How Athletes Of Cycle Sports Eat

Cycle sports include cycling, long-distance running, and rowing. There are certain differences within the group that must be taken into account.

When running at different distances, the nature of muscle work is significantly different. So, for example, running at a distance of up to 200 meters is characterized by speed-power load with maximum power output, and at distances of more than 1000 meters, the body of athletes goes almost to a completely aerobic mode. There are no athletes who can show equally high results in both the 100-meter race and the marathon. Even within the same class (sprinter - up to 200 m, steeplechase - 400 m, etc.), the training of athletes usually differs so much that athletes give the most effective results, but only at their distance.

The same gradations are typical for other cycle sports . All of them are conditionally divided into sprint races - lasting up to 2-3 minutes, and standing races. This is due to the fact that up to 3 minutes after the start of work, the body's energy costs are mainly covered by anaerobic mechanisms, and from 3 minutes aerobic mechanisms are also connected. As a result, the diet of athletes of sprint and standing cycle sports is governed by significantly different requirements.

Quite strict requirements for the physical characteristics and energy supply of athletes are due to large volumes of training and a large number of starts - up to several hundred per year.

For endurance athletes , the most important thing is endurance — that is, with a stable and relatively small body weight, the athlete 's body must have sufficient glycogen reserves. Sprinters and short-distance swimmers primarily care about providing maximum power in a short period of time — that is, the speed-power nature of the loads requires paying great attention to proteins in the diet of athletes .

A marathon, long bicycle tours, ski races are always a huge expenditure of energy. Loads in these groups of cyclic sports are practically anaerobic in nature and require a sufficient quantity and quality of fats and carbohydrates in the diet . Also, with such long-term loads, dehydration of the body occurs with the simultaneous washing out of mineral salts from it, since it is necessary to constantly replenish the reserves of water and microelements.

Dietary requirements

The number of calories in the diet of athletes of cyclical sports should provide the body with energy sufficient for long periods of activity. At the same time, hard-to-digest food is unacceptable. More attention should be paid to preventing nutrient deficiencies than to combating overeating. The generalized caloric content of the daily ration of athletes under long-term loads is 5500-6500 kcal for men and 5000-6000 for women. However, as in the previous cases, the calculation of caloric content and the composition of the diet should be approached more individually, depending on the type of activity and the characteristics of the body.

Basic nutrients

Sprinters need a fairly large amount of protein because they have to meet high speed-power requirements. However, this does not mean that the required amount of protein for the starlings is much lower. The average recommended dose of protein for sprinters is 2.7-2.9 g/kg per day, and for jumpers and racers - 2.5-2.6 kg. Undoubtedly, protein sources should be such as to provide the body of athletes with the required amount of essential amino acids. Emphasis should be placed on low-fat dairy products, lean meat, fish, and poultry. But you need to treat legumes with caution, as they are poorly absorbed by the body.

Runners and cyclists also need a lot of carbohydrates, both easily digestible and low-glycemic index (slow-glycemic) - about 10.9-13 g/kg for sprinters and 11.6-14.2 g/kg for runners, with a balanced content of food starch and dietary fiber. Excessively fibrous food is quite difficult for the stomach, but fiber and pectin should be present in the diet of athletes - in the form of vegetables, whole grains and bread with bran, fruits, for example, apples. However, it is better to divide these foods into several meals to reduce the likelihood of absorption problems, and to snack on apples, for example, between main meals. Do not forget that it takes at least an hour to digest even light food.

It is also not necessary to limit the amount of fat in the diet very strictly . They are the source of energy during long-term loads, they ensure the normal operation of joints that are subject to quite strong wear and tear. The amount of fats needed by athletes of cyclic sports is about 2.5-2.7 g/kg per day for sprinters and 2.8-3 g/kg for sprinters. Undoubtedly 2/3 of their total number should be represented by unsaturated fatty acids, as saturated fats are difficult for the stomach and contain a lot of cholesterol.

When the duration of the load exceeds several hours, the issue of providing the body with water becomes especially acute. Be very careful with diuretic drinks, such as coffee or tea - they accelerate the removal of water from the body, which threatens dehydration. Athletes need to choose mineral water with the optimal mineral composition and drink 1.5-2 liters of it per day.

The ratio of nutrients in the diet of cyclic sports athletes is approached individually, depending on the needs of the body and the type of sport. Such a process can take 1-2 months, even with the participation of a sports doctor, but it is mandatory for the preparation of an optimal diet .