Food Effect on training

hiya,

i was wondering, did anybody notice the effects of food on their training?

I didn't get any advice or material on this subject, but I noticed a pattern; I train aikido better on an empty stomach.

It's torture, and all technique takes an enormous effort, but really, really good awase ( blending ) can happen then. Which is impossible for me when I'm loaded and healthy.

As a matter of fact, I realized several aikido principles during sessions when I forgot to eat.

I'd like to hear some comments on this

I usually work better on a full stomach, because otherwise I lack the energy to take lots of ukemi. I always try and eat 3 hours before a class so that my meal is fully digested but ive still got enough energy to practice.

I don't enjoy physical exercise of any kind if my stomach is actually full--as in, if I've just eaten a meal, as I feel bloated and my body is working extra hard since I'm not only exerting myself by training but also digesting.

What Nick said is really true though--the last thing I want is to have low blood sugar when doing a marathon of ukemi practice.

I generally try to have a light snack about an hour or so before class, and then when class is over I go home, shower, and am ready for a nice big meal.

A full nutritious meal between 2-4 hours before practice, depending on your constitution (you will know your own).

(A light pasta meal 2 hours before is ideal, imo)

If you feel the need for blood sugar... gatorade, lucozade, sugary soft drinks 30 mins - 1 hour before practice, maybe some chocloate.

You should make sure to have something after practice as well, especially liquids (not alcohol, well more non-alcohol than alcohol anyway, twice as much non-alcohol minimum), followed by a light snack or a full breakfast the next morning.

The main thing is not to think of eating in terms of days, but in months.

A full stomach and alot of ukemi do not mix.

Jeanne

There are several students in our dojo who are fasting during the daylight hours of Rahmadan. We start practice about an hour after they break their fast. This doesn't make for an ideal training situation: Their stomachs are digesting newly ingested food while their blood sugar levels may still be somewhat depleted. The fact that they still come to train says something about their character, at the very least.

Actually john kuo, this year is just fine because we have at least 1 hr to digest before class. Last year, i had 15 mins. So all i could eat was three dates and a glass of water. anything more risks coming out after some serious ukemi.

Reading the glycemic index of certain foods, i found that snickers and m&ms are actually quite low to even white processed carbs. this make it an ideal snack to give you energy before class at the same time not fill you up like a real meal would.

Myself, i always eat after class not before if i can help it. you try and touch your toes after a full meal if you think otherwise and wear a hakama.

I ate a couple of pies last saturday about 10 minutes before training started because Id slept in and had been drinking the night before, so I was really hungry. One of the Shodan joked that he would make me take hip throws all class to make them come back up, but after 2 hours of ukemi I wasnt sick. I was quite proud, so after class I ate the other 2 pies I had :0

To summarize: gatorade, sugary soft drinks, snickers bars, m&m's, pies... the pre-workout nutrition of champions.

So Nick. YOU ate all the pies!!

My dojo also has several members who're fasting. But the amazing thing is that on sundays, they break their fast AFTER training for one and a half hour.

I often did involuntary fasting because my office hours and the dojo hours are too close, often hafta run and forego lunch.

just reading this thread makes me hungry, i'm gonna make some noodle...

Just yesterday, I noticed that they had free candy in the dojo before Ukemi class. So I ate four or five milky way bars, and other candy. Then we did lots of breakfalls, which my stomach didn't particularily like.

Basically, if I don't eat right, I end up with big stomache cramps during class.

I've tried only eating a couple energy bars before a class, and that didn't work (particularily because we did shinai randori that class).

What's it like training before breaking a fast? Hard I guess. How did your dojo members find it Maresa? Any effect on their psychology?

Personally I've found eating 2-3 hours before training is best, preferably a veggie meal with plenty of carbs. For mornings I opt for coffee and bananas.

On a related note, has anyone moved from a country where most aikidoka drink alcohol at some point in their week, to a country where this doesn't happen? Did you notice any differences in training/ performance?

Mark

x

Gee Anders, I wish my dojo offers free candy.

Or maybe the candies are provided as a trap for the untrained aikidoka.^^

Got you.

My dojo members are taking it easy, so the training didn't really tax their strength. But I remember several years back when I was badly koshinage-ed by a brown belt who is fasting. No control, and somewhat lacking in co-ordination.

You know, after reading this thread I realized I don't eat enough before training.

maresa

As a rule, I never eat more then a fruit less then 4 hours before class and I usually try to avoid meat and poultry on a practice day.

I have a good cup of coffee an hour before class (it takes me 45 minutes to get from work to Dojo so it is the last coffee of the day).

Some of my teachers claim that training after a fasting day is good for you because it forces you to practice on spirit, will and Ki rather using your physical stamina. Thy claim that Aikido should be effortless. Taking Ukemi is done using your own mass movement and with relaxed muscles and controlled breathing rather then jumping up and down on aerobic drive. If performing as Nage makes you tiered then you are over-doing it. Practicing with low blood-sugar will help you bring these values out.

No matter how hungry I get to class, 5 minutes into Ukemi and forget about my stomach and focuse on that quickly appoaching tatami.

I hate eating after aikido, because then I'm going to bed less than two hours after eating (like to go to sleep on an empty stomach), so I always eat before class. Usually eat lightly before class, like a banana and a piece of toast, or best of all, a handful of almonds. Actually I find that almonds are the best pre-training food for me, as they keep my blood sugar levels constant and give a boost to energy.

Yes James, I ate all the pies, muwahahahaha!

Used to train in the saturday afternoon classes and sunday morning classes about 2hrs to 8hrs before breaking fast. No effect, except you're a bit thirsty. No lost of control either.

A beginner who just started class last week (during the first day of fasting no less) only drinks water to break fast. He eats way late after class (about 10pm or three hours after possible breakfast)cause us jerks keep him in dojo after class to train with us extra. :P

Frankly, all this pie talk is making me hungry. mmmm...pie. Must eat pie...

Depends on type of training. For extended aerobic exercise best to do 'pasta loading' i.e. eat lots of pasta for several days before and about 2 hours or more before exercising. However eventually this will turn you into a fat bu**er if you don't exercise enough. (although other carbohydrates are useful, pasta seems to be able to give that real burst of energy that you can't get from rice or potatoes).

Lots of green vegetables also essential.

Ian

I train from 20 to 21:30, with completely free stomach, and have a beef+non cooked vegetables dinner after (or pizza with the friends of the dojo )

I only make a bigger lunch, around 13:00, the days I do Aikido than in normal days.

This is the best compromise for me, the day I had my first stage at 15:00 i had lunch at 13:30 and felt really more "heavy" on training with so few time passed from lunch.

I have to eat before class, usually 2 hours before works fine for me. It gets my blood sguar to good levels and digestion is complete. This is a personal thing however, another aikidoka I know must eat three hours before training.

My wife sometimes attacks me when I am eating.

Because your food isnt digested yet is it harder for you to throw her?

Because you're eating her food?

Jeanne

Jeanne Shepard wrote: Because you're eating her food? Jeanne

Perhaps his wife's cooking can be considered as a form of attack?