Sports-specific training is one of the ways to improve your performance as an endurance athlete. But it is only one of the tools you can use to boost your performance. Nutrition and supplementation are some of the overlooked elements of athletic performance, and it can be challenging to make a difference without them, no matter how much you train.
Here are some secrets to improved performance in endurance exercises such as sprinting, cycling, running, jogging, and jumping rope.
Start by eating well
First things first, begin with proper nutrition to improve your performance. As you already know, you are what you eat, and your nutrition has a significant impact on your athletic performance. Ensuring you get a sufficient supply of carbohydrates, proteins, fat, and vitamins will give you the much-needed energy to endure during training sessions. Eating healthy carbs, proteins, and fats in the morning is most important to fuel your muscles, prevent muscle protein breakdown and trigger your metabolism.
Fuel your performance
Another secret for more extraordinary performance is to normalize fueling your training. It is best to consume a meal three to four hours before your workout and not just any meal.
The meal should contain plenty of complex carbs for more energy and high-quality proteins to mitigate muscle protein breakdown during a high-intensity performance.
Replace your body’s nutrients after exercise
Whether cycling, running, jogging, walking, or lifting weights, intense training causes wear and tear for your muscle fibers that the body must repair. Unless you give your body the much-needed proteins to repair the muscles, you cannot sufficiently repair damaged muscles fiber leading to a loss in muscle mass.
Ideally, you should take about 20-40gms of proteins within an hour after high-intensity training. Besides, your body is receptive to nutrients after intense exercise.
Vary your workouts
Every athletic coach will tell you for free that varying your workouts is inevitable if you want to improve your performance. After all, you cannot do the same thing all through and expect to see different results. It is advisable to perform varied workouts before the primary training to prepare your body muscles, and it also makes your body more receptive to high-intensity activities. For instance, if you are preparing for cycling, you can perform simple workouts like jumping rope beforehand to prep your muscles.
Supplement appropriately
At times, nutrition may not give you enough nutrients to facilitate a change in your performance which is where supplementation comes in. One of the proven workout supplements is beta-alanine for endurance athletes. It is one of the ingredients used in the synthesis of carnosine which buffers muscle acidosis, the leading cause of fatigue during endurance activities. High carnosine levels result in a longer time to exhaustion, more endurance, and better performance.
Allow yourself enough time to recover
Another important thing is always to allow yourself enough time to recover. When you train intensely, your muscles suffer, and you must give them enough time to replenish before training again. You can take breaks or alternate high-intensity exercises with recovery exercises.
A key takeaway
Consuming the right nutrients and supplements is vital to improving your athletic performance.
