It is important for beach volleyball players to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. The nature and intensity of the sport requires more calorie and nutrient intake than the average person due to the high activity level of a beach volleyball athlete. You can get your needed nutrients from food, but supplementation is typically needed for many people, especially athletes. Making sure you take the right vitamins and nutrients can help you become the best player you can be, by helping you give your body exactly what it needs to get the most out of every workout session or game.
We recently went over the benefits of vitamin D for beach volleyball players, but there are other essential vitamins and minerals that are equally as helpful. Check out some of the nutrients that are sure to help any beach volleyball
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player play at the top of their game. Omega-3 Fatty Acids While all of the omegas are beneficial, omega-3 fatty acids are especially important for athletes. While many consume much more Omega-6s, than Omega-3s, the ratio should be flipped; a healthier ratio would be 2:1, which Omega-3 fatty acids taking precedence. Omega-3 allows for athletes to recover faster, reduce muscle soreness, burns fat, slows down muscle loss, and even lowers blood triglycerides. In addition, it is also well-known for its ability to improve brain function, as well as improve cardiovascular health and function. B-Vitamins B-vitamins pack quite a punch, as they help increase energy production, improve your mood, and even helps detoxification. In fact, building and repairing muscles depletes your B-vitamins, so be sure to take daily. If you are lacking in B-vitamins, you will not perform to the best of your ability, and your body will not be able to repair itself, fight disease, or operate efficiently. Athletes should pay special attention to the B-vitamins, B1 (benfotiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine), and B12 (methylcobalamin). Magnesium Magnesium is essential for your body, as this mineral affects your electrolyte balance, affects your oxygen levels, energy levels, and muscle function. Sleep quality is also affected, which is beneficial for athletes because getting a good night’s sleep is vital for muscle recovery and repair. In addition, having adequate magnesium levels will increase muscle strength and decrease muscle cramping. Protein While fun, physical activity does put stress on the body, and the more frequently you engage in physical activities will increase the amount of stress put onto the body. This is where protein comes in, as it’s essential for recovery. While protein doesn’t help with energy during the time while you are being physically active, it is important to have it after a tough workout to help you recover faster. Protein is essential for the construction, repair, and maintenance of your muscles. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) This compound can be found in all of the cells in your body, and is highly concentrated in the pancreas, liver, heart, and kidneys.
However, CoQ10 naturally depletes as you age, so supplementation is necessary. CoQ10 helps reduce fatigue, so it helps improve your endurance and increases your energy production.
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine is an effective, powerhouse nutrient that is derived from the amino acids glycine, L-arginine, and L-methionine. Creatine is beneficial for athletes as it helps improve strength, muscle mass, body composition, and boosts athletic performance. Research has shown improvements in endurance, power, and performance; this is all due to the creatine increasing phosphocreatine (PCr) within the muscle, which allows for quicker regeneration of the body’s energy.
NAC (n-acetyl-l-cysteine)
A precursor of glutathione, a potent antioxidant that aids in detoxification, NAC reduces the cellular production of inflammatory chemicals that can cause increased recovery time and muscle soreness. Due to this NAC is beneficial for muscle soreness and recovery, which will help you get back into the game quicker, with less
discomfort. It is important to remember that supplements are not intended to replace a healthy diet, instead it should act as “supplement” to your nutritional status to ensure that you are getting everything that you need. It is important to consult with your doctor regarding proper dosage and to check for any possible prescription medication interactions.
Snell PG, Ward R, Kandaswami C, Stohs SJ. Comparative effects of selected non-caffeinated rehydration sports drinks on short-term performance following moderate dehydration. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 7:28-36, 2010.
Creatine provides additional energy for the body, and increases muscle volume. Most of the size and strength gains are during the first month of use. It gets rid of lactic acid, and improves exercise recovery time. Creatine enhances protein synthesis, and also delays the onset of fatigue.
Creatine was not a vitamin, however, but a synthesized blend of certain amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. The benefit creatine provides is increased energy for quick, anaerobic bursts of activity, such as are required in weightlifting. Athletes taking creatine can do more repetitions and sets of exercises than they could without it. Essentially, it speeds up the process of adding strength and size to the muscles by intensifying the workout. It has been compared to the way a marathon runner might saturate his muscles with carbohydrates before a race to provide endurance except that creatine strictly helps in anaerobic activities like muscle contractions.
Volek, J. S., Kraemer, W. J., Bush, J. A., Boetes, M., Incledon, T., Clark K. L., & Lynch J. M. (1997). Creatine supplementation enhances muscular performance during high-intensity resistance exercise. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 97, 765-770.
Creatine serves as an energy reserve in muscle cells. Muscular contraction is powered by the breakdown of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) to ADP (adenosinediphosphate). When all the ATP is broken down, creatine phosphate in the muscle donates a phosphate group to ADP, and further energy reactions can occur. Creatine monohydrate is a precursor to creatine phosphate. By supplementing with CM, CP levels in muscle apparently are maximized, and more muscular work can occur, since there are greater energy reserves to use.
These performance enhancers, like androstenedione and creatine, are going to produce the same results. The use of performance enhancing supplements has long played a role in athletics, especially after the utilization of drug testing was introduced during the 1972 Olympics.
Most bodybuilders emphasize the importance of post-workout nutrition to achieve their goals. However, they often overlook the importance of nutrition before workouts, which also plays a vital role in increasing muscle size and strength. To succeed in making dramatic results in muscle-building, here are some tips on when to take pre –workout nutrition.
Resistance training is hard work and requires a lot of energy and juices out of the human body, which cannot be replenished as fast as desired; however, there is a solution to the soreness and the slow path to gaining muscle mass: Weight-Training/Performance supplements. Athletes across the world take performance supplements every day typically in some form of protein supplement, whether it be whey protein or protein derived from vegetables or soy-based. The determination of whether such supplements that are not regulated by the FDA have more positive effects than negative is still a considerable debate; although, the effects cannot be denied after ingestion. The positive effects of supplement use is far more beneficial than not taking them at all because of the increased stimulation and maintenance of muscle growth when taking whey protein and other supplements. (Tobias, 2013)
Creatine is a branched chain amino acid that changes into creatine phosphate in the body which in return helps to a make a substance called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It gives the energy to the body which helps in muscle contractions. In athletes, it helps to increase muscle mass, enhance exercise performance and boost strength.
Whether it is on a track, a pitch, court or rink, nutrition is of vital importance in the development of a healthy, competitive athlete. Athletes must depend on highly nutritious and vitamin rich to keep their body at their healthiest, their mind focused to maximize their performance.
9.) Helps Combat Mental Decline - Vitamin B12 is a vital nutrient essential for everybody including older adults. According to recent researches, enough amount of Vitamin B12 can prevent mental decline associated with old age. Alzheimer's diseases, Dementia and short-term memory loss can all be prevented, as Vitamin B12 promotes healthy performance of the brain and neurological system.
Volleyball is a very popular sport. There are many different levels for players from beginners all the way to the advanced level. Each athlete needs to choose the path they will take in their volleyball career. As a current volleyball player, I believe that club volleyball is more intense and fast-paced than school volleyball.
Volleyball, although it is not a contact sport, injures the many athletes in its own unique way. Volleyball injuries are more commonly referred to as either acute (traumatic) or cumulative (overuse) injuries. Acute also known as traumatic injuries can arise as an affect of abrupt force on a part of the body which could potentially unfortunately effect an athlete's overall game. Cumulative injuries develop over time due to tension on the muscles, joints and other tissues without appropriate resting time to allow for the injury to heal. The longer these injuries are ignored the more deleterious the condition will become. Injuries also lessen the time spent in recreational activities, lower your fitness level as it also may demote competitive performance. Injuries are one thing that can completely ruin many pro volleyball player careers. There are some guidelines for the betterment of yourself to prevent injury as it can be reduced severely if action is taken by athletes to take better care of there bodies.
Certain foods can make a difference in sports competition. Conditioning, strength, and speed have been the focal points of athletic training for years; however, the research on nutritional elements indicates their importance to an athlete's optimal performance. Knowing the proper food to eat before, during, and after a physical activity can help an athlete in achieving their desired performance.
This vitamin is needed for energy metabolism, also important in maintaining good health of nervous system, digestive system, and skin health.