Finally an Article on Climbing Nutrition that Sheds Some Light
Recently I've found myself suffering from fatigue and malnutrition leading up to my climbing, and needless to say my climbing is suffering. So you can imagine how happy I was when I stumbled upon this article by Robert Portman PH.D for Rock and Ice that really broke down nutrition for climbers. Everything from Pre, During and Post climb.
My key takeaways in a nutshell:
START DRINKING CARB/PROTEIN MIXTURE DRINKS
MAKE SURE TO CONSUME CALORIES THROUGHOUT THE PRE TO POST CLIMB PERIOD
GO FOR THE CAFFEINE AND SIMPLE SUGARS WITH NO GUILT
But you can always check out the article yourself! Rock Climbing Nutrition: Eating Your Way to Better Climbing
Highlights from the Article:
"The ideal way to develop an effective nutrition plan is to segment your effort on every climb into three stages, recognizing that each stage has different nutritional needs: -Priming -Fueling -Recovery" "Muscle fatigue is not the only issue for climbers. Brain fatigue, also known as central fatigue, is a major factor in performance decline. Fatigue signals emanating from the brain can directly impact the force of muscle contraction. Additionally, brain-fatigue signals can produce a loss of concentration. " "The Montana State University study measured the effects of three different nutrition interventions on muscle damage during simulated rock climbing on a Treadwall. The three treatments were: 1) a carbohydrate/electrolyte sports drink, 2) water, and 3) water combined with a carb/protein gel in a 4:1 ratio. The study’s principal investigator, Dr. Seifert, said, “One reason we conducted this study is that rock climbing is characterized by a high percentage of isometric muscle contractions, which cause significant muscle damage. We therefore expected that carb/protein supplementation would reduce the level of muscle damage.” The researchers reported that the carb/protein gel, compared to the carb-only supplement, did indeed reduce muscle damage—by 56 percent. And compared to water, the carb/protein gel reduced muscle damage by 79 percent. Seifert concluded, “These findings indicate that a carb/protein gel supplement offers significant advantages during rock climbing.” Depending on the intensity of your climb/pitches, consume 100 to 200 calories per hour."
