There are few things we can control in elite sport. It is dynamic, unpredictable, and at times, simply chaotic. And yet, what we eat before, during and after every training session can enhance training adaptations, improve body composition, reduce injury risk, promote recovery and, above all, fuel winning performances. By Julia Deufel, original article by James Morton Nutrition can be the difference between winning and losing in sport. Take it from James Morton, Director of Performance Solutions at Science in Sport. Details matter and every gram counts – whether you are riding the Tour de France, playing football for England, or working towards your next personal best in your home gym. James has seen nutrition change everything for athletes during his time at Team Sky and as Performance Mentor in the Premier League. Nutrition sets up your athletic performance in the short and long term, ensuring you are well-fuelled, maintain an optimal weight and can recover well, not to mention helping you avoid injuries. We believe nutrition in sport deserves more attention. There is no “one size fits all” approach. That is why we launched the Performance Solutions programme in 2020. Chief of Global Football Development at FIFA, Arsène Wenger, says nutrition should be a fundamental part of performance teams’ plans, tailored in detail to individual players and worked through with multiple practitioners for the good of the team. When Chris Froome pulled back 3 minutes 22 seconds in the 2018 Giro d’Italia to win his third consecutive Grand Tour, Team Sky GM, Dave Brailsford, told the media that an all-hands-on-deck approach to Froome’s fuelling plan was the game-changer. An under-fuelled athlete cannot sustain the level of physical and cognitive performance required of them. If a change in muscle growth or body composition is what you are after, a well-thought-out training programme will be redundant if you do not consume the relevant nutrient building blocks. Nutrition also affects the regeneration of injured tissues, helps your return-to-play and measurably improves function. Performance Solutions by Science in Sport A new way of working to maximise performance through nutrition delivery. “Fuelled by Science, Trusted By Elites and Proven By Performance” As the global industry leaders in performance, we’ve put in place the Performance Knowledge Delivery Framework to help elite athletes and clubs identify: 1. Performance Determinants (Knowledge): What determines performance in your sport? How can nutrition play a truly impactful role? 2. Performance Priorities (Planning): Which determinants are essential to get right day by day? 3. Performance Solutions (Delivery): What is a practical solution to make sure performance delivery happens consistently? Is it the lack of knowledge or of delivery that is currently limiting performance? Performance Solutions can help you systematically address both. To increase knowledge, we offer bespoke research and innovation programmes conducted in the field or at the labs of Liverpool John Moores University, a world-leading sports science institute. To improve delivery, we can provide professionally accredited sports practitioners to work alongside club staff. Our products are developed and designed based on world-leading scientific evidence and include the highest standards of testing for banned substances. Written By Professor James Morton A professor of Exercise Metabolism at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and a Registered Sports and Exercise Nutrition Practitioner with the British Dietetic Association’s UK Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register (SENr), James is responsible for research and innovation at Science in Sport, overseeing the Performance Solutions Team.
