Glycemic Index (GI) and High-Intensity Training

[Jeffrey Smith]

So, one of the problems I had back in the day when I was training in Martial Arts was the issue of feeling sick after a long series of sprints, or other related high intensity anaerobic workout. For experienced athletes, most of the time this relates to the GI of your blood, as you've burned a lot of the sugar off.

One of the things that people do to cope with this is to change their eating habits, which usually helps. So, to you other MA'ists, how soon before a training session do you eat, and what kind of carbs do you eat? Simple sugars (monosaccharides), usually found in fruit? Complex sugars, such as starch, (polysaccharides), usually found in bread and pasta? Or do you drink down a 2L of Mountain Dew Game Fuel? (LOL.)

[wrydolphin]

One would think that the best is a mix of some simple sugars, complex starch and protien- erring on the side of complex starches and protien.

[Ad McG]

Oats are your new friend. Rather than starches or sugars you want as low GI as possible to give a gradual stream of carbs rather than a big spike and drop. Sweet potato is also an excellent option. I prefer oats with whey in a shake pre workout, along with a few other various supplements that aren't as important.