Diet Before Competing & Ideas on How to Swim Faster?

Question

I'm a swimmer at my high school, and I want to find a diet that won't get me to cramp and will make me do my best :]

I am also wondering if run, does that build up your endurance in the pool? Or is it solely just "the more you swim, the faster you'll get"?

Answer 1

Your diet before a competition will vary from person to person as each person's chemical composition is different. But normally the night before you want to eat pasta which has a lot of complex carbs in it (polysaccharides if you want to be technical, poly- = more than one, large in number). Stay away from sugar which has a lot of monosaccharides (mono- = one or few in number). If you really want to you can drink an energy drink (ex. Monster) about an hour or 2 before your meet but otherwise it really won't do you any good. For general nutrition you should really stick to a balanced diet that has a little bit of everything in it just so that your body is chemically in-shape for the meet.

As for the swimming faster thing running won't necessarily get you to swim faster. It'll increase your aerobic stamina, there's no doubt about that, but if you're a sprint swimmer or a relay person you really don't need to run and instead focus on quick-release muscle building (muscles for getting lots of energy for a short period of time, for this you should lift weights). If you're a longer distance swimmer such as an IM or 500/mile swimmer then running will do you a lot more for you in the end but being in the pool and doing different exercises in there is the best thing for you because as I and many professional coaches say being used to the water and swimming is really the best thing for you.

Answer 2

Dehydration can cause cramping so make sure you are drinking a lot of water or sports drinks. Lack of potassium can cause cramping too... this is where the bananas come in because they are high in potassium.

the night before a meet you want to eat complex carbohydrates like a spaghetti dinner, stay away from sugars because they are fast burning calories and won't give the sustained energy that the complex carbs will. Again, make sure you are hydrated.

running can build your endurance... but swimming more is better. you can always run in the off season to keep you endurance up. Do some strength training also with surgical tubing or stretch bands.

Answer 3

Eating a good balanced diet is the best way to go. Plenty of protein, vitamins and carbs! Eat whole fruits, whole grains, grilled meats, lots of veggies. Avoid too much salt or sugar but don't cut them out altogether, balance is key! The potassium in bananas will help you avoid leg cramps. To avoid food-related cramping go for plain easy-to-digest foods and avoid heavy spices, oily and fatty foods before you compete. A lot of this balance depends on how well your stomach digests, I personally swear by grilled Cajun chicken before and during a race!

Swimming is the best way to improve swimming. Running will not hurt and it will aid in cardiovascular endurance.

Good luck!!!

Answer 4

go on a diet of only spaghetti and complex carbs... no not only those, but the night before a practice, and especially the night before a meet, eat complex carbs. running does help with swimming. but swimming is still the best way to get better at swimming.

Answer 5

hi! our coach back in college used to make us eat bananas to avoid cramping. i'm not sure how well that worked though because i never had problems with cramping. but to avoid cramps, i think it's better if you stretch well before swimming, especially in the calves.

running didn't really work for me in buidling endurance, but you don't have anything to lose by running either. before a competition, carbo load! bread, potato, pasta...rice is the best, though. i would also recommend having a bite of chocolate right before your event. good luck!

Answer 6

Are trying carrying a dome cap, idk if they help or not for definite but i do know a couple of countrywide level swimmers who swear by means of them, rinse your racing go well with and wring it in bloodless water after on a daily basis of the meet, shave, stay hydrated, are trying vigor drinks, weight lifting quite helps, it brought my one hundred breast time from a 1:05 to a 57 sec (yards) keep on with it! Cross coaching and weightlifting is my greatest advise!

Answer 7

First you need water , Water is the best , then you practice running or wotever but after dont drink a soft drink , drink water again , in swimming you need to bend your arms forward and kick of you legs as fast as you can ..it works for me . :)

Answer 8

carbs the night before and lots of fruits (bananas are GOOD!!! the potassium is good to keep muscles from cramping)!!

Answer 9

check out dressed in a dome cap, idk in the event that they aid or no longer for certain however i do know a couple of country wide stage swimmers who swear via them, rinse your racing swimsuit and wring it in bloodless water after every day of the meet, shave, keep hydrated, check out vigor beverages, weight lifting quite is helping, it introduced my one hundred breast time from a one million:05 to a fifty seven sec (yards) keep it up! pass coaching and weightlifting is my greatest endorse!