http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ulAKWYvfp4&feature=youtu.be
JOE caught up with Leinster’s senior performance nutritionist to talk about what you should eat on the day of a game to ensure you’re in peak condition by the time the whistle goes.
What to eat on a match-day is something that has confused amateur athletes for generations. Eat too much and you run the risk of being too full and lacking sharpness; eat too little and there’s a danger you won’t have energy to get you through until the final whistle.
The professionals, on the other hand, have it down to a fine art at this stage and we caught up with Daniel Davey, Leinster’s senior performance nutritionist, to get an idea of the eating routine that Leinster players go through on the day of, and even before, a game to ensure that their stomachs are prepared as well as possible come kick-off.
Daniel told us that a lot of the work in terms of food intake is done in the days leading up to a game and that the day itself is about topping up the energy stores that have already been built up. The type of match-day nutrition depends on the time of kick-off and on the individual player but generally, a good carb-based breakfast is important, as is the need to constantly take on board fluids throughout the day.
Post-match nutrition is equally as important, and Daniel informs us that players will take on board a carbohydrate and protein based recovery drink almost immediately after the game before a post-match meal consisting of plenty of vegetables and plenty of protein, with fish and chicken proving particularly effective in that regard.
Check out the video for more pre and post-game tips from Daniel and if you’re interested in learning how a high performance team operate behind the scenes, you can sign up here for Leinster’s full day Elite Performance conference at the RDS to get a first-hand look at what goes on behind the scenes at one of the leading rugby teams in Europe.
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