“Electrolytes” is one of those buzzwords you hear when learning about health, exercise, and nutrition. Athletes often stock up on electrolyte-infused drinks after working out, but not everyone understands the significance of these minerals. There’s a science behind the theory of both preloading before exercise, and rehydrating afterwards. Both are equally essential to the performance…
Jacinta Roberts is new to the sports of triathlon and cycling. After leading a relatively inactive lifestyle whilst growing up, Jacinta made the shift to sport when the pandemic arrived. She decided to buy a bike and capitalised on every opportunity to get out of the house and go for a ride. As with most endurance sport enthusiasts, she soon became addicted!
Sometimes having a rest is undoubtedly the best thing you can do. But often as athletes we fight doing so and don’t give our bodies the long rest and recovery they are Whatever sport or type of activity you do, it is always important to take a break from it physically, mentally and emotionally. Doing so will leave you fresh and fighting to go, and can often reignite that competitive spirit within you, which can easily be lost when putting in the hours day in, day out, sometimes unquestioningly.
Kimberley Smith is certainly not your average age group athlete, or average athlete by any means. After losing her sister to cancer several years ago, she began the sport as a way of dealing with her grief and she found it transformed her life. She is as humble as ever, but brave too, doing her first triathlon on a friend’s bike with only one swim, one bike and a couple of runs under her belt! An impressive feat to say the least.
I recently took the time to chat with Marley-Jo (MJ), who is a female police offer, triathlete and mother of two children, one of whom has severe learning difficulties and epilepsy. MJ works long hours in Highway Patrol and often survives off two to three hours’ sleep, as her son, Denver, struggles to sleep. Yet she still makes time to train and values it all the more as a result of her circumstances. Sport is a luxury, which many in other countries cannot afford. Marley-Jo certainly does not waste a moment and understands the importance of health, fitness and nutrition in not only performance, but also productivity and maintaining quality of life.
We all think our bodies are invincible, but there’s always a chance we could break. Trainers and athletes especially need to stay cautious of what they’re doing in order to be successful; every session counts! We just want to make the most out of it so we can feel satisfied with ourselves at the end of the day – no matter how hard we pushed. However, it’s tricky to know when you’re pushing yourself too hard without taking care of yourself properly- so here’s some tips on how to tell whether you’re going too far one way or another (and when you should back off)!
Jackson Byrne is 17 years old, in his final year of school and working as a lifeguard, competing for an AFL club and racing at state level for Enduro mountain biking! All of this combined with his somewhat surreal passion for freediving and spear fishing keeps Jackon’s feet firmly on the ground and helps him stay calm. There is never dull moment in Jackson’s life and he has learnt so much about looking after himself and life generally through sport.
Every athlete knows that proper hydration and electrolyte balance are crucial to their training, but finding the right balance can be difficult, especially for new athletes who don’t yet have a natural feel for how much water or sports drink they need to stay hydrated and avoid muscle cramps. Luckily, there are several simple rules of thumb that athletes can use to get them off on the right foot. This guide will help you understand what electrolytes are, why you need them, how to determine if you’re dehydrated and the best ways to rehydrate yourself when necessary.
Alex is an Ironman triathlete and nurse from Western Australia. She lived and breathed triathlon for several years whilst training and racing for Ironman. Her reason for racing was not to be the best in the field, but to conquer the demons in her head. Her thoughts told her she couldn’t on countless occasions, yet she told herself, she could. Alex then went on to finish two of the most gruelling Ironman races in Australia!
Not eating meat has become popular over the past 10 years and certainly a point of interest and consideration for many athletes. However, as a female athlete, is it possible to adopt a plant-based diet safely, whilst maintaining a high intensity and volume of training? Can this be done without risking injury or fatigue?
How much protein do we really need? As an athlete, it is vital that you ensure your protein intake is adequate and this particularly applies in the post training period. When exercising, the presence of adrenaline and absence of insulin results in muscle proteins breaking down to release amino acids. As muscle protein is breaking down, post-activity protein consumption is needed in order to repair muscle protein, increase muscle mass and form new enzymes. Here are 5 simple ways to ensure you optimise muscle repair and hit those protein targets…
