Optimizing your diet can improve sports performance . Because of this, proper nutrition for football players is the basis for good results both on and off the pitch. For this reason, we are going to look at the nutritional strategies that soccer players can use today to improve performance.
Field team sports such as soccer and baseball are intermittently intense. In other words, after a certain period of time, the athlete tries very hard and takes a short break. And above all, there may be more changes in activity levels depending on the position of the athlete.
Football as a sport
Before learning about nutrition for football players, it is necessary to first look at the sport called soccer.
First of all, the soccer stadium is rectangular, the length is 100~130m, and the width is 50~100m. For international tournaments, the field is 110-120 m long and 70-80 m wide.
Each team then has 11 players , each of whom plays a specific role in the game.
Weight gain: common nutritional problems in football
There are also many nutritional problems among professional soccer players. This is especially evident during the offseason when players return home and train themselves.
During these months, athletes tend to gain weight mainly due to physical rest. So it's important to control your weight gain and focus on pre-season exercises to restore your fitness.
Nutrition for soccer players: education is key
One of the main reasons athletes generally have nutritional problems is lack of knowledge . It is very common to leave the family and be in an athlete village for athletes. Then, at this center, other people prepare athletes' food and everyone eats the same meal.
So, if an athlete leaves the comfort of a training center, I don't know how to prepare a balanced diet. In other words, these players generally tend to get lost and rely on pre-cooked fast food. So what can we do to avoid this?
Of course, there are simple cooking techniques that are easy to learn. Understanding basic and healthy cooking skills such as steaming and grilling is also an important tool for athletes. But even in a soccer club, it's important to provide cooking skills and tools to help the learning process.
Nutrition for soccer players: education is key
The importance of eating well
The key to teaching football players about nutrition is to help athletes understand why they should learn this skill . In fact, a balanced and planned diet improves performance and recovery between training sessions. In addition, good nutrition and good hydration reduce the risk of injury. The same is true for all sports, including football.
Supplementing football training with proper nutrition
Of course, the athlete's training must be tailored to the state of health and the rest period must be included.
And at the end of the rest period, the intensity of training increases again. Finally, immediately after the next game, the coach lowers the training volume again to prepare for the next meeting.
From a nutrition point of view, this session serves as a test of strategy the day before the game. Therefore, the nutrition of soccer players must be adjusted to the type of training.
Obviously, a weightlifter will not have the same nutritional requirements as a footballer. The nutritional intake for high-intensity exercise and the nutritional intake for strength exercise are very different.
However, regardless of the type of work the athlete will perform, food must be carefully planned and tailored to the specific needs.
Nutrition for resistance exercise
In the case of resistance exercise, athletes must have a higher intake of carbohydrates . Of course, the specific intake is different for each person.
However, for athletes who exercise at moderate to high intensity several times a week, nutritionists recommend eating at least 5 to 8 grams of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per day.
If an athlete does not meet the required carbohydrate intake, performance may be adversely affected. Perhaps you feel tired and affect the day of the game.
Nutrition for strength training
On the other hand, athletes who focus on strength training have slightly different nutritional plans. Of course, the specific intake will vary depending on the type of training. Training in the weight room is different from doing barefoot exercise in the field.
In any case, on the day of focus on strength training, athletes should increase their protein intake slightly. This will increase muscles and prevent fatigue.
Water intake: basic nutrition for football players
Obviously, proper fluid intake should be one of the pillars of training. Good fluid intake prevents injuries and further improves athletic performance. Therefore, in a hot environment, it is important to readjust your water intake, and you can also try hydrating drinks.
Of course, choosing an isotonic beverage or other hydrating beverage should take into account sweat loss. Another important consideration is the intensity and duration of the exercise and the environment in which the training takes place.
Water intake: basic nutrition for football players
One common mistake is to drink water only when you are thirsty . To make sure you have a good fluid intake after your training session, try the following simple experiment.
Measure your weight before and after exercise. This weight difference corresponds to moisture loss due to sweating.
If the weight change exceeds 2% of the weight, it means that the athlete has not been properly hydrated . This means that for people weighing 75 kg, the observed difference cannot exceed 1.5 kg.
In summary, football and many other sports require a structured diet plan. Food is the'fuel' for our body, so maintaining a balanced diet ensures good performance.
Of course, we always need to consult a dietitian in advance when trying to change our diet.
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