Muscle recovery is a major issue in the sport of wrestling. Athletes
need to
recover quickly from morning weightlifting sessions in order to
perform well in
afternoon practices, and they need to recover quickly
from evening practices to
be ready for tomorrow's training. In
tournaments, the stakes are higher and the
challenge is greater.
Athletes may wrestle five or more opponents with only 30 to 60 minutes
between
matches. To complicate matters more, they are likely to begin
even the first
match in an energy-depleted state due to the caloric
restriction that generally
precedes one- and two-hour weigh-ins.
The ability of wrestlers to perform at peak levels is limited by how
quickly
their muscles recover and repair themselves after strenuous
practices and
competitions. Although many factors contribute to
recovery, nutrition, which may
be the most important, is often
neglected, misunderstood and surrounded by
misconceptions. In the last
decade, research coming out of leading exercise
physiology laboratories
has given us a greater understanding of how nutrition
can enhance
recovery and performance. Wrestlers who put the latest knowledge
into
practice will have a distinct advantage over their competitors who
don't.
Window for Recovery
Workouts, practices, and matches greatly deplete wrestlers' muscle
glycogen
(i.e. carbohydrate fuel) stores and damage muscle cells, which
leads to muscle
fatigue and soreness. The ability to perform at a high
level several days per
week is limited by how well the body recovers its
glycogen stores and repairs
muscle tissues after strenuous work. The
key to maximizing recovery is to
consume carbohydrates and proteins
immediately after exercise. Research
indicates that the ideal recovery
nutrition is a liquid supplement containing
high-glycemic carbohydrates
and quality proteins in approximately a 4:1 ratio,
because this formula
is faster acting than any other.
Timing is essential, because the muscle cells are highly insulin
receptive after
exercise. Insulin is the hormone that is responsible
for transporting glucose
and amino acids into the muscle cells so that
muscle glycogen stores can be
replenished and muscle proteins rebuilt.
When carbohydrate and protein are consumed immediately after exercise,
these
recovery processes occur much faster than at any other time. But
this window of
opportunity is only open for about 45 minutes. If
athletes wait too long to eat
or drink recovery nutrition, not only will
their muscles no longer be insulin
receptive but they will in fact
become insulin resistant and their recovery will
be severely
compromised.
In a study at Vanderbilt University, researchers looked at the effect
of a
carbohydrate-protein supplement on protein synthesis following a
one-hour
workout. Subjects were given the supplement immediately after
exercise or three
hours later. Protein synthesis was almost three times
higher when the supplement
was given immediately after the workout.
Other studies have shown a similar pattern with respect to muscle
glycogen
replenishment.
Still other studies have looked at the effect of proper recovery
nutrition on
performance in a subsequent workout. For example, in one
study athletes
performed a hard workout and were then fed either a
regular sports drink or a
carb-protein recovery drink during a one-hour
recovery period. After the
one-hour recovery period the subjects
performed another hard workout. Those
that had taken the carb-protein
recovery supplement outperformed the others by
20%. These results have
clear implications for how wrestlers should approach
nutrition in
tournament situations.
Maintaining Strength and Health
During the competitive season, many wrestlers have difficulty
maintaining muscle
mass and strength. Consistently taking in protein
with carbohydrate immediately
after workouts and practices makes it a
lot easier. This was demonstrated in a
study published in the Journal
of Physiology. Subjects were given a
carbohydrate-protein supplement
either immediately after exercise or two hours
later while participating
in a 12-week strength-training program. In subjects
receiving a
carbohydrate-protein mixture immediately after each exercise
session,
muscle size increased 8 percent and strength improved 15 percent. When
the supplement was given two hours later, there was no muscle growth or
improvement in strength.
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that proper recovery tradition makes a tremendous
difference.
Wrestlers who are serious about their performance should
use a
carbohydrate-protein recovery drink after every workout, practice,
and match.
They will be rewarded with greater energy, better muscle
maintenance, greater
strength gains, less muscle soreness, and fewer
injuries and illnesses. Who
wouldn't want all of that? For more
training and nutrition tips for wrestling
log onto www.jonmcgovern.com.
