By Brendan Brazier on January 11, 2011

Smart Nutrition: 3 Ways to Boost Your Athletic Performance

Becoming a great athlete requires work. Hard work, that’s a certainty. But the often-overlooked “smart work” can play an equally large role in athletic success. While there’s no substitute for diligent training, there are a few natural nutritional “helpers” that can directly complement the effect of exercise for a compounded performance boost.

The best way to enhance the odds of becoming a better athlete is to put the body in a position in which it can physically and mentally handle progressively longer and more intense training. This is achieved by adopting a nutrition program that will support the fueling and regeneration process of an active person, which is significantly above and beyond that of a sedentary individual. The fundamentals on which this high-performance body can be constructed are, as you would expect, from the building blocks that you supply it. Nutrient-rich, plant-based whole foods are the foundation on which optimal health (and eventually performance) can be created. Studies have shown that, when consumed after a workout, plant-based whole foods enable muscle tissue to grow stronger in a shorter amount of time than would be possible with the consumption of refined, fractionalized low-quality food.

Once this foundation of solid health has been built by means of premium building blocks, higher levels of both mental and physical performance can more easily be obtained. As I set my sights on professional triathlon racing in 1997, I began to search for additional ways that nutrition could boost my performance as opposed to simply improve my health. While I had already achieved good health, I felt it was time to take my well-being (and my athletic performance) to the next level, beyond a simply solid bill of health.

There are a few nutritional steps that can be taken to get a greater rate of return on the time and energy invested in training.

Enhance cardiovascular output
Rhodiola helps dilate blood vessels allowing for increased blood flow throughout the body. This will reduce energy requirements placed on the cardiovascular system and naturally enhance endurance and the ability to perform intense physical work efficiently. Those who take rhodiola before a workout will enhance their body’s ability to recover by quickly normalizing their heart rate after the workout.

One trait of augmented fitness is an increase in red blood cells, which causes the blood to become thicker. Ginger will help keep the blood at the ideal viscosity so that it can be pumped efficiently throughout the body, which will increase energy (by conserving it) and boost performance.

Turmeric increases circulation, acting as an aid in delivering blood and oxygen to working muscles.

Since keeping the heart rate as low as possible is one of the chief ways of improving endurance, the muscular system as a whole also needs to be considered.

Improve muscular efficiency
If two runners are equal in every respect except for muscular strength, the stronger will be faster over any distance. The lower percentage of maximum strength needed for each stride will translate into improved efficacy and therefore greater endurance. If one runner can squat 10 percent more weight than another, their muscles will not have to work as hard to move the body forward, which will translate to significant endurance gains. When muscles don’t need to work as hard, they don’t require as much oxygen or circulating blood, and therefore will not put as much demand on the heart. This will lower the rate at which the heart beats and significantly improve endurance. Greater strength does equal greater endurance. But, as with the heart, there are nutritional steps that can be taken to enhance the fluidity of the muscles, essentially allowing them to move with greater ease and requiring less energy for each contraction.

Kombucha is a form of tea that has been fermented using microorganisms. It is exceptionally rich in organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols and is distinguished as a health elixir. Significant for the athlete, it can directly enhance performance by acting as a natural muscle relaxant. This allows muscles to move with greater fluidity and ease, which results in less energy expenditure and ultimately enhanced endurance. Kombucha culture is also exceptionally good for removing toxins from the liver, which will result in quicker recovery following a workout. Enhanced mental clarity and a smooth, sustained state of well-being is another benefit of drinking kombucha, which will reduce anxiety before physical exertion or other demanding events.

Sodium and potassium are electrolytes that play a vital role in optimal hydration. The correct balance of electrolytes and fluid will help maintain hydration, which in turn will enhance muscle function, heart efficacy and mental sharpness. Since sweat is comprised of water and electrolytes, water alone will not fully maintain or restore fluid levels lost through sweat. Without complete hydration, blood will thicken and increase the workload placed on the heart, leading to premature fatigue. Inadequate hydration will also result in muscle twinges and cramps.

Reduce inflammation
Regular exercise causes inflammation. The more aggressive the muscle contractions, the more inflamed they will become. This inhibits performance in two major ways. Inflamed muscles will not be able to move smoothly, requiring more effort (energy) for each contraction, which will cause the heart rate to rise and endurance to fall. The recovery rate after exercise will be reduced, requiring more time between workouts leading to the inability to train more.

Anything with chlorophyll is highly alkaline-forming and will significantly reduce inflammation. Spinach and other leafy greens are ideal.

When taken immediately before exercise, devil’s claw has been shown to prevent inflammation and promote fluid muscle contractions. Devils claw has also been shown to temporarily reduce the effectiveness of pain receptors, allowing the athlete to push harder during physical activity and achieve a higher level of performance.

Ginger and turmeric have also been shown to reduce inflammation when taken immediately before physical exertion.

Photo Credit: heymrleej

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By Brendan Brazier on September 28, 2009

Packing on Lean Muscle with Plant-Based Nutrition

It’s Meatless Monday! Learn why plant-based protein is just as great (if not better) than traditional protein sources used by many athletes. You don’t have to sacrifice results at the gym by going veg and Brendan Brazier is here to tell you why…

Having been a competitive endurance athlete since the age of 15, I found that – once I overcame the initial pitfalls –a plant-based whole food diet offered several advantages. Among them; I didn’t get sick as often, I was able to train harder, and I stayed light – yet became stronger. Clearly these are significant advantages when pursuing peak athletic performance. However, remaining light while having the ability to build muscular strength – and therefore functionality – was certainly one of the greatest attributes this novel way of eating bestowed upon me.

As endurance athletes, we don’t aspire to build muscular size (bulk), but rather to simply develop what muscle we do have to be strong, and thereby function efficiently. Building strength while not packing on bulk will raise strength-to-weight ratio. That’s good. And as a direct result, endurance will take a leap forward.

But what about strength athletes such as bodybuilders, can they benefit from a similar plant-based diet? Yes, in fact they can. While endurance athletes aim to develop efficient muscles, without increasing their size, bodybuilders are quite the opposite. In competition – since bodybuilders are judged by appearance alone – they train accordingly. Bulk, symmetry, and definition are the three visual points a bodybuilder will be assessed on. Since the way in which their muscles actually perform – their functionality – is not factored into scoring, time and effort will not be spent honing that aspect.

However, what builds efficient muscles in endurance athletes is the same thing that builds visually impressive muscles in bodybuilders: hard work.

Does More Protein Mean More Muscle?

Immediately following an intense workout, those serious about packing on lean muscles will down a high-protein shake. They know that to repair muscle tissue after breaking it down in the gym requires the rebuilding properties that protein is touted for. But what most don’t place credence in is the protein source. In the minds of many, quantity is the priority; the more protein, the better. But does more really equate to better results? Let’s take a look.

The way to add extra protein to the diet, while not increasing fat or carbohydrate content, is to mechanically or chemically remove the fat and carbohydrate component. What remains is called protein isolate. The protein has been isolated from the other macronutrients of the food and as such, its ratio has increased. Some manufactured isolates register protein content in excess of 90 percent. But once isolated, it is no longer a whole food and therefore harder for the body to digest, assimilate, and utilize. Plus protein isolates are inherently acid-forming. And with the onset of an acidic body, functionality declines.

It is true that when a traditional acid-forming post-workout smoothie that contains protein isolate is swapped out for a plant-based whole food option, muscular size loss is likely. Understandably, this will lead to concern for those athletes whose goal it is to pack on muscle mass. But, what is actually transpiring is a good thing. What they are loosing in size is simply inflammation.

Eat Plants, Work Hard, Build Muscle

Immediately following a weight training workout, the muscles will be broken down and thus inflamed. And as we know, acid-forming food creates inflammation. Therefore the consumption of a traditional post-workout smoothie that contains protein isolates will exacerbate the level and rate of inflammation. With inflammation comes size. But, with inflammation also come a reduction in functionality. As the muscles become less functional, their ability to lift weight declines. That’s a problem. Lifting heavy weight is what builds muscles strong – and big. Of course if the body delves into a less functional state, it simply won’t have the ability to work as intensely. And without the capacity to train hard, muscles cannot continue to grow. In addition to inflamed muscles not having the capacity to lift as much weight, more time will also need to be allocated between training sessions to allow inflammation to dissipate. That’s bad. Since intensity and frequency are the two prime components to a successful muscle-building program, inflammation can well become the greatest single inhibitor of progress.

Post Workout Plant-based Nutrition: Helping You Help Yourself

In place of isolates and acid-forming animal foods, there are host of plant-based options that will ensure inflammation be kept to a minimum. Post workout, excellent plant-based protein sources include: hemp, pea, and rice protein. And while protein is a crucial component for muscle repair and building, so too are essential fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6), vitamins, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants and a host of other nutritional components that can be found in a variety of plant-based whole foods. This being the case, the post workout smoothies will deliver greater results if it contains these components, not mearly protein. Additionally, chlorella – a form of freshwater algae – is an excellent edition to the post-workout smoothie. Due to its exceptionally high chlorophyll content, it’s among the most alkaline-forming foods available. Plus, its protein percentage is almost 70 percent, naturally.

So while plant-based nutrition won’t necessarily make you a better athlete, it will allow you to train harder, thereby making yourself a better athlete. And as all great athletes know, their success hinges on their ability to pursue it. With improved functionality and less rest required between workouts, success will be yours for the taking.

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