Nutrition for football - FIFA.com

12 NUTRITION FOR FOOTBALL | ENErgy dEMandsNUTRITION FOR FOOTBALL | ENErgy dEMands 13Energy demandsof training and match playMost serious football players play in one or moreshould be taken into account in the training andIn pre-season, the training load is usually at itscompetitive games per week for a large part of the yearnutritional strategies of all serious players.greatest as players strive to reach full fitness for theand will train most days of the week, sometimes twice aThe total distance run by a player during a gameopening games of the season. Energy demands in aday, throughout this time. The energy demands ofdepends on many different factors, including the level oftraining session focused on fitness may exceed those oftraining must be met to maintain performance capacitycompetition, the player’s position, the playing style, anda hard game. In sessions where the emphasis is onand prevent the development of excessive fatigue.fitness level of the individual. At the elite level, malerecovery and regeneration or on skill, the energy costThose who play for fun and train occasionally will findoutfield players typically cover about 10-13 km, makingwill be much less.this a good way to stay fit and control weight, but theyfootball an endurance sport. The physical demands aredo not face the same nutritional challenges.increased by the fact that more than 600 m are coveredEnergy needsat sprinting speed and about 2.4 km at high intensity.The foods we eat and the fluids we drink provide for theEnergy for match playOver the whole duration of the game, heart rate is aboutimmediate energy needs of the body as well asFootball is a game of intermittent work. Players generally85% of the maximum rate and the oxygen demand isinfluencing body energy stores. Energy stores play aperform low intensity activities for more than 70% ofabout 70% of the maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max).number of important roles related to exercisethe game, but heart rate and body temperatureThese values suggest that the total energy cost of aperformance, since they contribute tomeasurements suggest that the total energy demand isgame for a typical player weighing about 75 kg would• Size and physique (e.g. body fat and muscle mass)high. The high energy demand may be partly explainedbe about 1800 kcal (about 5.5 MJ). The value for players• function (e.g. muscle mass)by the repeated high intensity efforts that players areat lower levels of the game is somewhat less than this;• fuel for exercise (e.g. muscle and liver carbohydratecalled upon to perform. A top class player performsbecause the VO2max is also lower, the total energystores)about 150-250 brief intense actions during a game.expended will be less. Of course, heavier players needThese efforts place high demands on the anaerobicmore energy for a given distance run, and energy needsThe energy needed for training and match play must beenergy systems, and are a major factor in the fatiguealso vary greatly between individuals.added to the energy required for normal daily activities.that occurs at all stages of the game.This will depend on physical activity at work and onCarbohydrate is stored in the muscles and in theEnergy demands of trainingother lifestyle factors.liver as glycogen. This is probably the most importantThe energy demands of training will vary depending onHow much food a player needs will depend largelyfuel for energy production and fatigue towards the endthe intensity, frequency, and duration of the trainingon the total energy needs, and there is no simple formulaof a game may be related to depletion of glycogen insessions, but they will also change over the course of theto predict this. Energy needs depend not only on thesome of the individual muscle fibres. If even a few ofthese are unable to contract, then sprinting ability isreduced and skill may also be impaired. Free fatty acidseason. Most players will follow a weekly cycle thatinvolves a reduced training load to allow recovery fromthe previous game, days of harder training, and ademands of training and match play, but also onactivities outside the game. For those who traininfrequently, or where training sessions are short or easy,How much food a playerneeds will depend largely on(FFA) levels in blood increase progressively during agame and partially compensate for the progressivereduction in training load in preparation for the nextgame.the energy demands will not be high. Similarly, energyneeds are lower during periods of inactivity such as thethe total energy needs.lowering of muscle glycogen, but this is a less effectiveoff-season or while a player is injured, and playersfuel source. The physical demands during a game varyshould adapt their food intake accordingly.greatly between players and are related to physicalcapacity and tactical role in the team. These differences