[Amino Acid Sports Nutrition Science Lab Special Discussion] Collegiate Swimming [Part 1] The Importance of Peaking to Give Your Full Strength in the Big Game

[Interview]
Strength and conditioning coach Mikio Numata
Haruka Suzuki, dietitian, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Be in top condition for the big game. Peaking step by step

--Swimming is one of the most physical sports, and you have to be conscious of your body temperature and physical condition when spending a long time in the pool. If you were a "male college student (first year)," please tell us what is important when practicing every day.

Numata:Swimming is very different from other sports in that it is exercised in water. In water, energy consumption is high, and it seems like the practice time is long. The practice process also starts with warming up before entering the water. After entering the water, there are various types of practice methods, such as gradually increasing the intensity and swimming long distances, or swimming with power, so it seems like it uses a lot of body energy. I think conditioning is more important than in other sports.

--What are some of the conditioning challenges that university swimming team members often face?

Numata:In swimming, it is important to "peak" your physical strength, power, cardiopulmonary endurance, and other factors to be in the best condition for the most important races. It is difficult to focus on getting into shape just for the most important competitions, so you should take part in preliminary races, set personal target times in practice time trials, and train repeatedly to set your standards for important competitions.

Even though we work as a team, there are individual differences in swimming and physical training tasks, so I feel that it is one of the more difficult sports to peak in.

Suzuki:When you say "individual differences," do you mean something like "this athlete should increase the intensity of their training a certain number of days in advance"?

Numata:It also varies from person to person. Some athletes need to ensure a certain amount and intensity, while others avoid putting too much external stress on themselves and adjust by quickly removing fatigue. It's important to carefully peak according to each athlete's condition.

Suzuki:I agree. I've seen many athletes, and there are many different ways to adjust your game. Is it true that you can't really know the individual adjustment methods until you try them out?

Numata:That's right. We try out various challenges, verify what is good and what is bad, make improvements and prepare for the competition. When it comes to swimming, the coach's perspective and the swimmer's sense are important, so we communicate as much as possible and try to incorporate their feedback into the training.

Eating a little at a time to get the nutrients you need to endure a day of practice

--Based on your experience watching top athletes, what should college students pay attention to when it comes to daily body building and diet?

Suzuki:Swimmers consume a lot of energy, so when it comes to building their bodies, it's important for them to make sure they take in the amount of energy they need each day.

University students practice twice a day, practicing in the morning and practicing in the evening after class. Morning practice starts early in the morning, so it's difficult to eat a proper breakfast. That's why I want them to drink energy jelly frequently so they can get enough energy between practices. After morning practice, they also eat snacks to make up for the nutrients they missed at breakfast.

For lunch, I would like you to be conscious of eating vegetables, which tend to be lacking at breakfast. It is also important to have a snack before and after evening practice. If you don't have a snack, you will end up eating too much at dinner, which will lead to poor quality sleep and you won't be able to eat breakfast the next day.

The top competitive swimmers supported by the Victory Project® also practice the "little by little" diet, eating something whenever they find the time. I would like university students to also be conscious of "little by little" dieting.

--So it's important to make use of supplemental foods when swimming, which consumes a lot of energy.

Suzuki:Yes. Swimming consumes a lot of energy, so you should take advantage of supplemental foods to avoid running out of energy. If you run out of energy, your body will break down and produce more energy, which will hinder your body's development and lower the quality of your training. It is important not to run out of energy throughout the day.

[⇒The specific answer to this question will be given in the second part!]

Training and nutrition for building a body that is also necessary for swimming

--As a swimmer, are there any muscle groups you would like to strengthen, or any recommended training methods? Also, what kind of gym training is effective?

Numata:I want them to do basic exercises for both the upper and lower body evenly. This is not limited to swimming, but if you are involved in any sport, you need to increase your power, so you need to introduce power training and progress in stages.

When it comes to swimming, some people think that "you don't need that much muscle," compared to land sports where you slam your body against each other. However, the higher the level of competition, not just in swimming, the more muscle strength and power are needed. In swimming technique, the challenge is how to grab the water while gaining propulsion, so strength training on land is essential. In particular, I would like you to train the back muscles that control the movements required for swimming.

--Some athletes who have just graduated from high school to college don't do enough strength training. How do you approach athletes who don't have enough muscle mass?

Numata:There will inevitably be a difference between those with and without training experience. For swimmers who do not have sufficient muscle mass, we help them understand the meaning of training and consider what events to introduce. The time when they move from high school to college is when their bodies are being developed. Proper training during this growth stage and effectively increasing muscle mass should ultimately lead to improved swimming quality.

[⇒The specific answer to this question will be given in the second part!]

Even if you train, you won't build muscle without the protein to support it.

--Please tell us if there are any nutrients or ingredients necessary for strength training for swimmers.

Suzuki:No matter how much you train, if you don't have the materials to build muscle, you won't gain muscle. You need to make sure you get enough protein, which is the building material.

First of all, it is essential to take in protein in your meals. It is also efficient to replenish protein immediately after exercise. However, if you eat a lot of protein after exercise, it takes 3 to 4 hours to digest and absorb, so it will inevitably put a strain on your stomach and intestines. In such cases, you can build muscle more efficiently by taking in amino acids properly. We recommend a cycle of taking in amino acids after practice or training, and then eating a meal with plenty of protein when you get home.

--You mentioned "amino acids after training," but would taking protein be effective as well?

Suzuki:It is important to take in protein, but if drinking protein puts a strain on your stomach and prevents you from eating, it will defeat the purpose. If you take amino acids that can effectively approach muscles without putting a strain on your stomach and intestines, you will be able to eat well afterwards, so you can take in protein effectively.

Numata:For athletes with little nutrition knowledge, where should they start?

Suzuki:Basically, if you don't have enough energy, no matter how much you train, you won't build muscle. Once you understand that, the first step is to be conscious of not running out of energy. To that end, it might be a good idea to encourage your child to drink energy jelly before practice.

University students, in particular, have practice after class, so there is a long time between lunch and practice. If you don't replenish your nutrients during that time, you will have an energy deficiency and your muscles will break down during practice. Check that you are not lacking in energy, that is, that you are getting the amount of energy you need, by stepping on the scales every day. On top of that, I would like you to make good use of energy jellies and amino acids to replenish your nutrients between practice sessions.

In the first part, we talked about the importance of peaking and the use of "eating little by little" to get through a day's practice. In the second part, we will introduce how to adjust before and on the day of a match, as well as specific training, meals, and snacks.

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Strength and conditioning coach Mikio Numata

Japan Sport Council High Performance Support Program Training Coach

Born in 1972. After working at Central Sports, he has been providing training guidance to university and adult American football and rugby teams. He has served as a strength and conditioning coach for many teams, regardless of the specific sport, and has coached top Olympic-level athletes. He currently serves as a training coach for the High Performance Support Business at the National Institute of Sports Sciences, Japan Sport Council. He is also the CEO of bigground Co., Ltd.

Haruka Suzuki, Registered Dietitian

Dietitian, Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

Registered dietitian. After studying sports nutrition at graduate school, she joined Ajinomoto Co., Inc. in 2015. Until 2023, she will be in charge of the "Victory Project®," which provides nutritional support to top athletes, supporting athletes in handball, competitive swimming, figure skating, and other sports. She is currently involved in sports nutrition research and activities to promote amino acids.