![]() While the muscles will utilize protein when carbohydrate is low, this is an inefficient metabolic process and will leave the athlete feeling run down and fatigued. While eating protein above this amount is not harmful for healthy people, it often displaces energy from carbohydrate in the diet, which, as discussed above, is the muscle’s preferred fuel. As shown in the sample menu, this is easily met with adequate energy intake. A player that weighs 82 kg (180 lb) may need up to 150 g. ![]() Research shows that protein intake of 1.8 g/kg body weight is the upper limit for muscle protein synthesis.2 For a 63 kg (140 lb) player, that’s about 115 g of protein. Although many athletes take supplements and make efforts to increase dietary protein to build muscle mass, this is usually unnecessary if they are eating a well-balanced diet with sufficient energy and protein intake spaced throughout the day. Protein is important for building and maintaining lean body mass. The amount will vary depending upon playing time and the time of year (preseason, in-season, or postseason). The range of carbohydrate intake suggested for basketball players is 5–7 (and up to 10) g/kg body weight (see sample diet below). Most sports dietitians recommend carbohydrate intake based on body mass to ensure an athlete consumes adequate energy from carbohydrate. This leaves a player fatigued or with a feeling of “heavy legs.”īasketball players should consume a high-carbohydrate diet that is to say that at least 55% of total calories in the diet should come from food rich in carbohydrate such as fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta, and rice. While individual practices and games may not be enough to deplete muscle glycogen, inadequate carbohydrate intake coupled with daily training can deplete muscle glycogen over the course of several days. Terms such as “hitting the wall” or “bonking” are used to describe the phenomenon that happens when an athlete’s glycogen stores run low. When muscle glycogen stores are full, most athletes have enough to fuel 90–100 minutes of high-intensity activity. Unlike liver glycogen, the muscle uses its supply of carbohydrate to fuel exercise, and training can nearly double the amount of glycogen the muscle can store.3 This is advantageous because the more glycogen in the muscle, the longer an athlete can sprint, jump, and run. Skeletal muscle stores an additional 300–400 g of carbohydrate. Most people have used up the majority of their liver glycogen by the time they awaken in the morning, which is why it’s so important for athletes to eat before a morning practice. The liver stores between 75–100 g of carbohydrate, enough to maintain blood glucose during a 12-hour fast. Carbohydrate stored in the liver maintains blood glucose between meals. The body stores carbohydrate as glycogen in the liver and skeletal muscle. The muscle’s preferred fuel during high-intensity activities such as basketball is carbohydrate. Although total energy intake is important to counteract weight loss during the season, the source of the calories is critical to provide the muscle with the right type of fuel. In a recent study by Silva et al, 4 energy expenditure in elite high-school-aged female and male basketball players during the season was measured to be over 3,500 and 4,600 kcals/day, respectively. The energy requirements of high-school basketball players can be considerable. This chapter will focus on the principles of fuel selection in a variety of situations with the goal of accommodating all players. Unlike high-level college or professional basketball players who have the means and opportunity to eat a proper diet, smaller-school college players and high school athletes have variable access to resources. Energy demands during the basketball season are substantial and may be even higher during off-season training.Ĭhoosing foods that will provide the energy to support competition and training is essential and can also be quite challenging. Basketball is an intermittent, high-intensity sport requiring both physical agility and mental acuity.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |