Nutrition

Question 1

What impact does glycogen loading on performance?

Answer 1

-Aim to increase muscle glycogen stores via supercompersation
-Delays fatigue, increases endurance capacity, increased ATP and energy production, avoids hitting the wall

Question 2

Method 1 of Glycogen loading

Answer 2

-1 week prior to competition:
-Days 1-3: low carbohydrate diet and increased high intensity endurance training, to deplete muscle glycogen stores
-Days 3-6: tapering training: reduction in volume and intensity, high carbohydrate diet to ‘supercompensate’ muscle glycogen stores
-Increased water consumption helps the process

Question 3

Method 2 of glycogen loading

Answer 3

-Day before event, complete 3 minute high intensity exercise to open up a carbohydrate window
-Immedietly, within 20 minutes consume carbohydrate:protein in 3:1 ratio (faster absorbed in liquid form- eg. Chocolate milk)

Question 4

Strengths of glycogen loading

Answer 4

-Easy to manipulate diet
-Can supercompensate muscle glycogen stores to higher than normal
-Athlete is able to run at a higher intensity for longer and resynthesize ATP- avoids hitting the wall

Question 5

Disadvantages

Answer 5

-Feeling fatigued and lacking energy to train in depletion phase
-In loading phase may have digestive problems such as bloating, feeling heavy legs, increased water retention and weight gain