-80 grams per hour for higher FTP levels.
Importance of Tailored Nutrition Plans
Individualized nutrition plans are essential based on an athlete's specific needs and training phases. During base training, consuming whole foods like sandwiches can provide sustainable energy. As athletes progress to more specific race-focused training, practice with race nutrition is advised, tailoring intake to race-day requirements. Post-workout recovery fuel should include protein-rich food for muscle repair and carbohydrates tailored to match post-workout energy needs.
Utilizing Pre-Workout and, Post-Workout Meal Plans
Pre-workout fueling using a four-to-one ratio of carbohydrates to protein is recommended for optimal performance. Post-workout nutrition should focus on consuming a recovery meal within 30 minutes, ideally including protein and sugars like a smoothie. For athletes with sensitive stomachs, branch chain carbohydrates like Morton may help improve fueling strategies and reduce stomach discomfort during workouts.
Approach to Nutrition Periodization
Periodizing the nutrition plan according to the season and performance goals is crucial for athletes to optimize their high-performance outcomes. Emphasizing the importance of avoiding restrictive dietary dogmas like keto or gluten-free and focusing on eating enough and healthy, including fibers and vegetables. Coach emphasizes the significance of fueling adequately during training, post-training, and consuming higher protein levels than average individuals to meet athletes' daily requirements.
Workout Fueling Recommendations
Fueling strategies vary based on workout duration and intensity levels. Advises consuming quickly absorbed carbohydrates like gels or homemade mixes of maltodextrin and fructose for intense workouts. Recommends adding electrolytes based on sweat sodium concentration. Suggests fueling with whole foods like bananas for less intense workouts. Leverages nutrition habits to simulate race days and weeks before race events to optimize performance outcomes.
In this episode, coaches Frank Jakobsen, Val Burke, Kolie Moore, Ryan Bolton and Björn Kafka each give their perspective and recommendations on how to fuel workouts.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU'LL LEARN ABOUT:
-How much energy to consume for different kinds of workouts?
-In what form should you consume energy?
-Pre- and post-workout fuelling
-Is there a time and place for "training low" - i.e. training in a state of low glycogen (e.g. fasted training)
SHOWNOTES:
https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts306/
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LINKS AND RESOURCES:
- Frank Jakobsen – Performance, training and mindset | EP#231
- Training, racing, and metabolic testing with Val Burke | EP#290
- Training Talk with Kolie Moore | EP#271
- Ryan Bolton – Olympian and coach of Ben Hoffman and Caroline Rotich | EP#221
- Training, testing, metabolism and physiology with Björn Kafka | EP#286
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CONTACT:
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