Health and Fitness Vault: 6 Nutrition And Fitness Tips To Maximise Your Training Session

In terms of an excellent all-round training session that balances strength and endurance work with fitness and flexibility training, rugby players have got it just about right. In this article we are going to look at 6 top fitness and nutritional tips which can help you to get as much out of your training regime as a top rugby pro.

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Fitness tips

Never let your fitness work become comfortable

Obviously the more fitness work you do the fitter you will become. At the start of your training regime a 5 km run might be sufficient to really get the heart pumping. After just a few weeks you will find that a 5 km run is easily manageable without having to push yourself. Rather than congratulating yourself on the improvement and basking in the joy of a simple 5 km run, find new ways to push yourself. Distance runs, sprints and bleep tests are an excellent method of pushing your fitness regime to new levels. Mixing it up keeps the body guessing and can also help to burn fat without sacrificing muscle.

Focus on quality rather than quantity

Even professional sports people do not train every day. If you do then you’ll soon see that the benefits of such an intense training regime are quickly outweighed by the disadvantages, such as aches, strains and muscle niggles. Rather than training every day, train less frequently but concentrate on really pushing yourself, and then give yourself a day or two to recover. And remember, make sure your fitness training is comprised of a comprehensive range of movements to reduce the risk of injury and maximise performance.

Aerobic fitness

To improve your endurance it is important to work on establishing a high level of aerobic fitness. This will improve your performance towards the end of a lengthy training session. Excellent methods of improving your aerobic fitness include running, swimming or rowing for at least 20 minutes at between 60 to 90 per cent of your maximum heart rate.

Nutritional tips

It’s not all about pasta and rice

Many individuals believe pasta and rice to be the perfect accompaniment to their training regime, but this is simply not the case. If you eat solely pasta and rice then with even the most intense training regime then you will soon find yourself looking anything but athletic. If you’re looking to gain weight fruit is the way to go. The carbohydrates that come from the natural sugars in fruit are a much better alternative to overdosing on stodge.

The right amount of fat

If you’re training regularly then it is important to have a healthy amount of fat in your diet. People assume that fat is automatically a bad thing. But carrying too little body fat increases the risk of muscle injuries and leads to soreness after an intensive workout. Fat works as a natural shock absorber which provides the body with much needed cushioning. Excellent sources of fat include fish, meats, nuts and dairy produce.

Eat well before a heavy training session

If you have planned a particularly heavy training session then you need to eat a balanced meal which provides you with good levels of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in preparation. A good breakfast before training should comprise of eggs, cereal and fruit. Avoid heavy meals before training as they will sit in the stomach and take hours to digest. Also avoid overly salty food and alcohol up to 24hrs before a training session as they will reduce your level of hydration. About 30 minutes before training a chocolate bar or glucose drink will provide you with the quick burst of energy you need.

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