If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By M.Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
Carbo-loading - using Sports Science Knowledge to improve performance
This
knowledge is intended to those who are in quest of knowledge on carbo-loading. Usually, marathoners are the ones who will benefit from this knowledge. I wrote this for people so that their efforts after
training do not go in vain and they, in turn, do a good time for their
race. The mistaken notion for a number of runners is that during the last 3 days they carbo-load in a way that they eat a lot of food. By eating too much food for the last 3 days, in fact, increases one's weight. Take note that the weight should not increase. One of the reasons to train is to lose weight. We know from studies done recently that elite athletes are 10% away from their ideal weight. This is a fact if one wants to improve in running. The last few days training should focus
on increasing stores of glycogen and at the same time NOT INCREASING
Weight. All your training goes in vain if you gain weight. It is good to take note of this fact. This is Sports Science. Physiology speaks of this through research. For every gram that you have increased, your body has to use extra oxygen. Oxygen cost should go primarily to running performance. THIS IS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE THAT MANY HAVE BEEN DOING TIME
AND AGAIN. The reason for this is ignorance of physiology knowledge.
First Objective - Deprive your body of carbo the 3 days for the first 3 days.
The glycogen stores in the body will drop in the muscle and kidney. Your objective is to deprive the body of carbo.
Monday
to Wednesday - fats and protein uptake to be increased besides your usual food intake. Do not be too strict with your diet and take only fats and protein only. Limit your carbo, that is all. Use 3 meals a day method and do not go for the second round.
One
can eat roti-prata, nasi-lemak, egg white, beans, soya beans, baked beans, milk, carrot cake. These are examples of fats of protein food.
You may feel very tired for these three days. One should remember that this is normal and one should not panic. The reason for this is one should know that fats and protein, when used as fuel, are not as efficient as carbohydrate. The energy that makes you run very fast is actually carbohydrate.
Second Objective - Increase carbo In the muscles and kidneys by taking low glycemia complex carbo food to increase glycogen stores
Thursday to Saturday - Switch your diet to low Glycemic Index food, for example, food like fruits (try to eat less sweet fruits, like berries, etc), vegetables, salad, corn-flakes (original ones), wheetabix, pasta, brown rice, foods that are called complex carbo food.
Reduce your mileage from, for example, 120km to 70km on the last week of the race. By observing the food intake summarised above you can, in fact, increase your stores of glycogen from 100 % to 300 percent through this method.
Note: Usually when a person runs a steady run, at about 1hr of running, they will feel tired after the one hour run as the glycogen stores from muscle and kidney are usually all used up, fats comes next as the fuel to be burned and this is not a good source of energy to run faster. The 6 days carbo-loading method shown above will help one to go longer to at least 30 to 32km of running faster before muscle fatigue takes its effect to slow you down.
www.runningcoachsg.com
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
