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.