Question: what is the best to eat before jumping

Helen O'Connor answered on 24 Jun 2011:

Hi procp002, as I am a psychologist, I am more interested (and qualified) to talk about the mental state of an athlete, rather than their physical state, including nutrition.

I did a quick google for you though and found an interesting site about all aspects of training for jumpers http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/factsheets/sports/track_and_field_-_jumps

It included a bit about nutrition that says you need a good amount of carbohydrates for your training although not as many as a long distance runner would need. You will always need a balanced diet, to get the vitamins and minerals you need to keep your muscles and bones strong.

The site suggests a varied diet including bread, cereal, fruit, vegetables and dairy products (cheese, milk, yoghurt) and lean (not fatty) proteins like chicken, eggs, lentils or tofu. You will also need healthy snacks before and after training to help you train hard, and recover after.

It didnt give any information though about what to eat just before jumping – Mark would probably be able to help more with this question.