Nutrition for a Crossfit
Crossfit refers to a strength and a conditioning program that integrates a number of functional movements in the attempt of forming high powerful workouts (Driez,2013). Crossfit makes use of bodyweight in a resistive way to form power all over. Crossfit began as an exercise program for the military forces, firemen, and police, but have grown to be a fitness world by storm (Driez, 2013). It is the goal of crossfit to shape its members in the top of their lives, encouraging better recovery, and building muscles faster. The key principles of the crossfit were determined after observing athletes for a duration of more than 30 years. The crossfit program aimed at assisting the individuals who are competent with physical tasks especially the athletes. Murphy and MacKenzie (2014) add that good nutrition is the priority of crossfit, which considers the most crucial aspects as being health, tissue repair, performance, hormonal balance, and health. As a result, it is important to understand the nutrition of crossfit by attempting to assess various aspects such as training patterns, dietary practices of athletes, requirements of the crossfit athletes among others. As such, it is the goal of this paper to provide an in-depth insight of nutrition for a crossfit by reviewing existing studies.
Typical Training Patterns in Crossfit
For an effective understanding of the training patterns of crossfit it is important to understand the meaning of the crossfit as the pattern of training are derived from this meaning (Oh, 2013). According to this article, crossfit is a “Constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity (Oh, 2013, pg. 31).” The attempt of breaking down this definition is the one that reveals the training patterns of crossfit. The first pattern is constant variation according to this article. The performance of the trainee heightens and levels at week 6 when the trainee fails to vary the routine. The theory of this pattern is that the trainee should constantly vary a number of exercises and movements; then the athlete will be in a position of facing anything that comes his way. The pattern helps in preventing muscle confusion for the trainee. Through this pattern, Oh (2013) asserts that it becomes possible for the untrainable to train.
According to Oh (2013), the second pattern is functional movements. Functional movement refers to a motor recruitment patterns performed in a wave of contraction from core to extremity (Crossfit Training Guide, n.d.). These movements are natural, efficient, and effective locomotors of the body together with other external objects. Oh (2013) defines functional movements as two-joint movements that entail most of the daily activities. For instance, activities that curl the biceps and a deadlift are all basic functional movements. These movements are essential in improving the overall health, quality of life as well as athleticism. The last pattern is high intensity, which is a huge part of crossfit. According to Crossfit Training Guide (n.d.), high intensity is equivalent to power, and it is the independent variable for exploiting the adaptation of an exercise. This training is meant to improve body composition, cardiovascular fitness, and adjust cardiovascular risk factors by improving the insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and blood glucose within a fraction of time (Oh, 2013). In this case, it is important for the trainee to be aware of depth and breadth of the adaptation that intensity provokes the variation of the intensity and functionality of the event.
Nutritional Requirements of Training
Oh (2013) claims that the effective way of defining crossfit is by viewing it in form of a pyramid. The pyramid has sport at the top and nutrition at the base implying that nutrition is of substantial role in training. Further, according to the Crossfit Training Guide (n.d.), the modern diet is not suitable for the genetic composition; thus inappropriate for crossfit training. Food processing, which is prevalent in the current generation results to a plague of health problems. However, the dominance of day-long adventure races, marathons, and triathlons calls for proper nutrition that will determine the success of the participants as these sports demand long endurance (Eat Right, 2015). The nutrition needs of the athletes differentiate based on the daily activities, gender, age, and body composition that directly translates to their energy consumption. As a result, athletes need to have nutrition programs.
The crossfit trainees should take a meal full of carbohydrates, as this component is perfect for the endurance activities. Carbohydrates assist in preventing injury or fatigue during training or actual activity (Eat Right, 2015). Athletes should consume high amounts of carbohydrates especially those involving themselves in intensified activities. The consumption of sufficient amounts of carbohydrates is effective in preventing the consumption of proteins during the training. However, Crossfit Training Guide (n.d.) advises the trainees to avoid excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates, as it is the major source of nutritionally caused health problems. Foods containing a high amount of high-glycemic carbohydrates include candy, potato, bread, and rice among others. Fat is also a source of energy, which is sufficient for moderate training and exercise (Eat Right, 2015). The major sources of fat include nuts, fatty fish, and vegetable oils. However, the Crossfit Training Guide (n.d.) warns on excessive consumption of concentrated fats especially from dairy foods such as butter, high-fat cheese, and whole milk.
Proteins according to Urbina, et al. (2013) is a crucial nutrition requirement for the CrossFit trainees. The muscle contraction during training whether endurance or resistive has a significant impact on muscle protein turnover. Adding on this, the authors claim that protein is important in balancing the fluid as well as promoting the immune function of the trainee. This proves the fact that enduring athletes need more protein unlike those who are not participating in the sport. As a result, Campbell, et al. (2007) suggest that the intake of proteins for endurance exercises should range from 1.0g/kg to 1.6g/kg. The consumption should, therefore, depend on the duration and intensity of the training as there is an increased oxidation of the amino acids (Campbell, et al. 2007).
As a result, the trainees should determine their diet and eating plan for them to meet the changing energy during training. This calls for the determination of macronutrient that are necessary for the progress of the training cycles. Upon the establishment of the eating plan for a specific cycle, Campbell, et al. (2007) advocates for one to stick with the eating habits. This is important in meeting the energy needs while giving the digestive system time to adapt to the eating pattern. In turn, this assures one that the nutritional needs will be met during the performance day.
Physiological Requirements for Crossfit Elite Athletes
Crossfit does not entail specialized program, but an intentional attempt to optimize the level of physical competence (Driez, 2013). As such, the development of the crossfit program aimed at enhancing the individual’s proficiency in physical tasks. As a result, crossfit program aims at facilitating the performance of an elite athlete skilled with power, strength, and balance as well as agility, endurance, and flexibility (Crossfit Training Guide, n.d.). It is, however, important to determine the physical requirement of an athlete for them to participate in this program.
Butcher, et al. (2015) notes that total body strength is a major requirement for the elite athletes. In this article, the authors claim that there exists a close relation between the body strength of an athlete and the performance. However, this relation depends on the power and duration of the activity carried. Besides, body weight is a significant factor that determines the performance of an athlete during training or the activity. In relation to the body strength, the power of an athlete is another requirement for the crossfit program. The manipulation of body together with the stress placed on the body during the exercise calls for sufficient power of the athlete for them to endure the training. Carral (2007) adds that the daily living of the athlete also determines their ability to participate in this program. The daily living dictates the activities that employees engage in, which is a key factor determining the responsiveness of the trainee body to the crossfit training (Driez, 2013). This requirement is essential when integrated with the quality of life of the athlete. The quality of life determines the physiological preparedness of the trainee in undertaking the training.
Common Neutrino Problems
Neutrinos are found everywhere as they permeate in the spaces around everyone. Neutrons were formed in the first second of the earlier universe even before atoms were formed. The speed of these particles is nearly that of light. There exist three types of neutrinos: muon neutrino, electron neutrino, and tau neutrino (Martini, Ericson, & Chanfray, 2012). The interaction of these particles takes place through weak nuclear force. However, there exist a variety of problems related to these particles. First, it the faster-than-light neutrino anomaly that claims that neutrinos travel faster than light. The second problem with neutrinos is the solar neutrino problem that calls for modification of the standard model of neutrino oscillation. The last neutrino problem is neutrino mass that fails to account for the mass of the neutrino.
These problems associated with neutrinos have a potential impact on the eating habits of the athletes. The first issue brought along by these problems is the way these particles take away energy from the athlete diet (Driez, 2013). This is an important area of consideration to the athlete as they make eat energy food that provides them with insufficient energy. The electron neutrino is the one that causes this problem; thus causing their diets with the thought that energy foods are not sufficient for their energy needs. In addition, tau neutrino has a flavor that has potential of changing the flavor of food (Kitabayashi & Yasue, 2000). Following their invisible and dominance nature, neutrinos have the capability of changing the flavor; thus the taste of the food for the athletes. This is a valid reason why athletes change their dietary following the change in flavor caused by these neutrinos.
Existing and history of dietary of Athletes
Nogueria and Costa (2005) claim that nutrition is a key determinant of the athletic performance. A few studies exist on this topic despite the fact that nutrition is a major factor that enhances the physical activity, recovery from training, and athletic performance. Nutrition assessment is important in evaluating the impact that body weight and composition has on the exercise performance. Nogueria and Costa (2005) argue that throughout the history, athletes are known to take higher energy intake following their energy expenditure during the practice and the activity itself; thus, the amount of total energy intake (TEI) is higher for the athletes. The average energy intake for the athlete ranges from 10.6 MJ to 22.4 MJ and from 7.5 MJ to 11.4 MJ for male and women respectively (Nogueria & Costa, 2005). It is an important practice for the athletes to balance the energy use and energy intake. For instance, Nogueria and Costa (2005) note that energy intake for men is higher compared to their expenditure.
Burke (2007) claims that history accounts for the dietary disbeliefs throughout the ages among the athletes. Athletes are thought to be undertaking special diets that can be trailed down the line to these times. In the first century of Olympic Games, the athletes ate typical Greek diet comprising of cheese, bread, fruits, vegetables, and honeyed cakes (Burke, 2007). The 5th and 6th century marked the development of special eating patterns of the athletes meant to achieve better results. For instance, Dromeus from Stymphalos became a champion of two footraces in 480 BC by depending on meat only (Burke, 2007). This revealed that the use of protein played a significant part in the building of strong bodies. Apart from a diet full of proteins, Burke (2007) claims that athletes noticed that special eating patterns together with sufficient relaxation and sleep. A combination of these factors molded better athletes that they emerged to be professional athletes. Currently, athletes make use of dietary either to gain or lose weight (Burke, 2007). Proteins are nowadays used in the provision of power and strength to the athletes where timing is assessed against the protein intake as a way of revealing how significant this diet has on athletes.
History has it that disordered eating is a common practice among the athletes. This trend is characterized by the spectrum of maladaptive of weight control attitudes and behaviors as most of the athletes are concerned with body weight and shape. As a result, athletes are characterized by the use of the diuretics, diet pills, binge eating, and caloric intake (Bonci, et al., 2008). They also take in a variety of weight control mechanisms such as vomiting, fasting, and intense exercise and training. The authors recommend that athletes should be on the look of their diet and avoid disordered eating as it has a potential impact on their physical performance health as well. Another study by Mulinix, et al. (2003) provide the major meals that may provide the required nutrients to the athletes. The study confirms that carbohydrates, fat, and protein are the key source of energy for muscles of the athletes.
It is current practice for the athletes to take different meals depending on the event being attended. During physique activities, athletes take and maintain a lower body fat in the attempt of optimizing power-to-weight ratio. Moreover, Burke (2007) notes that the meal taken during training is different from that taken during competition. During training, athletes take sufficient energy meals for them to maintain a high level of body mass, ideal body mass, and lean body mass for them to optimize the lean body mass from resistance training. However, during the competition event, the athletes are prevented from taking meals by developing approaches that will keep the athlete fit for the event such as being fueled, hydrated, and comfortable (Burke, 2007). Others get themselves eating while participating in the event as a way of rejuvenating their power and strength.
Summary
Crossfit program has gained demand following its wide area of application and numerous benefits. Crossfit hearth a general, wide, and inclusive fitness with the aim of preparing physical competent individuals. The definition of crossfit involves three prescriptions used to define the pattern of carrying crossfit training practice. As the study has revealed, these prescriptions are constant variation, high intensity, and functional movement. Each of these components has a unique way of execution; thus determining the crossfit training. Crossfit is important in facilitating the recovery rate of the athletes, building of muscles, and leading to a better quality life. The study has highlighted a number of factors and aspects of crossfit that coaches and athletes should take in the account as a way of enhancing their performance.
Coach
The study has revealed important areas that coaches should be keen on for them to lead their athletes to success. Taking a pyramid view of crossfit, it comprises of sport, weightlifting, gymnastics, metabolic conditioning, and nutrition at the base. It is the role of the coach to evaluate the performance of his athlete against these five layers. This is an important practice of determining the progress of the athlete in all the phases. The coach has the role of determining the extent or the quantity of the training that the athlete should take in each of these levels for him to build a physically fit athlete.
Moreover, the coach should ensure that the athlete has perfected in each of the training patterns. The coach should also determine and ensure that the athlete is taking the appropriate meals for them depending on their activities. This calls for a distinction of the meals that can take when doing physique, training, and competition. The coach should as well determine the standard diet that the athlete should eat during these instances. Before determining such a standard diet, the coach should account the impact of the neutrinos on the choice of food that athletes make. This should be done to avoid the changing choices of the food caused by these articles. Another practical guideline of the coach is that the training that an athlete takes should be determined by the physiological requirements whose basis should be on body strength, body mass index, height, and power of the athlete.
Athlete
The goal of the crossfit training should determine the patterns that the athlete should take. The athlete should use the same goal to guide him the appropriate meals to take that will promote the crossfit training being taken. As the historical case presented in the study has shown, the meal of the athlete determines their performance; thus, they should establish a standard eating plan that will lead their training and activities to success. Such plans should abide by the guidelines of the coach of the appropriate diet to take. Moreover, athletes should ensure that instances of disordered eating are reduced as a way of promoting their health and performance. This should be achieved by taking the right activities and upholding right behaviors that will boost their performance. Besides, athletes should balance the energy expenditure and energy taken to ensure that they do not have energy deficit or excessive.
References
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