Table tennis is a game just played for fun for most, often found in people’s homes or at the office. If you’ve ever seen top-tier players at the Olympics play, though, it becomes clear that table tennis is a sport played by elite athletes with lightning-fast reactions, fast footwork, and just as much power and speed as any other Olympian. If you’re looking for the best table to practice on, check out the Stigma Tennis Table at DDPlan.com. To get to this level, it takes very specific training both at the table, as well as in the gym, coupled with perfect nutrition to maximize performance and recovery. If you’re trying to improve your table tennis game beyond your work at the table, there are several key nutritional rules you should follow.
Protein – the nutrient for recovery
All foods are divided into three main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. These work together to make sure that your body is working to its maximum capacity. Occasionally, one of these macronutrients are demonized depending on what the latest news article you read says, but in reality, all three are needed in some capacity if you want to perform at your best in an athletic capacity.
If you’re training hard, then protein should be your number one priority. It’s used for recovery in the body, and if you have brutal training sessions both at the table and in the gym, then you’ll need protein to recover properly. It’s recommended for athletes that 1 gram of protein is consumed per 1 pound of body weight, meaning that if you weigh 160 pounds, then you should be consuming 160 grams of protein per day. The best sources of protein are from meat, including mince and chicken, but other non-meat sources include nuts, beans, and dairy.
Carbohydrates
If protein is used to build and recover the muscles, then carbs are the fuel for your engine. Carbs are turned into glucose, which is used as energy throughout the day. An average person will burn between 100-200 grams of carbs per day, but if you’re training hard and want to maximize performance, then you may need to eat over 300 grams of carbs just so your body can keep up. The best sources of carbs are those that are easily digested, and you need carbs that are both fast-absorbing and long-absorbing. Quick-release carbs are ideal as a pre-workout and include fruits and other sugary foods. These should be eaten in moderation, though, with the majority of your carbs coming from pasta and rice.
Fats
Fats are often demonized, especially by the weight loss media, but these are an equally important macronutrient to carbs and protein. Great fat sources include fish, which provides for omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids that are key for brain activity. Nuts are also a perfect fat source and are also calorie-dense, which can be very useful if you need a lot of calories to keep up with your activity levels.