14 July 2009 05:27 | Posted by: Jayme Mart
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Andy Murray’s 10.30 finish on centre court last Monday highlights some of the nutritional issues arising in racquet sports.
In tennis, it is often impossible to envisage how long a game will go on for, and in turn to ensure that you have the optimal nutritional strategy for a competition with no definitive end point. To add to the nutritional challenges of Murray’s long stint on centre court, at the beginning of the game he was also exposed to temperatures exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Any exercise in the heat places demands on the body’s thermoregulatory response and adds to the pressure of ensuring adequate hydration.
Some of the more common nutritional issues arising in racquet sports are:
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Achieving adequate cycle of fuelling before and recovering between matches.
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Ensuring intake of an adequate pre match meal and that it is timed to fuel sufficiently even when the exact time of the match is not known.
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Achieving long term nutritional goals, preserving immunity and free fat mass.
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Monitoring fluid and carbohydrate intake during matches.
Are you a tennis player and do you struggle with any of the above? If so, we would really like to hear from you.
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