If you have a big meet or tournament coming up the next day, it’s important to prepare the night before to be able to wrestle your best. Here are some tips to preparing right:
Eating Right:
Eating the right things before a meet is key, as it will dramatically effect performance. Here are some tips to help you eat better:
Eat light. The key things to avoid before a meet is fat. Fat is used for energy storage, and takes a long time to break down. It will be more difficult for your body to try and break it down the next day, and it will end up weighing you down in a match. The better energy sources to focus on are complex carbs, such as rice or pasta. Those are simpler than fats, and will give you better energy in your match. Same goes with protein. Eat white meats instead or red, since red meats have a higher fat content, and are worse for your cardiovascular health. Some of the best things to eat the night before a match is either chicken or fish, because they’re both very lean protein.
Drink water. Even if you’re cutting weight, try to drink water the night before, and leading up to a match. Staying hydrated will keep you in top form, and will keep you free from injury. Water is also the thing to drink the night before a match, no soda or sugary drinks.
Get sleep. Getting plenty of sleep is extremely important to having good performance, so that your body has the opportunity to recover from practice.
My favorite prep meal:
One of they keys to this meal is to bake the chicken. Cooking it with breading, or frying it, will add extra oils and fats that aren’t at all necessary. Straight up baked chicken is great for a lean dinner.
And last, but certainly not least, don’t miss weight!
Wellesley Wrestling 