Fencing food

[morael]

Any suggestions as to kinds of food to eat before fencing? I think pasta (my favorite food) slows me down, and quinoa seems to give my feet wings, but maybe those were just a bad / good sessions. Thanks.

[I_luv_saber]

I don't think it matters as long as you eat a good balanced meal about an hour before you start stretching and such. I had to experiment until I knew what time I had to eat before fencing. A half hour was too close, a hour and a half was too far, it took a while! But anyways, If you eat a good balanced meal of meat, startch, vegetable, and a good drink (milk, V8, etc.) you should be okay.

[Army Fencer]

I try to carb load the night before a tournament. Pasta, rice, potatoes are generally a good choice. (You want to increase the glycogen stores in your muscles as much as possible).

The day of the tournament, I eat a light breakfast. Fruit, cereal, orange juice... nothing as heavy or as protein laden as eggs or sausage.

During the tournament, I try to eat here and there, but never too much. Before and during pools, the most I eat is a powerbar (I like cookies and cream). Between pools and DE's, it's a sandwich at most, but usually more snacky-type food. And be sure to hydrate! I like to have a lot of Gaterade throughout the day.

After the competition, I eat big with protein for a solid recovery.

Grazing during the competition, I like to eat:
Baby Carrots
Raisins
Peanuts
Cashews
Cheese and Crackers
Apples
Bananas
Power bars
Cheerios
Granola
Fruit Roll-ups
Ritz
Grahm Crackers
...anything I can put in a bag and take to the strip is a plus

[Sabresque]

Actually, with the exception of local tournies, usually I really can't hold much down the morning of a tourny (nerves maybe?). Those days I eat someting like a muffin or a piece of fruit and maybe yogurt. It's really bad I know, but I eat like a pig during the tournaments, feasting on many granola bars (nature valley, baby!), and bits and pieces of sandwiches (usually not all the ingredients together).

the night before I try to eat very well, with carbs, and all that. Anyways, I'm sure it's not helpful at all coming from miss I-Don't-Eat-Anything, but I was wondering, does anyone else have trouble with eating the morning of the tourny? I usually am known for my giant appetite.

[Inquartata]

Carbo loading probably doesn't hurt, but it's overkill for fencing. You do not come anywhere near glycogen exhaustion in a noncontinuous nonendurance sport like fencing.

I used to do it before tournaments long ago, when I was first starting. I never noticed any appreciable improvement in performance from it, so I gave it up...and noticed no deterioration from so doing.

I always try to have eggs before a comp, as I feel that I fence better on practice days when I have done so, but it's probably just a psychological thing.

[Army Fencer]

Originally posted by Inquartata
Carbo loading probably doesn't hurt, but it's overkill for fencing. You do not come anywhere near glycogen exhaustion in a noncontinuous nonendurance sport like fencing.

Maybe for sabre...

[40Saberthieves]

I doub that holding an epee out arms length until the director flips a coin for priority is exausting

[Inquartata]

I don't think even a 9 minute epee bout is the same as a marathon. ( Though some of 'em SEEM as long! )

Fencing has plenty of breaks---between bouts, between pool and DE table...sometimes, as we all know, these breaks can run to several hours. There is plenty of time to rest, to eat and drink.

[Army Fencer]

I'd agree, but I still think you need the extra energy. You're fencing in spurts, but they can be exhausting if done one after another.

I'm a very physical fencer, and the extra energy counts for me.

[lfortier]

I tend to eat foods with potassium in them, like bananas, yogurt and gatorade. After pools are over with, I'll have (banana)bread, or PBJ sandwich. The night before, I really carb up, and before the tourny, I eat something like oatmeal with granola in it.

[Inquartata]

I try to do that AFTER fencing, as you do deplete potassium. I tend to get cramping in my feet if I don't replace it within a few hours. Sunflower seeds are good for that, too....

[Aeric]

Carbo loading probably doesn't hurt, but it's overkill for fencing. You do not come anywhere near glycogen exhaustion in a noncontinuous nonendurance sport like fencing.

Holy bejeezus.

I don't know about you, but fencing is almost all about endurance in the DEs. My friends and I usually lose about 3 to 4 pounds per competition. I use up a gallon of gatorade and half a box of chocolate chip granola bars myself.

Maybe it's just foil. Maybe it's when we actually fence, and still run the clock out for every DE bout. Maybe it's when they have you fence again exactly 10 minutes after each bout.

[Army Fencer]

Amen, Aeric.

[arcon]

I usually get nailed for being humorous in a serious thread but here goes anyway. Have any of you seen the T- shirt that

says: "Will fence for Food" ?

[arcon]

On a more serious note, bananas are good and theyre easy to
hide when food's not allowed in the erea.

[MyraTrue]

Sabresque-

I am 100% with you!!!! I HATE food in the morning before tournaments. People seem to think that I'm going to fence and need to be stuffed with the largest heaviest serving of food they can get in me. I wake up and feel like I'm going to yarf, all the way thought my first bout. I don't want anything. I'll eat, but its never much- a granola bar, or a banana, or something.

Even while I fence, I am not hungry. I've fenced a few tournaments on an empty stomach, and I've done just fine. But I know this can't be right, so I try to eat. But I drink insane amounts of gatorade and water, or powerade, which is not as expensive.

I've been known to eat bad things like cheetos and chocolate of various types etc in a buy, but then again, tournament days are free food days. Anything goes, for one day.

My'

[morael]

Inquartata, I used to be plagued with foot cramps all the time. Magnesium supplements helped me tons (helps your body use calcium). I also take calcium supps.

BTW: Don't begin taking magnesium the day of a tournament (think of the effects of "milk of magnesia"... get it?) I'd suggest going to the bookstore or library and looking in a bunch of vitamin books for info on the proper dose and balancing with calcium.

[JEC]

One of my old attendings (clinical professors) gave this standing order when patients who have suffered a stroke ask for special diet:

"Don't eat 'possum"

This aphorism was uttered when I was in NC.

Kidding aside, a balanced nutrition for the long run, and Gatorade when you are fencing.

[pammie003]

Sabresque and Myra;
I'm exactly the same. This weekend I managed to choke down a whole piece of toast and a glass of juice before I fenced. I exist on nutragrain bars, fruit, water and gatorade. I'm usually ok, and only run into trouble when fencing reaches the 10 or 11 hour mark.

[arcon]

They make little energy gel packs that are great.
You can even get them low in sugar if thats what you need
or perfer.