By Shireesh Bhalerao, D.C.
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| | Shireesh Bhalerao is a licensed chiropractor practicing in Portland, Oregon. He is the tournament director of the Portland City Squash Open, hosted by the Lloyd Athletic Club, and is always looking for advice about his game. |
It’s time to start preparing for the big match and this is what many squash players think about: Bring the extra racquet. Don’t forget the wristbands. Pack an extra shirt (white and collared, of course). Almost forgot the bandana. The extra grip is a must. Oh yeah, the warm-up suit. Knee and ankle supports. The list stretches until the bag cannot fit anything else.
But frequently squash players forget to do the most important thing before a match: to prepare nutritionally. As many of us know, what you eat at these times is directly related to your performance on the court.
What follows is a rough guide of what to eat and when to make the game more enjoyable both during and after squash. Please note that nutritional needs vary from individual to individual and various factors, such as age, sex, existing conditions, or food sensitivities, must be considered before implementing any dietary modifications.
Eat A Balanced Diet
First of all, use common sense. Squash players are like anyone else in that they must eat a balanced diet, making sure they get an appropriate amount of nutrients by eating a variety of foods. A low-fat, high-carbohydrate, and moderate protein diet is ideal for the squash player to maintain regularly. Here are some general guidelines to follow to make sure that you are eating a balanced diet:
1. Maintain desirable body weight through appropriate caloric intake and physical activity.
2. Eat a variety of foods.
3. Increase consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to ensure adequate starch and fiber.
4. Decrease consumption of refined sugars and foods high in saturated fats.
5. Decrease consumption of salt.
6. Decrease the amount of processed foods.
Eat Enough to Meet the Needs of the Body
As an aerobic endurance sport, the game of squash inherently requires the player to use a lot of energy. Every player (and coach, for that matter) needs to consider this when determining how many calories are needed to accommodate for the energy used while playing. Naturally, the minimal amount of caloric intake will directly depend on the training and performance intensity of the individual player. The more you train and play, the more you will need to eat to stay healthy.
Pre-Match Nutrition
“Hitting the wall” has many meanings for the average squash player. In the context of this discussion, it refers to that moment in a match or training session where the player feels a sudden onset of fatigue and resultantly those nice, tight rails take on the appearance of poor boasts. This phenomenon is a direct consequence of not eating enough of the right foods at the right times before the match. Healthy day-to-day eating habits will set up the athlete to eat the right pre-match meal.
You should eat two to six hours before getting on the court, depending on the person. This will allow for the food to leave your stomach. If your match is in the morning, you should prepare accordingly by eating a late meal the night before and have a light, carbohydrate-rich breakfast snack. For those who don’t like to eat anything within a six-hour window prior to a match, it is important to eat more the day before. Following this guide will help you avoid eating a sugary food (like a candy bar) just prior to the match, which, especially for those whose blood-sugar levels frequently fluctuate, could be detrimental on the court.
The 90 Second Window of Opportunity
Not only should you rest in the 90 seconds between games, but also you should make effort to sip some water or electrolyte drink (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade) even if you are not thirsty. Eating carbohydrate-rich snacks during the break to give you some needed energy. As mentioned, avoid refined sugars if you can. Eating rather than drinking at this point during a match may not be tolerated well by all players.
Post-Match Nutrition
When you get off the court, take care to replenish all that lost energy immediately so you don’t “hit the wall” in your next match or training session. Within the first two hours after your match, it is generally recommended that you drink an electrolyte-rich sports drink. Not only will this replenish the energy stores in your body but it will also help the rehydration process.
After a match, alcohol (i.e., the ritualistic beer) should be avoided because it will dehydrate you even further and the carbonation in the beer will prevent you from drinking enough fluid by giving you a sense of fullness.
Once you have left the club, it is time for another carbohydrate-rich meal. As mentioned earlier, eating a variety of foods will make meals like these much more appealing and less monotonous. Now you’re ready to begin preparing for the next match. This time, try to not forget the nutritional aspects.
(In a future article, Shireesh Bhalerao will discuss the importance of hydration during a squash game—an issue potentially more important than solid food intake.) |
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