After your wrestling practice or an intense workout you need something to jump-start your recovery. This helps you recover from the workout or practice and most importantly, it prepares your body for the “next” practice or training session…
This is where a lot of wrestlers and coaches go wrong. They don’t eat or drink the right foods after intense practices or training, subjecting the wrestler to the inevitable overtraining syndrome… where loss of strength, energy and injuries start to occur.
One way to halt catabolism (muscle break-down that occurs during intense training and practices…and which leads to overtraining if carried too far) is to consume foods that have a higher glycemic index. These foods help replenish your muscle-glycogen storage (muscle energy). Some of my favorite post-training/practice foods are:
- rice cakes
- corn flakes
- white rice
- “chocolate” milk
The key is to consume these foods within 2 hours of training/practice BUT it works much better when consumed within 20 minutes. As far as quantities, this differs from individual to individual but usually 50-80 grams of high-glycemic carbohydrates should suffice.
You would then eat another meal within an hour or two.
Now, I know some guys are thinking this so I’ll just say it… “even if you’re cutting weight you STILL need a recovery meal after practices/training or you will get weak so fast your head will spin!”
Hope this helps…
PS. I’m going to offer my complete “Wrestling Nutrition” system next week… It is the solution for all wrestlers nutrition programs… whether you’re cutting weight, trying to gain weight or staying the same! Keep your eyes peeled…