One big reason why I love being a Strength & Conditioning Coach is when your athletes come back to you after a big game and tell you how much stronger they felt or how much more endurance or confidence they had during the game. I mention this because a few weeks ago, I had a water polo player from a D1 school come to me complaining that he lacked endurance during the 1, and sometimes, 2 day water polo tournaments. We looked at his
training routine and practice schedule, but with only 3 weeks until a 2-day event we had little time for new training adaptations.
I suggested a carbohydrate deplete/load during the last week before the 2 day tournament. He was at first very skeptical but I was eventually able to sell him on the whole concept. We sat down and detailed the 3 day depletion followed by the 3 day
loading phase. Took him down to 50 grams of carbs for the first 3 days and then bumped them up to 400 grams for the rest of the week. I saw him on the third day of depletion doing some light weights in the gym, his eyes were sunken, and his face drawn. He was obviously weak and mentally/physically spent. I laughed and said, “I told you so!” I reminded him of the specific food protocol for the next 3 days and drove home the fact that if he does not do this right his game would not improve but suffer greatly.
Today (the Monday after the tournament), he comes in smiling. He stated that he felt like he come swim forever and that fatigue was never a factor during the 2 day event. He thanked me for the advice and said he will do it again for their next big match. Best of all he shows me the 1st place trophy his team collected.
Now, although I am not a part of the team, I cannot help but feel a sense of accomplishment and pride that comes from knowing that I gave him the little edge that he was seeking and that he attributes some of his success to my guidance.
Sorry…..I just had to tell somebody.
-End Rant
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