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100% natural and delicious energy drink

Gatorade, PowerAde, electrolyte sports drinks… must that be good for me?

Indeed these drinks help you maintain the electrolyte balance of your body during or after periods of great heat and excessive sweating. Staying hydrated and replenishing electrolytes is extremely important, especially if you are doing sustained effort such as training or playing soccer.

When we think of “electrolytes”, we necessarily think of the fluorescent energy drinks that we see in sports ads and although these are truly effective, they are often filled with artificial colors, processed and refined sweetener ( in the case of sports drinks, high fructose corn syrup), sugar, artificial colors and / or questionable products. In short, it’s not the best for your long-term health.

Some companies have led us to believe that we need a special drink to get over all that lost sweat. First of all, there is a huge difference between athletes who train at a high level for hours and those who dedicate themselves to morning workouts of thirty minutes.

Second, our bodies are smart, so keeping well hydrated and eating a healthy diet is usually enough to maintain electrolyte balance. For those times when you have a more intense workout, even though commercial drinks are still good convenience stores on occasion, it is best to cut them at least in half with water or better yet make your own. energy drinke house with natural ingredients. It’s easy, quick and naturally refreshing.

The benefits are the same, without all the junk that goes into your body and not to mention all the sugar!

Here are 3 variations of the same homemade energy drink recipe approved by our nutritionist. They are all delicious and you just need to put all the ingredients in a blender until the honey is dissolved.

Lemon

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 ½ to 2 cups of fresh water

1/8 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of honey

Orange:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 ½ to 2 cups of fresh water

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 spoons a table of honey

Strawberries / Coconut:

3 cups of coconut water

1 cup of fresh or frozen strawberries (thawed)

1 cup of cold water

1 cup of crushed ice

1/8 teaspoon of salt

2 tablespoons of honey

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Speed: the difference between Pro and Semi-Pro players

Research shows that soccer players spend more time walking and jogging in matches than in high-speed, high-intensity maneuvers, but it is recognized that these high-speed actions contribute significantly to match success.

Being able to accelerate quickly to get ahead or surpass an opponent is the key to gaining and maintaining possession of the ball, but what are the physical qualities to optimize your speed of acceleration?

Basic knowledge

Studies show that elite players cover distances between 9km and 14km in a 90-minute match, and that only 8-12% of the total distance includes high-speed or high-intensity action.

These bursts of speed or activity will occur every 70 seconds on average, and noticeable differences in sprint speed between elite and sub-elite players have been seen.

In the 5-meter linear (straight-line) sprints, elite players were found to be 0.03 seconds faster than sub-elite players and 0.12 seconds faster over 15 meters.

In a 40-meter sprint test incorporating pre-planned turns and direction changes, the difference between elite and sub-elite players was found to be 1.75 seconds.

Now you can see how small the gap between elite and semi-pro players really is in terms of speed – which is often considered the most valuable asset a player can have.

Despite their small gaps, such differences add up throughout the game, making them important to coaches and scouts in terms of their ability to influence play.

Understanding which physical qualities have the greatest influence on your linear and multidirectional acceleration rate will help you ensure that your workout is designed to optimize your performance in the field.

* Key point: you don’t know what you don’t know. The professional players of the best clubs have all the training designed around scientific principles. They don’t need to spend years finding out on their own, they are 100% focused on performance and trust the pros to show them what they need to do to keep improving. This is probably the way for them since the age of 10 . This is mainly why they are able to stay at this level and semi-professional players usually find it difficult to take the plunge. With each optimized session they complete, the gap between the semi-pro and the pros widens.

The latest football-specific research

A group of 26 professional footballers (all players from senior English Premier League teams throughout the 2015/2016 season), were chosen as subjects in a study to identify which commonly used football fitness assessments could provide a means to predict linear and multidirectional speed performance. .

The evaluations included:

IMTP tests (isometric mid-thigh pull)

CMY test (countermotion jump)

DJ test (jump jump)

Linear acceleration test

Multidirectional acceleration test

The following tests were performed in the same order by each player – CMY (two-legged then one-leg), DJ (two-legged then one-leg), IMTP, linear acceleration (20 meters in a straight line from a standing start with intermediate times of 5 and 10 meters), then multidirectional acceleration (pre-planned turns then reactive changes of direction).

IMTP or isometric mid-thigh pull:

Used as a measure of maximum strength, this test was performed with players standing on a portable strength platform positioned centrally on the floor under a power support bar.

Assuming a similar body position to performing the second pull of a power clean (knees bent, trunk flat and shoulders aligned with the bar), each player was instructed to pull as hard and as fast as possible. for about 5 seconds.

CMY jump or countermovement test:

Using a portable force platform, bilateral (two-legged) and unilateral (one-leg) CMJs were performed separately. Keeping the hands on the hips, players were to jump as high as possible after falling to an agreed countermove or pre-stretch depth by bending the knees.

DJs or hopping jumps:

DJs are commonly used to measure leg power and reactive strength. Using a 40cm plyometric box for bilateral jumps and a 20cm plyometric box for unilateral jumps, the RSI (Reactive Force Index) was measured on a portable force platform.

Players had to get off the box, land, then jump as high as possible before landing on the force platform. Arm swing was minimized by keeping the hands on the hips during the jump, and players were encouraged to minimize ground contact time and maximize the height of the jump.

Linear acceleration test:

From a hover start in a 2-point squat position, the players were timed a straight-line distance of 20 meters, with split times recorded at 5 and 10 meters. Each player was encouraged to run as fast as possible over the 20 meters aiming for a cone 2 meters beyond the finish line.

Multidirectional acceleration test:

A Y-shaped agility test was used to assess multidirectional acceleration. From a standing start, the players accelerated in a straight 7.5 meter sprint before cutting left or right to sprint an additional 7.5 meters to the finish line.

Planned turns, where players knew in advance which direction to run, were followed by responsive turns in which players had to respond to a light once the test was underway.

Findings of the evaluation

The peak power measurement recorded during the two-sided CMY test was found to be the only marker that could predict a player’s speed performance over distances of 5, 10, and 20 meters.

The maximum force measurement recorded in the IMTP test significantly predicted 20-meter sprint speed performance, but only in a straight line.

None of the benchmarks (IMTP, CMY, or DJ) predicted multi-directional speed performance.

The measurements recorded in the DJ test were found to be insignificant in terms of speed performance prediction.

Applying the results to your training

The results indicate that the CMY and IMTP tests provide the best way to predict your linear sprint speed, suggesting that improvements in these tests through proper training could lead to improvements in your acceleration speed in the field.

As it is known that there are differences in acceleration speed between elite and sub-elite football players, the results of the IMTP assessment suggest that the development of maximum strength could lead to potential improvements in your soccer performance.

However, none of the above evaluations (IMTP, CMJ, DJ) were found to be helpful in terms of predicting multidirectional sprint speeds.

Other studies have noted that while sprint speeds can be similar in elite and amateur athletes when direction changes are pre-planned, switching to reactive changes results in lower performance levels.

This suggests that cognitive rather than physical qualities may turn out to be better predictors of reactive change in steering speeds (and that more research is needed).

The bottom line

The results suggest that IMTP tests and CMY tests are the best predictors of acceleration speed in elite footballers.

Obviously, you may not have access to the equipment for these tests, but the important thing is to understand the training to be followed throughout your career in order to continue to progress in a straight line and in multidirectional speed.

The researchers’ conclusion was that training for maximum strength and lower body power has the potential to improve linear sprint performance and lead to better results in key tests used in professional clubs. such as IMTP and CMY tests.

However, the Multidirectional acceleration speed improvements can come down to cognitive rather than physical qualities.

We’re talking about the tiny differences between players who are already very conditioned … understanding details like this can set you apart from the rest of the pack.

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10 tips for knowing your best matches

Hey what’s up, athletes? Today I decided to talk to you about the preparation before the match or an important selection camp. How to feel enthusiastic, relaxed and confident in order to have an optimal performance that you will be proud of.

We’re going to focus primarily on your mental state, because obviously confidence, relaxation, and enthusiasm are all part of what goes between both ears.

Does that mean anything to you? Read on.

I will use the image of the battery so that you can fully understand and follow my explanations. What you should essentially try to do in your preparation is to fill your battery to the brim so that on match day you are filled with confidence knowing that you did your best on all the things you had control over before your game. match.

We all know that in order to perform well in a match you have to feel good mentally and full of energy, but can we really have a system that helps us achieve that mindset before we play without leaving anything to chance?

The answer is yes, you need a plan and it will give you a certain sense of control before kick-off. I will give you some examples of things that I have learned throughout my career. Things you can do to fill your battery, but also things you can do without going through it that drains your battery.

Enough of the blah, let’s get started.

Meal

The first thing you can control is your food. You know you need a good meal pre-game which is nutrient , that you have to eat it at the right time and that this one must have the right amount, because your meal will help you to play better, but especially to help you fill your first level of drums. Now is not the time to try a new meal!

Sleep

Another example that will help you fill the first level of your battery is your amount of sleep . It is very important that you get a good night’s sleep of at least 8-10 hours, or more depending on age, so that you feel rested, ready and not tired and ugly just before your game! If your game is in the afternoon or evening, you might even allow yourself a nap during the day.

So you already have two easy levels to fill up your battery. If you eat well, you choose healthy food that is already known to your stomach and that you have good sleep hygiene your battery will not drain. Not just physically, but mentally too!

Music

The next thing that you can easily control is your music . You might already be used to listening to music every week before you step out of the locker room for your game. For example, in the morning you could listen to calmer music to relax yourself and as the match approaches progress with more energetic music that you like that will make you feel more motivated, excited and ready to perform.

It could be the third level of things you control to fill up your battery. If you omit any of these three points, it could affect your battery level for your match. Again, choose things that you control and repeat them every week.

Shoes

Another point that you can control is to clean your shoes soccer. Again, if you clean them very late in the day or if they are still wet the day before, it could affect your performance in a match. Or, if they are full of mud because you went to play with your friends on natural grass, it might irritate you mentally. We must therefore think about controlling these events. It doesn’t mean running around and buying yourself another pair of crampons, just thinking about what you’re doing and when you’re doing it. Maybe, keep your old pair for those times? This way, you will always reach the quality standards you set for yourself.

Parents and friends

Another factor that could influence your game is knowing, before the game, where the people who have come to watch you will be standing. This way, you won’t have to search for your father, mother, family or friends in stands , which would only panic and lose your pre-game focus if you can’t find them!

Match time

One of the major points is to check, double check, see triple check, is the pre-match meeting time and make sure you arrive early. Getting stuck in traffic is a classic. It infuriates you, it makes you anxious and it’s not the right way to get ready for a game. A little advice, plan to arrive 45 minutes, 1 hour before the game, it will give you time to relax and chill in the car.

Bag

The seventh point would be to check your bag several hours before leaving for your match to make sure you have everything, your shoes, your 2 match kits, your shin guards, your tape and your music. Checking your bag in the morning will allow you to go to the store if you are ever missing something. This way, you won’t have to ask your teammates to provide you and stress for nothing. It might sound a little silly, but it’s the kind of thing you can control to build confidence.

In addition, being well prepared physically before your match is another point over which you have control. It means, it’s going to your club practices, training individually, managing your training load in order to always be the best version of yourself.

Visualization

A little last for the road. The visualization , you can use it a lot during transport, precisely, with your team before matches. Take the opportunity to see your goals or your “full hot” games or how you will get out of complex situations. Also take the opportunity to doze off and rest before the game.

Conclusion Ha and I forgot, don’t forget to go to the bathroom to do a little

nervous pee

before the start of the match! That too is something you can control. Even that some players will even only take a

shower

before a game to feel ready, energized and in their zone!

These examples are just a few examples, you can have different or similar ones, the important thing is that you find the ones that work well for you. Remember to leave yourself enough time to do your “checklist”, that way if something breaks your routine or the order of it, you will have enough time to do everything anyway.

Now you know that a pre-match ritual is important and that it will give you every possible chance to perform well, because all the points listed above, you fully control them!

If you want to know even more and even know our physical and flexibility exercises, to do the day before your match, there is only one way, join the EuroClass academy!

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Bloopers - camp élite 2020

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