If you’ve ever played competitive sports, you’ll know starting a new season or coming back from a long holiday means a lot of hard work and practice. Coaches agree that even if the break in between training periods is short, athletes in general show definite signs of sluggishness which are made worse by the cold of winter. Gareth Evans-Jones, a born and bred Free Stater, who is now head of sport at a school in Gauteng, says diet is as important as exercise for an all round improved performance after a school holiday or injury break. In fact, most professional sports teams use dietitians and nutritionists to help players choose the best foods.
According to Evans-Jones, calcium and iron are two important nutrients for athletes. Calcium builds strong bones, which are important if you’re a star rugby player who takes a knock or two on the field! You’ll find calcium in dairy products, like milk, yogurt, and cheese. It’s important to include iron-rich foods in your diet too, like meat and fortified cereals.
Evans-Jones recommends drinking enough water before, during, and after exercise. When you sweat, you lose water through your skin. Sweating cools the body down, but if you lose too much water this way, you could get dehydrated. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty. Water is the best thirst quencher, but fruit juice mixed with water is another good option. As tempting as they may be, try to avoid gassy drinks, especially caffeinated ones.
Warming up properly is even more important when playing winter sports like rugby, netball and hockey. So, while it’s always important to warm up before taking to the field or court, Evans-Jones cautions that this could not be truer when it’s cold. You don’t want to end up with an injury that forces you to sit out part of the season.
Evans-Jones says fitness levels differ from sport to sport, but naturally some level of fitness is needed for all varieties. He adds that the start of the third term is especially problematic in terms of fitness levels because the winter holiday is longer than average. Therefore, the aforementioned tips on healthy eating become even more important at this time of the year.
Making sure you have the right equipment is also important. It doesn’t help to wear running shoes when you’re playing squash, for instance. This doesn’t mean you have to have the most expensive rugby togs on the market, but it does help having the right equipment for your chosen sport.
Last but not least enjoy yourself! After all, sport is also about making friends and keeping fit and healthy. Here’s to an injury-free season!
By Leanne Nel
