Fuelling Performance ~ Performance Expert Advice ~ Lucozade Sport Football

Amateur Football:

Tony Strudwick - Fuelling Performance

Tony Strudwick started his football career as a player for Colchester United before turning his attention to Sports Science having gained both a degree and PhD in the subject.

Tony has a wealth of experience at Premier League level, having previously worked as Blackburn Rovers' Fitness Coach for three seasons before moving to Manchester United in 2007. He has also previously worked with West Ham, Coventry and the FA.

Tony is in a great position to offer help them in what players understand which products and food groups footballers should be consuming before, during and after matches.

Coaching Session Three - Fuelling Performance

Download this Coaching Session (PDF format)

The complete performance, as a team or an individual, is down to perfect preparation. When the body is primed and the mind is sharp, players ultimately produce their best. But preparation is not just about the morning of a game or the warm-up before kick-off, it's about a season-long commitment to the routines that help you perform at your peak.

At Manchester United, Tony Strudwick (Head of Sport Science & Fitness) and his staff strive for perfection and go in search of the small details that might just give them the edge. Nothing less is acceptable.

As the Lucozade Sport Performance League Team of the Month for December, Old Stretfordians FC (OSFC) were invited to Manchester United's Carrington Training Centre for a performance master class with Strudwick and a typical training session that he would run at the club. The emphasis was very much on fine-tuning the weekly training and match-day strategies and on making sure that the players understand how they can best condition themselves for 90 minutes of competitive football.

The Session

Getting in the right frame of mind for the season

TS tips: Take time out as a team to discuss the best ways of preparing for training and weekend fixtures. Commit to the principles that are set out amongst the squad.

Tuning the body for football

TS tips: Concentrate on light footwork in a series of short and varied shuttle-runs. Work key muscle groups and look to improve the quality each week.

Sharpening up as a squad

TS tips: Improve work-rate and efficiency with short, crisp passing drills. Build speed and pressure on the ball to ensure players are focused and alert.

Questions & Answers

To stay hydrated how much fluid should I have before a game?

It is important to start training or a competitive fixture in a well hydrated state. Current guidelines suggest that you should drink somewhere in the region of 350-500 ml of fluid 2-4 hours before exercise. If your urine is still yellow in the 60-90 min before then this is a sign that you are still dehydrated. At this stage it is recommended that you continue to drink further 200-400 ml of fluid up until kick off.

Tony Strudwick - Fuelling Performance

John Brewer, Performance Director of the Lucozade Sport Science Academy, shares his top tips on nutrition that will help fuel your performance.

Carbohydrate is the essential fuel for the body during a football match. It provides the body with explosive energy for sprinting, jumping and turning as well as fuelling the endurance aspects of the game too. These movements all place a huge drain on the body's stores, and as carbohydrate levels reduce, feelings associated with fatigue will increase.

This is why it is essential to take on board as much carbohydrate as possible to fuel performance to the final whistle. But not all food and drinks are helpful to fuelling performance. Gassy drinks will leave you feeling bloated and fuller than you actually are, meaning that less carbohydrate can be taken on board. Whilst snacks such as chocolate contain a high amount of fat, which will take longer to be digested and therefore may sit in the stomach long into the game, causing stomach complaints or a stitch. Plain water contains zero calories, and as such will not fuel performance, but will go some way to hydrating you.

An isotonic drink has a scientific blend of fluid, carbohydrate and electrolytes designed to be rapidly absorbed by the body without causing any stomach problems. It is an ideal way to fuel performance during any physical activity. Extra carbohydrate can be taken on during natural breaks in play such as half-time. Lucozade Sport Carbo-Gels and bananas are 2 foods that are ideally taken at half-time as an extra way to get more carbs on board. They are easily digested and rapidly absorbed when taken with fluid such as water or an isotonic drink. Carbo-Gels in particular should always be used in training before a match as they may cause stomach problems in some people.