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FUEL UP TO LEVEL UP: What to Eat Before Training

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:11:53 GMT

Fuel Up to Level Up: What to Eat Before Training (for Teen Athletes)

If you’re putting in the work on the field, court, or gym, there’s one thing you can’t afford to ignore: nutrition .

Eating the right foods at the right time before training can be the difference between feeling flat and sluggish or firing on all cylinders. Whether you're smashing a gym session, tearing up the track, or heading into footy training—your body needs fuel to perform.

Let’s break it down ��

⏳ 3–4 Hours Before Training: The Main Meal

This is your big fuel-up window . You want a carb-focused, complete meal to load your energy stores (AKA glycogen). These carbs take about 1–2 hours to digest , so this is the time to eat big and eat smart.

✅ Good Meal Ideas:

A bowl of pasta with lean meat or sauce
Rice-based meals with veggies and protein
Wraps, sandwiches, rolls or toast
Salad bowls with grains like quinoa or brown rice
Leftovers that include potatoes or sweet potato

�� Tip: Don’t go too heavy on fats or spice here—they slow digestion and could leave you feeling sluggish.

⏱ 1–2 Hours Before Training: Smaller, Balanced Snacks

You’re getting closer to go-time, so your meal should be smaller and still offer some protein, fats, or fibre to support sustained energy.

✅ Snack Ideas:

A small bowl of cereal (watch the portion!)
A smoothie or smoothie bowl with fruit
Granola with yoghurt and berries
Toast with avocado, nut butter or cheese
Yoghurt, fruit & a muesli bar

�� Tip: Choose snacks that are easy to digest and familiar—you don’t want to try new foods right before a big session.

�� 30–60 Minutes Before Training: Quick-Fire Energy

Now’s the time for a top-up of fast carbs . These digest quickly and give your body the final hit of fuel it needs to go all out.

✅ Top-Up Options:

Fruit boxes , Up & Go , or sports drinks
Bananas , grapes , watermelon
Dry cereal or even a small bowl of cereal
Dried fruit like mango, apricots, sultanas or dates
Fruit puree pouches
Raisin toast , hot cross buns , or toast with honey
Crumpets or pikelets with jam + honey
Muesli bars
Rice crackers or pretzels (great savoury option)

�� Tip: Stick to simple, familiar carbs here. It’s not the time for high fibre or heavy protein foods—they’ll just sit in your gut.

�� Final Thoughts:

Fueling before training isn’t just about eating—it’s about eating smart . The right food at the right time = more energy, better focus, and stronger sessions. Make it a habit and watch your performance rise.

Because when you eat like an athlete—you train like one too.

Hydration That Powers Performance: Why Water Isn’t Enough

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:11:53 GMT

Think you're drinking enough water? The truth might surprise you—discover how proper hydration could be the missing link in your performance.

Hydration Isn’t Just Water: Why Athletes Need More Than Just a Drink Bottle

When it comes to training and performing at your best, most young athletes know to bring a water bottle. But here’s the thing—hydration is more than just drinking water.

If you're sweating it out on the field, at training, or in the gym, you’re not just losing water. You're also losing key minerals called electrolytes, and if you're not replacing them properly, it can affect how you feel, how you play, and how fast you recover.

Let’s break it down.

What Actually Happens When You Sweat?

Sweating isn’t just your body cooling itself down—it’s also how you lose sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. These are your electrolytes, and they’re vital for muscle function, nerve signals, hydration balance, and overall energy.

So, if you're only replacing water, you’re putting fluids back in—but not the minerals your body needs to stay in balance.

That’s when problems start.

Why Water Alone Isn’t Always Enough

Don’t get us wrong—water is essential, especially every day and before training. But during intense sessions, long games, or hot weather, water alone won’t cut it. Without electrolytes, drinking a ton of water can actually make you feel worse—leading to symptoms like:

Muscle cramps
Fatigue or dizziness
Poor focus and reaction time
Headaches or nausea

Sound familiar? That could be your body calling out for more than just H2O.

What Are Electrolytes and Why Do You Need Them?

Electrolytes are like the spark plugs for your body’s engine. They help:

✅ Keep your muscles firing properly
✅ Maintain balance in your cells
✅ Prevent cramping
✅ Support focus and concentration
✅ Speed up recovery after a session

When you're training hard, especially in the heat, an electrolyte drink or even foods high in electrolytes (like bananas, yoghurt, or coconut water) can make a massive difference to your performance and how quickly you bounce back.

Proficio Tips: Hydrating the Smart Way

Start Hydrated – Don’t rock up to training already behind. Sip water throughout the day.

Add Electrolytes for Big Sessions – Use an electrolyte drink or mix if your training is over 60 minutes, you’re sweating heavily, or the weather’s hot.

Fuel with Food Too – Snack smart with foods that naturally have electrolytes (bananas, leafy greens, seeds, yoghurt).

Don’t Overdo Water – More water isn’t always better. It’s about balance. If you're drinking heaps and still feeling flat, it might be a sign you need electrolytes.

Bottom Line: Smart Hydration = Stronger Performance

Hydration isn’t just something you tick off—it’s part of your performance game plan. At Proficio, we teach young athletes to train with intent and fuel with purpose, and that includes what’s in your bottle.

Next time you train, don’t just bring water. Bring a strategy.

Here’s an easy, effective homemade electrolyte drink recipe—perfect for youth athletes and backed by performance-focused ingredients:

DIY Electrolyte Drink (No Junk, Just Fuel)

Skip the sugary sports drinks—here’s a clean, easy recipe that gives you the hydration boost you need without all the extras.

Proficio Performance Electrolyte Mix

Ingredients:

500–750ml cold water
Juice of 1 lemon or 1/2 orange (natural flavour + vitamin C)
1/4 tsp sea salt or Himalayan salt (sodium = key electrolyte)
1 tbsp maple syrup or honey (natural energy + taste)
Optional: a pinch of magnesium powder or a splash of coconut water for added recovery support

Instructions:

Mix everything in a bottle.
Shake well.
Chill or serve with ice. Drink before, during, or after training.

This mix replaces lost electrolytes, boosts energy naturally, and supports recovery—real ingredients, real performanc e.

Buddy’s Burst: The Power of Proper Sprinting Technique

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 16:11:53 GMT

Write about something you know. If you don’t know much about a specific topic that will interest your readers, invite an expert to write about it.

Why Buddy Franklin Left Cale Hooker Behind: The Sprint Technique That Made It Happen

It’s one of the most replayed goals in AFL history.

Lance “Buddy” Franklin picks up the ball near the boundary, launches into space, and tears away from Cale Hooker like a racehorse leaving the gate. A few powerful strides later, he splits the goals on the run, barely touched—and the crowd erupts.

But it wasn’t just speed that made that moment possible. It was technique.

Two Athletes. Two Running Styles. One Clear Advantage.

Let’s break it down.

Both Buddy Franklin and Cale Hooker are elite athletes. But when it came to that sprint, how they ran made all the difference.

�� Buddy’s Running Mechanics:

Landed on the ball of his foot
Foot strike directly under his hips
Tall posture and forward lean
Relaxed but powerful arm drive

This allowed Buddy to stay light, fast, and explosive with each stride. Landing under the hips means your body is in position to generate maximum forward force. Striking with the ball of the foot reduces ground contact time—meaning he was off the ground and into his next step faster.

�� Cale’s Running Mechanics:

Heel striking with each stride
Foot landing slightly in front of his hips
Less vertical force, more braking
Heavier ground contact, slower turnover

Heel striking puts the brakes on every step. It increases ground contact time and absorbs more energy instead of creating it. When your foot lands out in front, it acts as a mini roadblock—slowing you down with every step, especially in a chase scenario.

Technique Beats Effort

What we saw in that moment wasn’t just a fitness gap or natural talent—it was a masterclass in sprint efficiency.

Buddy didn’t panic. He trusted his stride. He kept his form. And the result? He accelerated away effortlessly, while Hooker was fighting against his own mechanics.

In AFL, where moments are measured in milliseconds, efficient movement makes the difference between a chase-down and a highlight reel.

What Can Young Athletes Learn From This?

At Proficio, we coach this exact principle. You don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest—but if your sprinting technique is clean, you can create separation, outrun opponents, and control moments just like Buddy did.

Here’s what you should focus on:

Ball-of-foot striking for speed and efficiency
Landing under the hips to drive force forward
Proper posture to maintain balance and flow
Arm drive that syncs with your stride to add momentum

Speed Is a Skill—And It’s Coachable

Buddy Franklin’s goal wasn’t just brilliance—it was biomechanics.

If you want to improve your on-field speed, it starts with how you run. We train athletes to build that explosive, efficient stride that turns a contest into a sprint—and a sprint into a moment you’ll never forget.

Want to run like Buddy, not chase like Hooker?
Train smart. Sprint better. Create your moment.

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FUEL UP TO LEVEL UP: What to Eat Before Training

Fuel Up to Level Up: What to Eat Before Training (for Teen Athletes)

⏳ 3–4 Hours Before Training: The Main Meal

✅ Good Meal Ideas:

⏱ 1–2 Hours Before Training: Smaller, Balanced Snacks

✅ Snack Ideas:

�� 30–60 Minutes Before Training: Quick-Fire Energy

✅ Top-Up Options:

�� Final Thoughts:

Hydration That Powers Performance: Why Water Isn’t Enough

Hydration Isn’t Just Water: Why Athletes Need More Than Just a Drink Bottle

What Actually Happens When You Sweat?

Why Water Alone Isn’t Always Enough

What Are Electrolytes and Why Do You Need Them?

Proficio Tips: Hydrating the Smart Way

Start Hydrated – Don’t rock up to training already behind. Sip water throughout the day.

Add Electrolytes for Big Sessions – Use an electrolyte drink or mix if your training is over 60 minutes, you’re sweating heavily, or the weather’s hot.

Fuel with Food Too – Snack smart with foods that naturally have electrolytes (bananas, leafy greens, seeds, yoghurt).

Don’t Overdo Water – More water isn’t always better. It’s about balance. If you're drinking heaps and still feeling flat, it might be a sign you need electrolytes.

Bottom Line: Smart Hydration = Stronger Performance

DIY Electrolyte Drink (No Junk, Just Fuel)

Buddy’s Burst: The Power of Proper Sprinting Technique

Why Buddy Franklin Left Cale Hooker Behind: The Sprint Technique That Made It Happen

Two Athletes. Two Running Styles. One Clear Advantage.

�� Buddy’s Running Mechanics:

�� Cale’s Running Mechanics:

Technique Beats Effort

What Can Young Athletes Learn From This?

Here’s what you should focus on:

Speed Is a Skill—And It’s Coachable

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