Skeleton bob assignment finished

Module Code: 66-5888-00L Integrated physiology and nutrition

BSc(Hons) Sport and exercise science Matthew Moore

Nutritional and training recommendations for a

skeleton bob athlete prior to competition

Figure 1: Comparison of normative and athletes data values in different

activities.

Event Athletes data Normative data

30m sprint 4.50 seconds 4.20- 4.40 seconds

Flying 30m sprint

(60m)

4.00 seconds 3.55- 3.65 seconds

20m sled pull (15 kg) 3.75 seconds 3.10- 3.30 seconds

5x double leg bound 9.85 metres 10-12 metres

Hexagon drill 10.93 seconds <12.2 seconds*

Isokinetic knee

extension strength

Concentric quad: 2.97

Nm (60 degrees)

Concentric ham: 1.85

Nm (60 degrees)

Concentric quad: 3.09

Nm (60 degrees)

Concentric ham:1.41 Nm

(60 degrees)**

Ten second wingate

test

10.46 W kg/s >11.07 W kg/s***

Vertical jump 22 inches 23-25 inches

Functional movement

screen

Fail (flexibility) Pass

Faculty of Health and Wellbeing Sheffield Hallam University

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*(Arnot and Gaines 1984).

**(Welsch 1998).

***(Zupan et al. 2009).

Figure 1 shows that the development of power/strength, speed, flexibility and

plyometrics is essential for progress.

Skeleton bob athletes need to carry out similar training to power and strength

based athletes to allow for a quicker push time. A fast push phase push time

in the skeleton bob is a prerequisite to be successful in competition (Zanoletti

et al. 2006). Sands et al. (2005) recorded that lower extremity power and

strength had a strong correlation with crouched and upright sprint times,

suggesting the idea that stronger and more powerful athletes would be better

starters.

Plyometric training has showed positive changes in athletes' power and

strength and 2-3 sessions per week has shown the greatest effects on

sprinting as training mimics the muscle actions used during the acceleration

stage of a sprint (Markovic and Mikulic 2010). Weight training has shown also

to improve strength and show improvements in speed as well as flexibility

(Azeem and Amee 2010). Hamstring injuries are the most common amongst

sprinters and good flexibility within the hamstrings and quadriceps is needed

to reduce the risk of injury (Jonhagen, Ackermann and Saartok 2009). PNF

stretching carried out 3-5 times per exercise on the quadriceps and

hamstrings will increase muscular flexibility (Ninos 2001) .Power exercises,

plyometrics as well as sprint resisted training drills (Hoit 1996) would all

benefit the athletes speed during the push phase. Cissik (2010) says that

type IIx muscle fibres are required to perform fast explosive movements; with

power, speed and plyometric exercises being prioritised ahead of exercises

that do not train the athlete to exert force against the ground; a training plan

with these types of power exercises would most likely enhance the athletes

push time. Weightlifting exercises performed at loads of 50- 90% of a 1RM in

repetitions of 2-5 each set, appear to be the best training stimulus for Faculty of Health and Wellbeing Sheffield Hallam University

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improving maximal power in more complex movements (Cormie 2011), this

would support anthropometry and not hypertrophy which is what the athlete

requires.

Villanueva et al. (2012) summarised that after high intensity resistance

training using shorter rest intervals, testosterone levels increased and cortisol

responses lowered; this training would be recommended for the athlete as

testosterone is required to be high after training for anabolic rebuilding.

Dreyer et al. (2010) established that resistance exercise also stimulates

mTOR signalling which regulates cell growth, protein synthesis and cell

survival therefore it is crucial that power and strength exercises are dominant

throughout the athletes training programme.

Figure 2: Recommended training programme for the athlete devised to

improve speed, strength, power, flexibility and plyometrics.

Monday Tues Weds Thurs Friday Sat Sun

am Speed work

(specialist

sprinting

coach)

Flexibility

(PNF)

Rest Power/

strength

exercises

(upper body)

Flexibility

(PNF)

Power/

strength

exercises

(lower

body)

Flexibility

(PNF)

pm Plyometric

training

Power/

strength

exercises

(lower

body)

Rest Plyometric

training

Speed

work

(specialist

sprinting

coach)

Plyometric

training

Rest

The client’s diet is crucial in helping to maximise training performance and

enhance recovery. The event is of anaerobic nature and therefore a creatine

supplement would be advised. Clark (1997) stated that 15-20g/day of creatine


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has shown to increase muscle creatine and thus enhanced anaerobic

exercise performance. A maintenance period of 5g/day is then advised to

maximise energy when undertaking short bouts of high intensity exercise

(Bemben and Lamont 2005).

1.7g/kg is the current protein recommendation for a strength/power athlete

meaning 107g of protein is the optimum amount needed for the athlete per

day to meet their recommendations (Lemon 1997). The american dietetic

association (2009) recommends 8-10g/kg of carbohydrates for an athlete

performing high intensity training ranging from 504g-630g per day with fat

intake ranging from 20%-35% of total energy intake. Berardi et al. (2006)

concluded that protein and carbohydrate supplementation consumed early

after exercise would enhance an athlete’s glycogen resynthesis relative to

that of carbohydrate on its own; a suitable form of this supplement up to an

hour post training would be beneficial. 15-25g of protein should be taken post

exercise with 60-100g of carbohydrates being consumed within the same

time frame to aid glycogen resynthesis within the muscles which is according

to Haff et al. (2010 cited by Bird) especially important if the athlete is involved

in multiple training bouts per day. If snacking however 50g of carbohydrates

and 10g of protein would suffice, until a sufficient meal is consumed (AIS

sports nutrition 2009).

Boirie et al. (1997) found that whey protein has a greater protein synthesis

rate than that of casein; the athlete should be consuming whey protein

before, during and after training in amounts of around 10-25g and around 20g

of casein a couple of hours after training/ before bed for a slow release of

protein whilst resting for protein resynthesis to occur.

Crowe et al. (2006) concluded that dietary L-leucine significantly increased

power performance and according to Layman (2002 cited by Crowe et al.)

promotes muscle protein synthesis and thus should be included within the

athletes pre and post training drinks; 2g before and after training. According

to Holmes (2011) an athlete training at a high intensity for up to 4 hours per

day has a sweat rate of 1.9-2 L/h and a sodium loss of up to 2200 mg/h and

thus fluid replacement of 450-675 mL (for every 0.5 kg lost) 4-6 hours post Faculty of Health and Wellbeing Sheffield Hallam University

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training should suffice of which could include sports drinks containing

electrolytes (The american dietetic association 2009). Foods with high sodium

and potassium concentrations should also be considered to replace lost

electrolytes. Sawka et al. (2007) states that four hours before exercise 315-

441mL (5-7mL/kg) of slowly drunken fluid should be enough or hydration.

During training fluid should be drunk periodically to maintain hydration levels

(3-4 sips after each exercise). The athlete could use antioxidants as a

recovery tool after they perform exercises within their training programme as

they can provide beneficial effects against exercise induced oxidative tissue

damage (Sen 2001).


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Referencing List

AIS SPORTS NUTRITION (2009). Recovery nutrition. [online]. Last accessed 23rd

October 2012 at:

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/competition_and_training2/

recovery_nutrition

AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION (2009). Position of the American Dietetic

Association, Dieticians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine:

Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Journal of the american dietetic association, 109

(3), 510.

ARNOT, R. and GAINES, C. (1984). Sports talent. Harmondsworth, Penguin.

AZEEM, Kaukab and AMEE, Al, A (2010). Effect of weight training on sprinting

performance, flexibility and strength. British journal of sports medicine, 44 (14), 22.

BEMBEN, Michael G. and LAMONT, Hugh S. (2005). Creatine Supplementation

and Exercise Performance: Recent Findings. Sports medicine, 35 (2), 107.

BERARDI, John M. (2004). Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery is Enhance

With a Carbohydrate-Protein Supplement. Medicine and science in sport and

exercise, 36 (5), 41.

BIRD, Stephen (2010). Strength nutrition: Maximising your anabolic potential.

Strength and conditioning journal, 32 (4), 80-86.

BOIRIE, Yves, et al. (1997). Slow and fast dietary proteins differentially modulate

postprandial protein accretion. Proceedings of the national academy of sciences of

the united states of america, 94 (26), 14930.

CISSIK, John M. (2010). Strength and conditioning considerations for the 100-m

sprinter. Strength and conditioning journal, 32 (6), 89.

CLARKE, J F. (1997). Creatine and phosphocreatine: A review of their use in

exercise and sport. Journal of athletic training, 32 (1), 45-51.


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http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/competition_and_training2/recovery_nutrition

http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/competition_and_training2/recovery_nutrition



CORMIE, Prue (2011). Developing maximal neuromuscular power. Sports medicine,

41 (2), 125.

CROWE, Melissa J., et al. (2006). Effects of dietary leucine supplementation on

exercise performance. European journal of applied physiology, 97 (6), 664-672.

DREYER, H C., et al. (2010). Resistance exercise increases leg muscle protein

synthesis and mTOR signalling independent of sex. Blackwell publishers ltd, 1 (71),

199.

HOIT, Glenn (1996). A primer for sprinting. Coach and athletic director, 66 (3), 42.

JÖNHAGEN, Sven, ACKERMANN, Paul and SAARTOK, Tönu (2009). Forward

lunge: A training study of eccentric exercises of the lower limbs. Journal of strength

and conditioning research / national strength & conditioning association, 23 (3), 972-

978.

LEMON, Peter W R. (1997). Dietary protein requirements in athletes. The journal of

nutritional biochemistry, 8 (2), 52-60.

MARKOVIC, Goran and MIKULIC, Pavle (2010). Neuro-musculoskeletal and

performance adaptations to lower-extremity plyometric training. Sports medicine

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NINOS, Joel (2001). PNF- Self Stretching Techniques. Strength and conditioning

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SAWKA, M N., et al. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand.

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SEN, C K. (2001). Antioxidants in exercise nutrition. Sports medicine, 31 (13), 891.

VILLANUEVA, Matthew G., et al. (2012). Influence of rest interval length on acute

testosterone and cortisol responses to volume load equated total body hypertrophic

and strength protocols. Journal of strength and conditioning research/ national

strength and conditioning association, 26 (10), 2755-2764.


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WELSCH, Michael (1998). Quantification of full-range-of- motion unilateral and

bilateral knee flexion and extension torque ratios. Archives of physical medicine and

rehabilitation, 79 (8), 971-978.

ZANOLETTI, Costanza, et al. (2006). Relationship between push phase and final

race time in skeleton performance. Journal of strength and conditioning research/

national strength and conditioning association, 200 (3), 579.

ZUPAN, Michael, et al. (2009). Wingate anaerobic test peak power and anaerobic

capacity classifications for men and women intercollegiate athletes. Jourrnal of

strength and conditioning research, 23 (9), 2598-2604.


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Skeleton bob assignment finished