Current Concepts in Sports Nutrition - Australian Sports Commission

DURING EXERCISE
Power and aesthetic sports (for example, gymnastics, rowing, boxing, judo)
The priority for these sports is to ensure good nutrition throughout day-to-day training
and to prepare well for competition. Due to the short nature of the competitive events,
it is usually impractical and unnecessary to take in food or fluids during exercise.
Athletes involved in these sports are often required to compete in several events
throughout the day. In this situation, athletes need to plan their food and fluid intake
in order to maintain adequate fuel and fluid stores, while avoiding any gastrointestinal
discomfort.
Cramping, stitch and gastrointestinal comfort
The causes of cramping and stitch during exercise are still largely unknown. Some things to
consider are:
1 Timing of fluid intake — start drinking early in exercise, as this is better tolerated when
the fluid deficit is still small. Frequent intake of small amounts of fluid is likely to be better
tolerated than large amounts of fluid.
2 Fluid type — large amounts of concentrated carbohydrate drinks (>8 per cent) may cause
gastric discomfort or cramping.
3 Fibre — lower-fibre options of food are typically digested and absorbed more readily during
exercise
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