3 step program
There are a number of factors which can influence your sports performance negatively, namely:
- When you start an exercise with insufficient fuel in your muscles;
- When you do not drink enough during exercise;
- When you do not consume extra carbohydrates during exercise longer than 45 minutes;
- When you do not eat/drink within one hour after exercise.
All these factors can result in muscle fatigue, exhaustion and dizziness, which will ultimately decrease your overall performance.
This can be prevented and controlled by the Maxim 3 step program. For an optimal performance follow all 3 steps:
Step 1: Carbohydrates before exercice
One of the most limiting factors for your sports performance is insufficient fuel in your muscles. The main fuel is carbohydrate, which is stored in the muscles as glycogen. Glycogen is made out of carbohydrate, which is a food component. You can find carbohydrates in various foods and drinks like pasta, rice, bread, fruit, orange juice, etc. Your main goal before exercise should be to consume sufficient and the right kind of carbohydrates to maximise your glycogen store.
For an optimal performance see the following guidelines:
Before training: give your glycogen store an extra impulse by consuming a Maxim Energy Bar or Maxim Energy Mix, 2 to 3 hours before exercise.
Before competition: consume 3 days up to an important competition extra carbohydrates to maximise your glycogen store. Ideal for this purpose are Maxim Carbo Cake and Maxim Energy Mix.
Daily use: as an athlete, your daily nutrition should contain 60-70% carbohydrates. This means that you have to consume a lot of carbohydrate rich foods and drinks. As a supplement to help you reach this daily percentage you can add pure carbohydrates to your drinks and foods by using Maxim Energy Mix powder.
Step 2: Fluides and carbohydrates during exercice
Also a very critical factor during exercise is your fluid intake. A fluid loss (by sweat) of 2% can lead to a decrease in performance by 20%. How does this work: if you lose sweat, your blood will get thicker and the delivery of oxygen to the muscles will slow down. The muscles need oxygen to burn the glycogen in the muscles. Therefore, it is very important to make a habit of drinking during exercise. Especially if you are not used to it, it can improve your performance drastically.
During exercise your muscles burn glycogen for energy so your glycogen store decreases. After digestion carbohydrates will enter your bloodstream as glucose. You always have a amount of glucose in your blood. This is called your blood glucose level. During exercise your body will also extract glucose from your blood to use for energy. If you do not consume extra carbohydrates your blood glucose level may drop too much and your glycogen store will become depleted. The consequence is: muscle fatigue, dizziness, exhaustion.
You can slow down a decrease in your stores by using the right kind and amount of carbohydrates.
For an optimal performance see the following guidelines:
During training and competition ( >45 minutes): drink every 15-20 minutes a hypotonic sportsdrink like Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Sports Drink for an optimal fluid balance and extra energy.
During intensive training/competition ( >1,5 hour): consume a Maxim Energy Gel for extra fast energy. Drink water, Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Energy Gel with it.
During long training/competition ( > 2 hour): Maxim Energy Bar for extra continuous energy during long trainings, competition and tournament days. Drink Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Energy Gel with it.
Step 3: carbohydrates and protein after exercice
When you have exercised intensively you have used a great deal of your muscle glycogen. This store has to be refilled. The refilling proces is most optimal in the first hour after exercise. Recent studies have shown that a consumption of carbohydrates and protein replaces your glygogen store almost twice as fast as a carbohydrate-only consumption. Furthermore the protein will recover muscle tissue.
If you do not eat or drink immediately after exercise, it will take 36 to 48 hours to restore your glycogen store to an optimal level. The time to recover is too long if you have to exercise again within those 36 to 48 hours. You will not be fully recovered so your performance will decrease. On the long term this can cause overtraining and severe exhaustion.
After exercise you will keep losing fluid. To restore your fluid balance, make sure you drink immediately after exercise. At best you can drink a Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Sports drink over water because it also contains carbohydrates (for re-filling your glycogen store) and minerals (you have lost by sweating).
For an optimal performance see the following guidelines:
After exercise ( > 45 minutes) always drink immediately 500 ml Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Sports Drink.
After intensive exercise ( > 1 hour) always drink immediately 500 ml Maxim Energy Drink or Maxim Sports Drink + a Maxim Recovery product (Drink or Bar) within one hour after exercise.