Serving, diving, blocking, digging, or spiking- whatever it takes in volleyball, the game is all about strength, accuracy, and agility.
A healthy, skillful, and disciplined set of players will obviously guide their team towards victory. When talking in terms of the health of players, to maintain a salubrious lifestyle for a volleyball player, their diet plays a significant role.
In fact, training sessions and long mobilizations are charged by a medley of anaerobic glycolysis and aerobic metabolism. It is a mixture of energies from the breakdown of muscle sugars named glycogen and a well-balanced diet including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
In order to get the best energy and skill out of the players, it is crucial that they are provided with nutritious and energy-boosting foods throughout their training period.
What Are The Best Foods For The Volleyball Players?
Volleyball players train with high intensity and expend a lot of energy. Therefore, they need to have a well-balanced diet with carbohydrates, proteins, and fat, alike. But, just because we mentioned carbohydrates and fats, it does not indicate that the food has to be junk. A volleyball player should primarily focus on nutrition and aim to have a diet with energy-enhancing properties.
A regular intake for a player should be based on nutrient-rich carbohydrates like:
- Wholemeal pasta
- Brown rice
- Whole grain cereals
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grain bread
- Quinoa
- Low-fat dairy
They should also have lean protein sources such as:
- Lean red meat
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Fish
- Nonfat cheese
- Eggs
- Lentils
While balancing carbohydrates and proteins, they should also concentrate on having adequate amounts of fats on their diets. They can include:
- Fish oils
- Nut butter
- Seasonings
- Snacks of mixed nuts
- Avocado
- Soy and soy products
- Vegetable oil-based salad dressings
While including all of the items mentioned above on a diet of a volleyball player, they can undoubtedly increase the nutrition of their foods by incorporating herbs and spices where they are called for.
Energy-boosting spices and herbs like ginger, cinnamon, cumin, Sage, Rosemary, cayenne pepper, etc., are also rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that will be highly beneficial for the players.
Moreover, while carbohydrates are key to execution, particular focus should be delivered to mineral-rich carbohydrate options to control electrolyte losses from sweating.
Try these food ideas for improved nutrition, which can help with energy expenditure and effective muscle contraction. Plus, they could also prevent hypokalemia (low blood potassium) and hyponatremia (low blood sodium), which can harm performance.
- Substitution of sodium, potassium with sports beverages.
- Slightly salted foods such as baked chips or pretzels.
- Calcium fortification with low-fat dairy snacks such as nonfat milk or yogurt.
- Iron-rich foods include poultry, lean meats, fortified beans, cereals, or peas.
In addition to all these foods and beverages, drinking water to keep themselves hydrated throughout the training sessions and games are essential.
Nutrition Preparation While Travelling For Matches
Fueling up before competitive matches that have to be traveled by long journeys can be a bit of a challenge. So, here’s a list of foods that a volleyball player can have while on the bus or plane before the match:
- Energy bars
- Sports drinks
- Shakes
- Trail mix
- Crackers
- Vegetable Soup
- Chicken Soup
- Noodle or minestrone soup
- Mini bagels
- Fresh fruits
Conclusion
Volleyball, as a game that requires a lot of energy, potency, agility, and effort, should be well-practiced, and the players should be well-prepared.
Accordingly, the nutrition of the players becomes a vital factor if they need to guide the team towards a good game and, ultimately, victory. And a diet that is balanced and fortified in carbohydrates, fats, and proteins can possibly do the job.