Nutrition
Peak Ski Racing Academy looks to the Australian Institute of Sport to set the nutrition framework for the athletes to provide the greatest possible performance in training and racing.
The key focus is on building and maintaining lean muscle mass and ensuring that carbohydrate intake is sufficient given the intense nature of alpine training in altitude.
AIS philosphy on nutrition
OUR MISSION
“To define world best practice in sports nutrition by providing excellence in sports nutrition service, advice and education to athletes, national sporting organisations and sporting stakeholders”
OUR VISIONS
The key focus is on building and maintaining lean muscle mass and ensuring that carbohydrate intake is sufficient given the intense nature of alpine training in altitude.
AIS philosphy on nutrition
OUR MISSION
“To define world best practice in sports nutrition by providing excellence in sports nutrition service, advice and education to athletes, national sporting organisations and sporting stakeholders”
OUR VISIONS
- To feed athletes today and educate them for tomorrow
- To help all AIS athletes maximise their performance through the benefits of cutting edge nutrition practices
- To undertake or interpret new research to ensure that our sports nutrition practice is evidence based
- To provide education that is dynamic and sports-specific
- To achieve our goals through teamwork, communication and the knowledge that together we are more than the sum of our parts
Building and maintaining lean muscle mass
Alpine skiers require gains in lean muscle tissue, one of the main challenges alpine skiers can encounter is the development of lean muscle tissue during the preparation phase and the maintenance of these gains during the high intensity on snow training block pre competition.
During the heavy on snow pre competition phase skiers should aim to consume suitable energy to meet their increased metabolic demands. They should ensure that sports nutrition recovery guidelines are followed and consume suitable amounts of carbohydrate (7-10g/kg/day). One area of particular focus is the consumption of suitable recovery snacks within an appropriate time frame. As training venues is at considerable altitudes and the time taken to descend to suitable food sources can take between 60 min and 120 min, it is important skiers are organised with suitable nutrient dense carbohydrate recovery snacks. Suitable choices we provide are:
Alpine skiers require gains in lean muscle tissue, one of the main challenges alpine skiers can encounter is the development of lean muscle tissue during the preparation phase and the maintenance of these gains during the high intensity on snow training block pre competition.
During the heavy on snow pre competition phase skiers should aim to consume suitable energy to meet their increased metabolic demands. They should ensure that sports nutrition recovery guidelines are followed and consume suitable amounts of carbohydrate (7-10g/kg/day). One area of particular focus is the consumption of suitable recovery snacks within an appropriate time frame. As training venues is at considerable altitudes and the time taken to descend to suitable food sources can take between 60 min and 120 min, it is important skiers are organised with suitable nutrient dense carbohydrate recovery snacks. Suitable choices we provide are:
- easy to eat fruit i.e. banana
- sports bars/breakfast bars
- sports gels
- fruit buns/bagels/cookies
- dried fruit and nut mixes
- sandwiches with meat fillings
- hot chocolate/Milo
- soup
- Warm liquid meal supplements (eg. PowerBar Protein Plus Powder, Sustagen)
Carbohydrate Requirements
At altitude, carbohydrate metabolism is altered and the reliance on carbohydrate as a basic fuel source increases. This coupled with the intense nature of alpine training leads to many alpine skiers having difficulty meeting their carbohydrate requirements. During periods of on glacial training in extreme temperatures, skiers can rapidly deplete carbohydrate stores. They should therefore aim to consume carbohydrate regularly before, during and after training. Prior to snow sessions, skiers should consume a nutrient dense carbohydrate meal or snack. Suitable choices may be;
At altitude, carbohydrate metabolism is altered and the reliance on carbohydrate as a basic fuel source increases. This coupled with the intense nature of alpine training leads to many alpine skiers having difficulty meeting their carbohydrate requirements. During periods of on glacial training in extreme temperatures, skiers can rapidly deplete carbohydrate stores. They should therefore aim to consume carbohydrate regularly before, during and after training. Prior to snow sessions, skiers should consume a nutrient dense carbohydrate meal or snack. Suitable choices may be;
- soup + warm crusty bread
- rolls/sandwiches
- pasta with tomato based sauce
- hot potato with fillings (take care not to over consume marg, cheese, sour cream)
- thick doughy based pizzas with low fat toppings
- Pancakes and maple syrup