Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
GulfWeekly has teamed up with the Arsenal Soccer School Bahrain for a new season of training tips. The club's top coaching team aims to spell out the best way to play the Arsenal way. Football fans can cut out and keep the series which will offer essential tips on passing and movement, technique and skill as well as incorporating the principles of fair play, teamwork, expression and fun!
One of the most important attributes a soccer player needs to have to succeed is an open mind to the various disciplines that can assist them in their development.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has introduced a much more scientific and disciplined approach to player preparation at Arsenal Football Club and as a consequence the speed, agility, quickness and recovery of his players is a major factor of their success.
One of these disciplines is diet and nutrition.
Sources of Nutrients
CARBOHYDRATES: Slow-releasing carbohydrates should be eaten to give the athlete a long-term source of energy (as well as improved concentration). Types of foods with complex carbohydrates include pasta, rice, potatoes, brown bread and nuts/cereals. Each meal should contain approximately 80-90g (a standard serving of pasta is around 85g).
PROTEIN: Protein is vital for any athlete. Its role is to repair muscle fibres that have been inevitably damaged during exercise. Sources of protein include chicken, beef, cheese, eggs, milk, fish, nuts and pulses. Each meal should ideally contain approximately 20-30g of protein (an average chicken breast contains 30g).
UNSATURATED FATS: Fats are vital for an athlete as they promote growth and are a good source of energy. However, the type of fat is important for an athlete to know. Saturated fats are fats that the body cannot break down. Polyunsaturated and/or unsaturated fats are beneficial to athletes. These can be found in nuts, pulses, fish and dairy products.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES: Fruit and vegetables are an important part of any diet, and a footballer can gain valuable energy from fruit in the form of natural sugar. Bananas are a great snack before any training session or match.
Drink plenty of fluids, water, energy drinks, juice and squash. Avoid Fizzy drinks and caffeine.
