Power Training 

Power is of great importance for goalkeepers because the position requires them to make many explosive movements throughout the course of a match. Soccer goalkeepers typically perform all-out explosive movements like jumping, diving and kicking. To increase power, one must include strength training, maximal velocity exercises and drills that train explosiveness, like jumps and throws.

Quick Reflexes

The ability to anticipate and react is an essential athletic skill for all goalkeepers. They must react quickly to the movements of the other players on the field to prevent a goal. Reflex training involves training the ability to observe a stimulus, process the information, and react appropriately and rapidly. This type of training often involves situation drills that simulate scenarios that goalkeepers will likely experience during a match.

Kinesthetic Awareness

Body control is mandatory for goalkeepers to properly and effectively use the two aforementioned attributes (power and reflexes). Elite goalkeepers can react to a stimulus, adjust their body positioning accordingly, and change directions rapidly. To develop these attributes, goalkeepers must train fundamental movements in a controlled multiplanar fashion. This includes unilateral exercises, offset loading, and compound lifts. Try the following soccer goalie workout for six weeks during your off-season.

Goalkeeper Strength & Conditioning Workout 

Monday

• Landmine Thrusters – 3 x 8 of each
• Kettlebell Swings – 3 x 8 of each
• Chin-Ups – 3 x 8 of each
• Landmines – 3 x 8 of each

Tuesday:

• Jump Squats – 5 x 5 of each
• Side-to-Side Jumps – 5 x 5 of each
• Standing Long Jumps – 5 x 5 of each
• 30-Meter Dash – 5 x 5 of each

Wednesday:

• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift – 3 x 8 of each
• Curtsy Lunges- 3 x 8 of each
• TRX Rows – 3 x 8 of each
• TRX Push-Ups – 3 x 8 of each
• Russian Twists – 3 x 8 of each

Thursday:

• Medicine Ball Chest Passes- 5 x 5 of each
• Medicine Ball Overhead Throws- 5 x 5 of each
• Medicine Ball Rotational Throws- 5 x 5 of each
• 30-Meter Dash – 5 x 5 of each

Friday:

• Situation Reflex Drills

Part of the problem is that we’re often unaware about what a particular supplement does and how it can help achieve a particular goal. Your goals should determine your overall supplement stack (i.e., group of supplements) that you take on a daily basis. For example, endurance supplements like beta-alanine naturally benefit your buddy who’s running a half-marathon more than your friend who’s chasing a PR on his Back Squat.

You should try to have a well-balanced, nutritious diet, but a good supplement stack can shore up some weakness you might have in your diet. Here’s a supplement stack that addresses the most common deficiencies that athletes have in their diets and that can promote better overall health.

Creatine

Creatine is one of the most clinically researched supplements. It is most commonly found in protein sources like beef, poultry, fish and wild game. It’s most commonly associated with muscle building, but it can also be beneficial for developing other athletic attributes like explosive power, maximal strength and endurance. What isn’t as commonly known is that it also offers a variety of other health benefits, including improving cognitive function and neuroprotection of the brain, and lowering levels of homocysteine, a significant biomarker associated with cardiovascular issues like strokes and heart attacks.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is often used as  a catch-all term for the omega 3 fatty acids EPA & DHA, because a good pill contains both. Omega 3’s are fatty acids that most health practitioners encourage men to consume. They work as a vasodilator (meaning they widen the blood vessels), which is antagonistic to Omega 6, a vasoconstrictor (closes blood vessels). The average western diet has a ratio that’s disproportionately skewed toward omega 6 fatty acids. Too many of them in our diets cause health issues like insulin resistance, inflammation and obesity. Fish oil has been shown to be beneficial for improving biomarkers of cardiovascular health like triglyceride and HDL (good cholesterol) levels, reducing inflammation, improving mood, and reducing body fat (while increasing muscle mass). Fish oil is also great for relieving joint pain, so it can help athletes with intensive training programs recover faster.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is in foods such as egg yolk, fish and most dairy products. It can also be obtained through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D plays many roles in the body, including protecting immune health, preventing metabolic conditions (e.g., heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure), preserving cognitive function and promoting muscular strength. In addition,  vitamin D-deficient people have been observed to have increased testosterone levels after supplementation.

Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies, and it’s often underdosed in multi-vitamin supplements. In addition, magnesium absorption can be compromised because it competes with other minerals like calcium, phosphorous and zinc if taken at the same time. Conversely, magnesium goes especially well with Vitamin D. Magnesium plays a variety of roles in regulating optimal body function. Notably, it increases the bioavailability of testosterone, a sex hormone that declines with aging. It can also improve insulin sensitivity, which can be compromised by bad dietary habits and as a natural consequence of aging, impacting whether what we eat gets stored as fat or muscle. And it can lower high blood pressure, a common cardiovascular issue found in men.

Green Superfood Powder

According to the USDA, the average man needs to consume around 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. To put it in perspective, 1 serving of vegetables is 1 cup of cooked spinach. Unfortunately, most people fall woefully short of this target. Green superfood powders are dry mixes of a variety of fruits and vegetables loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. While they shouldn’t replace the consumption of actual fruits and vegetables, they serve as a good form of insurance. Green mixes are beneficial for aiding your immune system and energy levels.

Protein Powders/Bars

Most men get adequate amounts of protein from traditional food sources, this is listed for convenience. The average protein recommendation for men falls in the range of 0.8g to 1.2g per pound of body weight. But for optimal muscle protein synthesis, you need to spike your protein servings throughout the day at around 30g per serving. Powders and bars are especially convenient, because you can pack them and eat them on the go with little effort or planning required.

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• Are You Getting the Most From Your Protein Supplement?
• 3 Reasons Why You Should Take a Fish Oil Supplement 
• 4 Creatine Myths Exposed
• Simple Sport Supplement Tips for Beginners

Endurance and Muscle Strength

In a study involving the administration of pumpkin extract to mice, it was discovered that grip strength and time to exhaustive fatigue improved after 14 days of oral supplementation. After administration of pumpkin, the mice had less ammonia and more circulating glucose during exercise. Likewise at rest, the mice that consumed pumpkin had higher levels of glycogen in their livers and muscles. Glucose is our bodies’ preferred source of energy during exercise, because we’re more efficient at converting it to energy. In essence, pumpkin provides our bodies with a bigger gas tank, and more fuel means we can perform at a higher level for a longer period.

Electrolyte Balance

When we work out intensely, we lose electrolytes like potassium, magnesium and calcium. Low potassium levels can cause cramping and early onset fatigue. Pumpkin can be great for restoring our electrolyte balance after hard workouts, since it’s loaded with electrolytes. One cup has 564 milligrams of potassium, one hundred milligrams more than the amount of potassium in a banana.

Better Eyesight

Better vision might be the deciding factor that lets you see the open receiver in the red zone or tell the difference between a 95 mph fastball and a change-up. Pumpkin is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help improve and restore eyesight. It has antioxidants that slow macular degeneration, a leading cause of vision loss.

Pump up your performance by using pumpkin as a pre-workout and post-workout fuel. Use it pre-workout to load your glycogen stores to improve your stamina and strength, and again post-workout to recover lost electrolytes and glycogen. Mix a half cup of pumpkin puree into your oatmeal before a workout and a half cup of pumpkin puree into a protein shake after your workout for improved performance.

References

Wang, S., Huang, W., Lu, C., Wang, M., Ho, C., Huang, W., . . . Huang, C. (2012). “Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) Fruit Extract Improves Physical Fatigue and Exercise Performance in Mice.” Molecules, 11864-11876.

Yadav, M., Jain, S., Tomar, R., Prasad, G., & Yadav, H. (2010). “Medicinal and biological potential of pumpkin: An updated review.” Nutrition Research Reviews, 184-190.

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This kettlebell circuit addresses all of those demands, and it’s designed to make you as lean and powerful as possible.

This circuit is structured to match the intensity of a scholastic wrestling match: three two-minute periods with 30 seconds of rest between the periods. The circuit consists of four exercises. Perform all four, then restart the circuit until you reach the end of the 2-minute period.

The exercises selected for the circuit are beneficial to wrestlers. They are total body movements, similar to ones you would use in a match. Furthermore, the specific exercises in the circuit develop the athletic attributes required for success—power, speed and endurance.

Kettlebell Long Cycle

The Long Cycle is another name for the Clean and Jerk. It consists of 3 parts:

• Cleaning the kettlebells into rack position
• Holding the bells in rack position
• The Jerk

This is one of the best exercises for wrestlers, because it’s a total-body movement that engages your lower body, core and upper body. In addition to hitting a wide range of muscle groups, it’s excellent for developing explosive power during the clean and jerk portion of the movement; isometric strength when the bells are held in rack position; and power endurance. These are all critical facets of athleticism that wrestlers must possess.

Sprawls

In this circuit, you circle around the kettlebells practicing your sprawling technique. This is a technical movement that all grapplers are familiar with. It’s drilled endlessly because it’s a critical defensive maneuver, used especially when an opponent attacks your legs. In addition, performing Sprawls can serve as an effective way to train your speed, agility and conditioning. Much like Burpees, Sprawls are an excellent bodyweight conditioning exercise.

Double Racked Kettlebell Walking Lunges

Walking Lunges are great for developing lower-body strength and proprioceptive balance, which translate to more powerful legs for performing “shots,” or takedowns, and better body control, which helps overall agility. Because the kettlebells are held in the racked position, the movement also builds upper-body strength, specifically grip strength, which is of crucial importance for all wrestlers.

Kettlebell Russian Twists

Core strength is a necessity for success in all spots, but especially in grappling, where the ability to brace your core quickly can make the difference between being taken down and pinned or remaining standing. Russian Twists are a good exercise for developing rotational strength and stability, which are necessary for grapplers.

Workout

Period 1 – 2 minutes

• Kettlebell Long Cycle – 5 reps
• Sprawls – 5 reps
• Double Racked Kettlebell Walking Lunges – 6 reps
• Kettlebell Russian Twists – 20 reps
• Rest – 30 seconds

Period 2 – 2 minutes

• Kettlebell Long Cycle – 5 reps
• Sprawls – 5 reps
• Double Racked Kettlebell Walking Lunges – 6 reps
• Kettlebell Russian Twists – 20 reps
• Rest – 30 seconds

Period 3 – 2 minutes

• Kettlebell Long Cycle – 5 reps
• Sprawls – 5 reps
• Double Racked Kettlebell Walking Lunges – 6 reps
• Kettlebell Russian Twists – 20 reps

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Instead, I recommend athletes try this Sled Push workout for conditioning. Sled Pushes can be a more efficient use of time than spending an afternoon running slow-paced gassers, and they can improve specific football skills and attributes such as acceleration, conditioning, and strength—while also lowering the risk of injury.

Acceleration

Sleds are great for developing acceleration, which is one of the most beneficial attributes for a football player. Studies have shown both light and heavy Sled Pushes improve acceleration in the 5- to 20-meter range. Most of the players on a football field run less than 20 yards on most plays, so this directly benefits them. And for skill positions like receivers, improved acceleration means they’re able to reach their max speeds quicker than other players, which in turn improves their overall speed.

Conditioning

Sleds can develop improved conditioning. By varying the load, distance and rest intervals, you can develop all your energy systems. To develop the aerobic system, use lighter loads and run for longer distances. To develop the anaerobic system, use a moderate weight and move as explosively as possible for a short distances.

Strength

Sleds can be excellent tools for developing strength, both explosive and maximal. As with other resistance exercises, you can develop strength with gradual progressive overload by adding weight to the sled. A major benefit for football players is that the muscle groups used for pushing a heavy sled are the same ones used for delivering powerful blocks and tackles, making this a sport-specific type of strength.

Low Injury Risk

When using properly loaded sleds (excessively heavy loads can alter biomechanics), you reinforce proper running mechanics, which makes for safer workouts and, over the long term, more efficient running habits that leave athletes less susceptible to injuries. In addition, there is no eccentric loading on Sled Pushes, which means the body suffers less wear and tear. This makes them ideal for football players with two-a-day practice schedules so that they can be fully recovered before their next workout.

Sled Push Workout 

The workout is simple. Sprint for 20 yards, resting for 1 to 3 minutes between sets. Repeat for a total of five sprints.

But to put this into practice, you need  to load the sled properly for your specific goal.

• Conditioning: 10% loads are sufficient as they allow athletes to move fast, covering good amounts of distance without compromising their technique. For a 210-pound athlete this would be a load of 21 pounds.
• Power/Acceleration: load with 30% of your body weight. A 183-pound athlete would use around 55 pounds.
• Strength: Load with 100% of your body weight or more. The initial load depends heavily on the individual athlete’s starting strength.

Perform this workout 2 to 3 times a week for best results.

READ MORE:

• 5 Sled Training Drills for Speed and Power
• 4 Football Conditioning Drills That Work
• Football Players: 2-Week Crash Course in Football Conditioning

Training creates a stimulus to which the body must adapt, and through that adaptation, improvements can be seen in things like strength, speed and size. This adaptation best occurs during the recovery window between training sessions. While hard training is beneficial for performance goals, it can actually be damaging to muscle tissue. It’s during the recovery window when muscle tissue is rebuilt and adaptations can occur.

Athletes often equate recovery with lounging around and inactivity, but by taking an active role in recovery, athletes can actually recover faster and better. This directly translates to enhanced performance. These are some major and minor items you can do when you’re away from the weight room to further help your performance on the field.

The Essentials of Workout Recovery

These are non-negotiable items. All things considered, if these two items are kept in check, your recovery between training sessions will greatly improve. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if either of these items are lacking, regardless of how many other high-tech recovery methods you may utilize, your recovery between training sessions will never be optimal.

Sleep

Sleep is No. 1.

While I mentioned earlier that athletes equate recovery with lounging around, and sleep doesn’t exactly scream active recovery, sleep is one of the most important factors for great recovery between training sessions and peak performance. Getting a good night of sleep does require some active measures for most athletes because poor sleep hygiene can negatively affect sleep quality. Things like light exposure, diet, and work/shift schedules can all impact sleep quality.

A study on adolescent athletes found that chronically sleep-deprived athletes were more injury prone. A review of studies on sleep-deprived athletes found that sleep deprivation in athletes resulted in a decreased time to exhaustion during training and an increased rating of perceived exertion during training.

Nutrition

Nutrition includes not only the fuel the body uses for optimal performance, but also the fuel required for complete recovery. Hard training can deplete the body of many critical nutrients, which is why it’s important to have a diet that delivers the right amount of macronutrients and micronutrients. The electrolytes (minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium) are commonly lost via sweat during an intense training session. As an example, intensive exercise can increase urinary and sweat excretion that can result in increased magnesium requirments by 10-20%. Carbohydrates and fats get used as energy sources during exercise to varying degrees depending on the intensity and duration of the exercise. And proteins are necessary to rebuild damaged muscle tissue following hard training especially resistance training.

The Add-Ons of Recovery

These modalities can provide some additional benefits to athletes to further optimize the recovery process.

One of them is known as active recovery, which typically consists of low-impact steady-state exercise or non-eccentric resistance training movements (like a Sled Push). This style of training serves as an excellent way to get the blood flowing to muscles to further speed up the recovery process. The enhanced blood flow to muscles that were used during your training session delivers more nutrients to the areas that were damaged by training.

Supplements can also play a positive role in your recovery. Sound nutrition should cover the majority of the body’s needs for macronutrients and micronutrients, even when taking intensive training into account. With that being said, using the right supplements can provide additional insurance. While there are a plethora of different supplements out there, the basics like protein and omega 3s will cover most athletes’ recovery needs. A study on strength/power athletes found that whey protein supplementation prior to and post resistance training resulted in improved exercise recovery 24 and 48 hours after training.

There are also a handful of alternative recovery strategies used by athletes. These cover a broad range of techniques, from the gua sha, a traditional Chinese medical treatment that’s been used for centuries, to Cryotherapy. There are so many different techniques that can fall into this category and the efficacy of these methods will naturally vary. As such, it’s important for athletes and coaches who choose to implement these to research them and also understand that their effectiveness may also vary individual to individual. As an example, a study on foam rolling, a popular recovery technique found that it was effective for reducing DOMS but its effects on the athlete’s subsequent sprint times ranged from small to large.

In summary, intensive training is meant to provoke a stimulus in the body that causes a super compensation where athletes are able to adapt to the training and improve. For these intensive training sessions and adaptation to occur, it’s crucial that athletes are adequately recovering enough between training sessions to maintain this intensity and allow the adaptation to take place.

Photo Credit: jacoblund/iStock, alvarez/iStock

READ MORE:

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The most common dietary sources of caffeine include coffee, teas and chocolate. It’s important for athletes to know the basics of how caffeine is processed in the body to get a better understanding of the proper ways to use coffee for sports performance without impacting their sleep or cortisol levels.

Understanding some of the basic pharmacokinetics of caffeine is important, knowing how much to use it when to use it, and your body’s response can help you utilize caffeine as a performance booster while minimizing its negative effects.

Caffeine takes about five hours to metabolize in the body. Of course this varies among individuals as some are more sensitive than others (and a tolerance can be developed over time resulting in a need for larger dosages to get the same effect as before). The CYP1A2 gene is the gene primarily responsible for influencing how effectively we break down caffeine. Stimulatory effects may begin as early as 15 minutes after ingestion but normally takes about 30-60 minutes for levels to peak. Athletes see benefits with dosages from 3-6 mg/kg of body weight.

Performance

Caffeine consumption is associated with ergogenic effects for endurance, high intensity and power performance markers. In endurance-based activities it’s effective for increasing VO2, reducing time trial events and aiding with prolonged exercise. For high-intensity activities, it’s been shown to increase peak power and work capacity.

• Caffeine ingestion was found to have a beneficial effect on maximal velocity contraction strength and muscular endurance.
• Caffeine ingestion resulted in greater amount of sprint work performed during a training session and greater peak power score during sprints.
• Consuming a beverage containing caffeine prior to performing ballistic bench press throws resulted in a significant increase in peak power, peak force and peak velocity.
• A study compared the effects of consuming a caffeine drink on muscle performance by comparing a control drink (no caffeine), a 1mg-per-kg of body weight caffeine drink and a 3-mg-per-kg of body weight caffeine drink. The 3-mg-per-kg of body weight caffeine drink significantly increased maximal power in the half squat and bench press.
• A study on males and females ingesting Turkish coffee an hour before exercise noted that caffeine consumption resulted in significant improvements in reaction time
• A study on the effects of caffeine consumption on well-trained middle distance runners during 1500m running was conducted. The ingestion of caffeine resulted in a higher VO2 during the run, increased speed during the “finishing burst” and a decrease in time to completion.

Testosterone

Caffeine consumption prior to training has even been shown to affect testosterone and cortisol levels by elevating both. Elevated testosterone levels are associated with increased lean body mass and greater levels of peak strength. However elevated cortisol can be concerning. If this stress hormone is chronically elevated it can impact sleep and body composition.

In a study on 16 professional rugby players, ingesting either a placebo or 4mg/kg caffeine 1 hour before exercise. Athletes were classified as sleep deprived (6 hours or fewer of sleep) or non-deprived (8+ hours of sleep) and completed exercises at 65% of their 1RM in the bench, squat, and bent-over  rows for a total of 4 sets per exercise. Athletes were asked to perform AMRAP  (as many reps as possible) on each set. Saliva was collected before placebo/caffeine administration, before exercise and immediately after to assay for testosterone and cortisol levels. Sleep deprivation produced large decreases in total load (although caffeine ingestion moderately helped these individuals). Testosterone response to exercise increased with caffeine compared to placebo (as did cortisol response)

24 professional rugby players ingested caffeine doses of 0, 200, 400, and 800 mg one hour before resistance training and had saliva samples collected at the time of ingestion and at 15-minute intervals throughout their training session and then 15 and 30 minutes after training. Testosterone concentration increased by 15 percent during exercise, and caffeine raised this concentration in a dose-dependent manner by a further 21% at the highest dose. The 800 mg caffeine dose also increased cortisol a 52%. Caffeine produced a small decline in the testosterone: cortisol ratio of 14%

In Review

Caffeine has exercise performance-enhancing benefits in regard to reaction time, power and endurance. It can also elevate serum testosterone levels. On the opposite end, it takes a fairly significant amount of time to metabolize caffeine and it can elevate serum cortisol levels in a dose-dependent manner, which can impact anxiety and sleep. In addition to that, studies have shown there are responders and non-responders to caffeine, meaning that some individuals respond better to it than others. Caffeine can also be habituating which can reduce its effectiveness over time.

Taking this information into account it would be wise for athletes to take a few steps into consideration:

• Because of caffeine’s 5 hours (on average) half-life, abstaining from evening dosages would be a wise choice.
• In studies athletes tend to benefit from the 3-6 mg/kg body weight dosage range; starting on the low end of this dosage range would be the best bet.
• It takes 30-60 minutes after ingestion to reach peak serum caffeine levels.
• Because caffeine can be habituating and it’s effectiveness can wane, athletes would be wise to cycle usage by abstaining from consuming caffeine during certain phases of their training cycle.

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• Is Coffee Actually Healthy?
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RomoloTavani/iStockPhoto

However, many strength coaches alter these exercises to better enhance sports performance. A common example of such alterations is using trap bars instead of barbells for the Deadlift. The Landmine Chest Press can be another variant that coaches and athletes can use as an alternative to the Barbell Bench Press.

The Barbell Bench Press is effective for building mass and strength: It involves many muscle groups and is one of the upper body exercises that can most efficiently be externally loaded. Both of these aspects are key reasons why it’s a beneficial exercise—progressive overload and muscle recruitment are two key tenants for size and strength. It’s also a great predictor of overall upper-body strength. Building a strong baseline of upper-body strength can serve as an important foundation for the ability to transfer force throughout the upper body. But as previously mentioned it’s common for successful strength coaches to alter exercises for a variety of reasons including increased athletic transfer, more safety, anthropometric accommodations and a shorter learning curve. It’s for all of these reasons why the Landmine Chest Press can be an effective alternative for athletes.

Landmine Chest Presses allow for free movement of the scapula, place less pressure on the elbows, and the angle in which they’re pressed places less overall stress on the joints. Landmine Presses are also performed with a neutral grip making them easier on the shoulders and wrists. This makes them a safe alternative upper-body strength exercise for athletes that might have upper-body injury history or anthropometric features that make bench pressing more difficult for them.

Landmine Chest Presses can be performed standing up which is a position that athletes are more likely to encounter in a sports setting compared to lying on their backs. Because this exercise is performed standing up, torso rigidity and lower-body stabilization become a major limiting factor which results in the development of total body synchronization. While the Barbell Bench Press also requires core and lower-body recruitment for increased strength, this effect is usually felt to a greater degree in exercises performed upright. As previously mentioned the angle at which they’re pressed is also more inclined than the Bench Press and is similar to the type of movement that an athlete might use in football or wrestling when pushing against an opponent. Research has shown that by training movements in the force-vector in which they’re performed on the sporting field results in increased performance.

Tips

• Stand in a comfortable athletic stance with your feet firmly rooted to the floor.
• Attachment implements can be utilized for experimenting with different grips, but a neutral grip is likely the easiest and safest method for most people.
• Leg stabilization and strong core activation are keys for greater pressing strength.
• Using a plyo box allows for greater external loading of the landmine.
• Toward the top of this lift, the weight becomes easier because of increased momentum, so using bands can be beneficial for increased resistance throughout the lift.

READ MORE:

• Build Lower-Body Strength With the Landmine Hack Squat
• Try The Landmine Deadlift for a Strong Lower Body
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Srdjana1/iStockPhoto

A recent study wanted to observe if consuming a short-term high-nitrate diet could increase nitric oxide bio availability and performance. Find out what foods you need to eat to follow a high-nitrate diet and how to nitrate load similarly to the study to enhance exercise performance.

The Study

Seven male subjects participated in a randomized crossover study. They were tested before and after a six-day high-nitrate diet and a control nitrate diet (8.2 mmol per day vs 2.9 mmol per day, respectively). Plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations were significantly higher in the high-nitrate diet group compared to the control group. The high-nitrate group also showed a significant reduction of oxygen consumption during moderate-intensity constant work rate cycling, a significantly higher total muscle work during fatiguing intermittent sub-maximal knee extension. and improved performance in repeated sprint ability test.

The findings from the study provide a feasible and effective strategy to improve exercise performance. A short-term, high-nitrate diet was able to reduce oxygen consumption during moderate-intensity exercise (improved endurance), increase work load during resistance training (muscular endurance) and improve repeat sprint ability. For team sport athletes these are all attributes that are highly correlated to success.

For athletes looking to implement nitrates into their diet prior to competition some quality sources include:

• Arugula (or Rucola or Rocket)
• Beets
• Spinach
• Celery
• Cress
• Lettuce
• Cabbage
• Kohlrabbi
• Turnips
• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Bok Choy
• Chard
• Parsley

One thing to consider with dietary nitrate is that the exact content can vary depending on time of the year, soil conditions and storage methods. Vegetables are the highest source, although small amounts can also be found in items like water and cured meats.

Nitrate Loading

The absolute bioavailability for dietary nitrate is 100 percent, and the peak plasma levels after dietary consumption are typically reached 1.5-1.8 hours post consumption. The European Food Safety Authority established an Acceptable Daily Intake for nitrate of 3.7 mg/kg daily (0.06 nmol/kg). For a 70kg adult this equates to about 260 mg/d (around 4.2 nmol). In the nitrate loading study, athletes had nearly double the plasma nitrate amount (8.2 nmol), equating to 1.95 times more or 7.2 mg/kg daily. For the same 70kg adult this would mean 505 mg daily.

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Photo Credit: Helovi/iStock

However, a new study found that performing plyos in a warm-up may actually improve your sports performance.

Participants in the study performed a standard warm-up that involved either Drop Jumps (plyometric protocol) or a low-paced walk (controlled protocol).

The study found that the plyometric protocol was able to significantly increase peak twitch torque, rate of force development and impulse. The results suggested that plyometric warm-ups enhance the muscles’ force-generating capacity.

This is consistent with other research showing that athletes can enhance performance with sport-specific plyometric warm-ups. A study was conducted on track and field athletes assessing their performance on 20-meter and 40-meter sprints after performing a plyometric warm-up. The plyometric exercise involved Plate Jumps weighing between 12.8-16.6% of the athletes’ body weight. The study showed an improvement in the groups performing Plate Jumps in the form of decreased sprint times for both the 20- and 40-meter sprints.

Fortunately, putting plyos to use in your warm-ups is incredibly easy. Here are the essential guidelines that you need to follow.

1. Choose sport-specific plyometric warm-ups that most closely recreate movements that would likely be used in competition. For instance, basketball and volleyball players would benefit from warm-ups that focus on the vertical jump.
2. Have an understanding and experience of each warm-up exercise chosen. Experimentation with new plyometric movements prior to competition isn’t a wise choice. Develop a familiarization with the exercises you’ll choose to use in your pre-competition warm-up.
3. Because these exercises are explosive and intense, perform a low volume of reps and sets to do just enough to cause stimulation. A good example is 3 sets of 3-4 reps.

Here’s an example full-body plyo warm-up. This should be done after mobility and activation exercises typically found in standard dynamic warm-up.

• Depth Jump
• Lateral Box Jump
• Single-Leg Long Jumps
• Medicine Ball Chest Drop
• Resistance Band Explosive Rows

READ MORE:

• The 10 Best Plyometric Exercises for Athletes
• 3 Unbreakable Plyometric Training Rules
• 10-Minute Dynamic Warm-Up for Any Workout