Sports Requiring Power and Speed

Power athletes are naturally focused on maximizing the strength-to-weight ratio so as to generate the greatest power at the lowest weight. To do this requires an eating strategy that will enable a maintenance or increase of the muscle mass, coupled with the lowest possible body fat percentage. Ideally, power athletes should sustain a protein intake of between 1.2 to 2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight, with the lower value for athletes seeking to sustain muscle mass and the higher value for athletes seeking to increase muscle mass. It is important to consider these two facts: (1) Most athletes (vegetarians are an exception) consume ample quantities of protein from food alone, often at levels well above 2.0 grams/kg of weight; and (2) a higher level of protein consumption by itself will not contribute to a larger muscle mass unless the higher protein intake is coupled with a higher total caloric intake. In essence, athletes should consume enough calories to sustain the current weight and muscle mass, plus enough additional calories to support a larger weight and muscle mass. This typically amounts to an additional 300 to 500 calories per day, coupled with enough of the right kind of resistance activity to stimulate the need for a larger mass.

A number of sports require the achievement of a specific competition weight (e.g., boxing, wrestling, horseracing), while other sports mandate the production of a high level of power at the lowest possible weight for both appearance and performance factors (e.g., gymnastics and diving). There is good evidence that both groups may follow eating strategies that either restrict calories or induce dehydration to achieve the desired weight. Neither of these strategies is appropriate or healthful. Importantly, restrained eating is likely to cause a significant catabolism of the lean body mass, which negatively influences the strength-to-weight ratio, and dehydration causes negative performance outcomes. Because restrained eating and induced dehydration are counterproductive to the athletes' ultimate goals, may be dangerous, and may lead to more serious eating disorders, they are inappropriate strategies for power athletes to follow. Instead, athletes should consider eating strategies that optimize performance and hydration state. To do so requires a meal pattern that includes 6 or more eating opportunities. This is a distinct separation from the usual three-meals-per-day eating pattern and, because of this, may be difficult to accomplish (people tend to eat in the way that most around them eat). Nevertheless, the rewards of having smaller and more frequent meals are real. Athletes who practice eating smaller and more frequent meals and drink frequently are likely to feel better and do better, a fact that is likely to encourage them to continue eating in this way.

About the Eating Plans in This Chapter