We have seen athletes eating banana during breaksin competition. While banana is easily digested and can help one from feeling hungry, what is the advantages of taking it? Many coaches have been asking this question during coaching courses especially when the topic of sports nurtition is being discussed.
I talk to a friend who is a nurtitionist at my office over breakfast recently.
One of the content of banana is potassium. The body needs potassium to trigger the potassium pump which is located beneath the skin. This potassium pump will then trigger the symphatetic and parasymphatetic nervous system. If you do not know what these system are, the simple explaination is the fight or flight mechanism of your body. It tells your body to retaliate or to run away in situation emergency. So, if you were walking and saw a dangeruous animal, the symphatetic (concious) nervous system will make you defence yourself by confronting it or the parasymphatetic (subconcious) nervous system will relay the message to the message to the brain telling the body to run away.
Therefore is does not contribute much to the energy system during games. Just remember that the main source of energy is derived from carbohydrate after being stored as glycogen in the mitochondria. Ahh...too scientific uh? If carbohydrate is depeleted, then fat will come into the picture. So, ur body needs carbohydrate as main source of energy and protein to repair damaged tissues especially after training and competition.
For paintballers going to My NPL 2009 at Dataran Pahlawan on 1 and 2 August, you have to consume carbohydrate now to help increase the glycogen store and be used during the competition. Take banana now to increase the postassium store. Remember what you take on the particular day will be used later and not on the spot. The body need to process the food that you consume. Then after the tournament, increase your protein intake to help the body repair damaged tissues during competition. Yes, there are damaged tissues in your body due to usage even though you do not see any bruise on your skin.
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3 comments:
Fantastic lar uncle!! NOW i know, EAT now for it to work LATER, not eat later for it to work now (on the spot)!
Good one!
Careful with the sympathetic nervous system. It can cause jitters when you're trying to shoot, throwing off accuracy.
agree, thats why training is important Aswan. It does not only train the physical aspect but the whole body system, nervous system included.
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