Sports drinks made simple
Tennis is tough on the body so you need to prepare and recuperate. But it does not have to be complicated. Gemma Bes, Rafa Nadal's personal nutritionist, who also oversees the excellent menu at the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca, has the follow suggestions for DIY pre, mid and post-match DIY drinks
BEFORE A MATCH
Drink a hypotonic drink an hour and a half before training or a match, having a glass every 15 minutes. Stop drinking drinking 45 minutes before the match
To make your own hypotoinc drink, mix
700 ml water (or 230ml of water + 350 ml of coconut water)
300 ml cranberry juice or 3 tablespoon of panela sugar or coconut sugar
Juice of one big lemon
½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt
DURING THE MATCH
Drink small amounts in the breaks and leave a little while in the mouth before swallowing.
In the first hour, only have fluids (an isotonic drink + water) and 750ml to 1 litre in total
To make your own isotonic drink, mix
400 ml water (or 250ml of water + 250 ml of coconut water)
600 ml cranberry juice
+ ½ teaspoon unrefined sea salt
In the second hour of the match, you can add
4 dates or one big banana
POST MATCH
To combat the stresses on the body, after a match you need carbohydrates to replace lost energy, protein to repair muscles, fluid to re-hydrate and berries or cherry juice to reduce inflammation
To make your own drink, mix
22g whey protein (this is easy for the body to digest and absorb)
100ml of rice milk
1 banana
150ml cranberry juice
2 dates
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