[Special Discussion] Swimming Part 1: Don't let fatigue build up. Take care not only for training but also for fatigue recovery

[Interview]
Strength and conditioning coach Hidenori Doguro
Kazuyo Miyamoto, Certified Sports Nutritionist, Konami Sports Co., Ltd.

Timely and planned training

--In the summer, many competitive swimming competitions are held.
What should I be aware of in my daily training for a match? (For example, a female college student who is a sprinter, 162cm and 56kg)

Earth Black:For university students, I think they prepare for the annual championships and intercollegiate championships by training and practicing every day. When it comes to training, there is a term called "periodization," which means dividing training into three periods: [preparation period] → [game period] → [transition period], and training is carried out in a planned manner.

First, once the main competition date is decided, a preparation period is set for it. This is the period to bring the body, mind, and technique to their best condition, that is, to peak performance. The training content is changed between the "general preparation period" in the first half and the "specialized preparation period" in the second half. For example, in muscle training, the "general preparation period" is general training such as squats and bench presses. In the "specialized preparation period," the content is switched to take into account the characteristics of competitive swimming events. The focus is on strengthening power-related skills, such as jump training to increase the power needed for diving and turning at the start, and the snatch, a weightlifting event.

In addition, we also do functional training, which is an event that is closer to the competitive movements. After this preparation period, we enter the [competition period] where we compete in the main competition, the Intercollegiate Championships. Then, after the competition, we enter the [transition period (active rest period)]. This is the flow.

--It is important to pay attention to hydration in the summer and temperature regulation in the winter. What are some important points for proper conditioning?

Earth Black:When I interact with current university students, I feel that there is a lack of care. I am not only a trainer, but also a licensed therapist in acupuncture and moxibustion and massage. It is common for athletes to consult me ​​about not feeling well, and I focus on care, but I don't end up training them, and I just help them recover from fatigue.

So I want people to take care of their bodies on a daily basis. Be aware of recovery in relation to the amount of practice you do. When I was supporting top athletes like Olympic athletes, I felt that care was the most important thing.

--What about your diet? Exercising in water is hard on the body, but what should you pay attention to in your daily life?

Miyamoto:The most important thing is whether you can complete a fulfilling practice session every time. If you focus too much on protein and your intake of carbohydrates and grains becomes uneven, you may experience a lack of energy during practice and suddenly slow down. To prevent this, it is important to plan your meals and snack times around your practice time.

If your morning practice is early and you don't want to eat breakfast, just eat some energy jelly before practice and eat breakfast after practice to prepare for the next practice. Incorporating time for meals and snacks into your busy schedule will lead to a more fulfilling practice. Once you've done this, you can then move on to the stage of thinking about "how to swim faster."

--Let's start with the basics. For example, what should you keep in mind when choosing a menu, such as "It's better to choose hot dishes for dinner"?

Miyamoto:Sprinters tend to have less time to train in the water compared to long-distance runners, but some athletes still find that their bodies get cold in the water and their digestive and absorbing abilities decrease. In that case, it is recommended that you eat easily digestible foods or warm soups or stews after training.

It is also important to get the opinion of the coach or trainer about what the athlete's goal is for building their body. This will determine the target weight and physique. Plan to reach that goal during the so-called "preparation period (training period)," and if weight loss is necessary, adjust the side dishes for dinner. In that case, a light hot pot dish with little oil is good.

Ensure adequate recovery from training

--What are some things that college-age athletes should pay attention to when training?

Earth Black:I want people to be conscious of recovering from fatigue. I often feel like I'm not recovering enough from training, and if I don't think about muscle regeneration and energy/nutrition in conjunction with fatigue recovery, it becomes a vicious cycle.

For top athletes, recovery is also systematized by the staff around them. However, it is quite difficult for university students living alone. They skip breakfast or make do with convenience store bento. For example, even if it is a convenience store bento, I think it is better to get advice from a knowledgeable nutritionist on what kind of bento to choose.

Miyamoto:The reason why you get so tired that you can't eat is because you are not getting the necessary amount of energy or nutrients such as vitamins from the meal before practice or snacks. I would like you to reconsider the content, amount, and timing of your daily meals. Since university students tend to have irregular lifestyles, I would like them to be conscious of "what to do before practice so that they don't get tired again at the next practice."
If you can keep that in mind, you will be able to enjoy your post-practice meal. Try to have as many staple foods, main dishes, side dishes, dairy products, and fruits as possible for your post-practice meal. This will lead to efficient recovery and will change your condition the next day.

Earth Black:It's also important to get enough sleep. I'd like you to stop using your smartphone before going to bed. I think it's a good idea to set a specific bedtime and make rules such as not looking at electronic devices for 1-2 hours before. Also, some people only take showers in the summer, but soaking in a bathtub promotes blood flow and is effective in recovering from fatigue.

-- Adequate nutrition is also important during training. Are there any foods you recommend depending on the characteristics of the sport?

Miyamoto:To create the energy needed to swim, carbohydrates, mainly rice, are important. Also, B vitamins, especially vitamin B1, are essential for energy metabolism. The recommended food is pork, but vitamin B1 can also be obtained from other meats, seafood, eggs, etc., so in that sense, it is good to combine rice with a side dish that is a source of protein at every meal.

When I spend a lot of time practicing in the water, I also want to take in calcium and vitamin D, which improves calcium absorption. I think dairy products are essential for athletes to get calcium. I'd like them to aim for three times a day instead of once a day.
Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, and mushrooms, but I think dried baby sardines are an easy way to add a little extra vitamin D.

Also, if you are planning to do high altitude training, in order to improve your blood hemoglobin and ferritin levels, I recommend eating foods rich in iron along with vitamin C, which aids absorption. Adding lemon to meat or fish also makes it taste better.
When you begin high altitude training, your heart rate increases due to low pressure and low oxygen levels, making you more susceptible to diuresis and dehydration, so it is very important to stay hydrated.
In places with low humidity, dehydration through the skin is also a possibility, so we recommend that you decide on an approximate daily amount of water based on the environment and drink water frequently.

-- Swimming is a sport in which flexibility is particularly important. What are some important points to keep in mind when caring for your joints?

Earth Black:In terms of training, it is necessary to achieve two goals: "injury prevention" and "performance improvement." It is not good to be too flexible, but it is also not good to be too stiff. Competitive swimmers have many shoulder injuries because their shoulders are flexible, so the joint-by-joint theory is useful in this regard.

This is an approach advocated by American physiotherapist Gray Cook and strength coach Michael Boyle, in which the roles of joints can be broadly divided into two types: mobility joints and stability joints. The upper part of the neck (cervical spine) that supports the head is a mobility joint. The lower part of the neck (cervical spine) that supports this is a stability joint, and further below that are mobility joints. These are arranged alternately in the chest, lower back, hip joints, knees, ankles, etc. The key is to take these into consideration when improving flexibility.

-How do you envision supplementing nutrients?

Miyamoto:From the perspective of injury prevention and recovery, it is best to try to eat a well-balanced diet (staple food, main dish, side dish, dairy products, and fruit) at every meal. In terms of muscles that support joints, protein, vitamins, and minerals are important. When it is difficult to time your meals, protein supplements are also good to take before and after practice. When it comes to caring for joints, one method is to use amino acids, which are easy to use and quickly absorbed.

It's also important to have a good understanding of your own body. I believe that you use more energy in the water than on land, but the amount consumed varies from athlete to athlete. I think that to get the most out of your training, you need a certified sports nutritionist to help you assess this.
Also, you sweat more than you think underwater, so hydration is important. Weigh yourself at the beginning and end of your swim, and if you have lost more than 1% of your body weight, you are not hydrated enough. This can cause you to feel exhausted in the latter half of your practice. Sometimes you may not be hydrated enough before you start swimming, so it is important to hydrate frequently in your daily life.

In the first part, we introduced things to pay attention to in daily life, such as training and diet.
In the second part, we will suggest adjustments for actual matches, training that is tailored to the athlete's stage of development, and exemplary meal menus that cover the daily required amount of energy and nutrients.

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