Nutrition is an integral component of physical performance.
While it's long been known that what we eat is used by our bodies to provide
energy for movement (muscular contraction), it hasn't been apparent until
recently that manipulation of our "diet" can both positively and
negatively affect our performance in sports.
An ergogenic nutrient or diet results is one which favorably
improves performance while an ergolytic, or work-reducing, nutrient
or meal plan impairs exercise performance. Nutrients and diets are termed
ergogenic or ergolytic only after carefully controlled scientific studies
using appropriate exercise models.
The issue or appropriate controls and expermental design is
of utmost importance in determining the validity of a nutrient or diet as
being work-enhancing, or ergogenic. Athletes and particularly coaches need
to educate themselves or consult sports health professionals to make informed
decisions.
The topics above comprised much of the conference agenda at
the 13th Annual Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI).
Invited speakers, panelists, and conference participants comprised leading
sports health professionals and practitioners from around the world.
As a lifelong competititve racquetball player, exercise physiologist
and fitness enthusiastic I have devoted this section toward bringing the latest
news and findings from the exercise science arena to racquetball players who
make informative decisions about their training and nutrition.
As racquetball is characterized in exercise science as an intermittent
high intensity (IHI) exercise, the majority of the information in this section
will relate toward the sport of racquetball.