A Boxer's Diet

Boxing is a very technical and energy demanding sport, where the right training, boxing equipment and the right food are key to success. As a Boxer you are prepared like finely tuned machines your physical fitness and technical skills have to be at their peak in order to be able to win a fight.

A good diet is crucial for every person to stay healthy, its even more important in boxing as it allows you to be able to keep up with demands of training. A boxer should aim to maintain muscle strength and energy in the ring, and avoid feeling tired part way through the fight. You need enough energy to undertake fights and intensive training sessions while staying in your weight class, so the power and muscle needed has to be conditioned to your weight restrictions.

The main key food groups that you have to eat or include in your diet are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Carbohydrates:

• A boxer needs to maintain high levels of energy throughout the 15 round matches so you have to eat carbohydrates which will provide the correct strength, weight and power ratio. 
• Athletes rely on carbohydrates as a source of essential fuel since they are stored in the muscles which are used for physical activity and these have to be continuously replaced. 
• Examples of healthy carbohydrates are beans, oatmeal, yams, fruits and vegetables.  You need to eat a wide range of fruit and vegetable to get the right vitamins. The more colourful the better!  

Proteins:

• Proteins are important for almost every part of the body like; helping repair torn muscles and tissue after workouts, increasing muscle growth and acts as an energy source. 
• Sources of healthy proteins are eggs, tuna, peanut butter, fish, lean poultry and most types of beans. But you have to remember that you are not trying to be a body builder, don’t take too much protein like a whole jar of peanut butter a day. 

Fats:

• You also need a certain amount of fat, about 15% of your daily diet to maintain important internal bodily functions. 
• But they need to be healthy fats like Omega-3 and monounsaturated fats found in seafood, walnuts and olives, they help keep the body working properly, reduces cholesterol and provides the body with vitamin e. 
• Fat may take long to breakdown but once its transferred to your muscles through the blood stream it provides long lasting energy which is vital for boxing. 

And not forgetting water. Drink plenty of water, stay away from alcohol and fizzy drinks as they contain simple carbohydrates that are not easy to breakdown due to their quantity. Boxing is a strenuous sport where you need water to keep you energised and hydrated, it also increases metabolism and flushes toxins out of the body.

Before a fight you need to ensure that you eat food that will provide energy, digested easily and maintain blood sugar levels during a fight, also drink 400-600ml of water 2or 3 hours before a fight. After a fight you need to eat food that will help the body recover, you should eat food high in protein and carbs and low fibre. The combination of carbohydrates and protein help with the repair of muscle tissue speeding up the recovery.

Generally, thing to avoid are eating carbs before bed as your body will not burn them and avoid sugary foods that may potentially reduce your body performance. Food high in fat and sugar only provide short lasting energy which will result in you feeling tired and putting on unwanted weight. One thing to remember is there is no magic diet, supplement pills and lab created substances are not a natural source of nutrients, and they do not provide you with the same level of benefit that real food provides.

Stick to real food to provide you with the right nutrients to be able to move quickly like a fish and fly like a chicken.

Nutrition for Water Polo Players

Introduction

There are two types of water polo, indoor and open water. Indoor water polo is typically played in a swimming pool and open water can be played in a marina lake where conditions such as temperature may require more energy from players. Some choose to wear a wetsuit for added insulation, however many water polo players stick to the traditional swimsuit and briefs. Water polo requires a lot of strength and energy to see the game through, it is important to keep a healthy well balanced diet that will give you the correct energy supplies to perform at your best. 

Pre Workout

It is necessary to put fuel into your body before water polo practice as eating properly before exercising gives your body time to digest the food and stops you feeling too full when you start. You should eat a light meal or snack an hour or two prior to getting in the water. Choose foods that are easy on the stomach but still substantial. You should aim to eat snacks that have 200-400 calories and a ratio of 40-30-30 of carbohydrates to protein to fat. 

Carbohydrates break down in to glucose which is what your body uses for energy, protein helps you maintain stamina and build muscle, and fat slows down the digestive process allowing your body to have a steady supply of glucose and protein. Not all carbohydrates are good for you before a workout so you should stick to foods such as fruit stated in the chart above. Items such as chocolate and jelly are full of sugar so will give you an energy boost for a short period of time, after which you will feel worse, similar to the effects of coffee. Carbs such as pasta are heavy on the stomach so again are not ideal before working out. Stick to light and substantial snacks like whole grains and fruit.

Workout

It is important to maintain hydration and blood sugar levels during your practice as sometimes you may not realise how much you sweat whilst in the water. To stay hydrated you should keep a bottle of water at the side of the pool to re-hydrate yourself throughout the game. If you find that your blood sugar levels are dropping too low at certain points in your workout you may want to add carbohydrates and electrolytes to your drink to maintain the correct levels. 

Post Workout

After your game you should eat within the next hour to refuel your body and keep yourself going for the rest of the day. Eating in this period of time will aid the body in restoring and rebuilding the muscle tissue you have broke down during practice. Your body will most efficiently replenish its energy stores during this time, turning food into muscle rather than fat. 

You should eat a small portion of food containing 100-200 calories with a ratio of 3-1 carbohydrates to protein. Whole fresh foods such as whole grains, fruit, vegetable and dairy products are ideal for your post workout snack. 

Conclusion

To get the best results your diet should be made up of natural foods. Things such as energy bars are fine, but you will feel better eating a natural diet of foods. Despite how hard you work out in your game, if you don’t have the right fuel in your body your performance will suffer. Sticking to a healthy balanced diet throughout the week, teamed with the pre and post practice snacks will help aid your performance and energy levels during your game. 

Squash Fun in the Sun!

Summer is finally here! Winter is far behind us, in the almost unforeseeable distance.
Its time to kick back, relax and enjoy the summer…

Oh yes!

 I’m sure this is something we’d all like to do this summer. But for some, we have a small, yet very messy and sugar driven problem… what to do with the kids!
Well why not get your kids into sport. The amount of enjoyment a child will have learning a new skill, plus of course the added benefit of lots of exercise (sleepy children by 8pm), and don't forget actually enjoying the sun for once.
And yes there are outside squash courts, but please remember to book them first! But if you think about it all you early need is a wall. I've recently tested a child’s Squash racket and two sorts of squash ball. Dunlop Mini ball (orange) and Dunlop Mini ball (pink).
Dunlop play mini ball orange is a ball for children aged 7 to 10 years old. This ball is part of the Play product range and is developed for young children who are looking to develop key skills in the game of Squash. The Play range is the second development stage of the Dunlop Mini Squash Programme. (Pack of 3)

The second is Dunlop Pink Mini Squash 12 Ball Box has been designed for young up and coming squash players who are trying to build a passion for the game and have some fun at the same time. Official W.S.F balls, made from a spongy foam that bounces well and gives the young players the chance to just enjoy themselves. (Pack of 12)

My review: 
I found that the orange ball got warmer with use but not hot. As it was warm, it got bouncier and therefore easy to play with as gave the children longer to hit the ball.
The Pink ball was more appealing to younger children, this is because they are very soft and don't warm up at all. Which makes it safer and easier to use, especially young beginners.
If you do decide to do anything this summer. Make it sports.