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Fuel Your Performance

At AXSOM, we believe that the process of eating should be viewed simply as fuelling the body. In the same way that a high performance car needs clean fuel to perform to the highest level, the body needs clean fuel to be at its most efficient and effective. We fuel to train, fuel to recover, and fuel to compete. This is applicable in all areas of life, not just with regards to competitive athletes. With nutrition, you are not only fueling the body, but the mind too, as food provides energy for our brain as well as our bodies. 

Naturally we want to feel energised and focused every day, but without adequate and appropriate fuel, we simply wont. Luckily, the process of change shouldn’t be difficult. Perfection at all times is not expected when fueling the body. We usually try for 80% good clean food eaten frequently, with some flexibility (20%) for when life gets in the way. A simple guide when it comes to choosing a food is pick a food which has undergone the least processing from farm to fork. Naturally, whole foods are always best.
If you want to change the way you fuel your body, it won’t be difficult. We have our clients follow the following approach when it comes to nutrition. It is both a simple and effective framework to enable you to fuel for plenty of energy while supporting brain and muscle recovery.

 

PERSONALISE IT

Create your nutritional plans around your own goals, habits and body-type.
You have specific eating habits and you don’t have to completely change that. However, small adjustments in the right direction may make a big difference over time.
You also may have a personal goal, whether its a performance goal or body composition goal, choose food that will best support this goal.


EAT WITH PURPOSE

Use the time while you eat to contemplate other aspects of life, even to meet friends or socialise.
It is a good idea to eat when its time to, not because you want to.
Socializing or unwinding will help slow you down while eating and give you a chance to digest the food.


EAT FOR FUEL

 Make good, natural choices to fuel your body for your day and for whatever tasks or obstacles are ahead.
Choose foods that are most nutritious and colourful to help prevent illness or becoming unwell.
Choose foods that support brain power and function such as good fats and oils.
Choose foods to support muscle growth and recovery such as poultry or fish.
Choose foods to give you energy such as grains and unprocessed carbs.


EAT TO SUSTAIN

Sustain energy, metabolism and hydration to increase the value of each meal.
Eat within 30 minutes of waking up.
Eat every 3 hours.
Make good hydration choices such as herbal teas and water with a pH of 7+.
Just as our sport or occupational performance is a work in progress, our nutritional plans will always need adjustments. As a rule, once you have mastered a change of habit, try to master another and continually improve the way you FUEL your body. It is worth the time and energy investment.
3 Push-Up Progressions

3 Push-Up Progressions

The push up is a staple in many resistance training plans, and for good reason. It is a large compound upper body exercise which also demands excellent trunk stability. It is also a very safe option for youth and inexperienced athletes – “failing” on a repetition just means you are left lying on the floor! The one downfall of this exercise is that the intensity (resistance) can not be as easily progressed/regressed as is the case with dumbbell or barbell exercises. But don’t let that put you off. Below, we’ve outlined 3 push up variations to keep athletes of all levels challenged!

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Indoor Conditioning Session

Indoor Conditioning Session

At the moment, thankfully, conditions are perfect for getting out for a steady run a few times each week. While this is great for helping to maintain aerobic capacity, it’s easy to miss out on the high intensity (anaerobic) conditioning that is so important in many sports. Below, we’ve outlined a session you can complete in a room of your house that requires just a few yards of paint tape to mark out a ladder on the floor!

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10 Core Exercises to Add to your Training

10 Core Exercises to Add to your Training

When many athletes think of anterior core training they think sit-ups or static planks. Of course both of these exercises can target the abdominal group effectively, but we think of core training a bit differently!
It’s important to understand that the primary function of the core is to stabilise the spine and pelvis, particularly while the limbs are in motion. However, neither of the above mentioned most common exercises replicate this function well. Find out some of our favourites..

read more

Indoor Conditioning Session

At the moment, thankfully, conditions are perfect for getting out for a steady run a few times each week. While this is great for helping to maintain aerobic capacity, it’s easy to miss out on the high intensity (anaerobic) conditioning that is so important in many sports. Below, we’ve outlined a session you can complete in a room of your house that requires just a few yards of paint tape to mark out a ladder on the floor!

10 Core Exercises to Add to your Training

When many athletes think of anterior core training they think sit-ups or static planks. Of course both of these exercises can target the abdominal group effectively, but we think of core training a bit differently!
It’s important to understand that the primary function of the core is to stabilise the spine and pelvis, particularly while the limbs are in motion. However, neither of the above mentioned most common exercises replicate this function well. Find out some of our favourites..

Blood Flow Restriction Training

Restriction to blood flow first emerged as a form of exercise training with Japanese bodybuilders in 1995, but is now more commonly referred to as Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) training.  Over the past 3-4 years, BFR training has exploded in popularity amongst strength coaches and physiotherapists alike. Early research identified the capability of BFR to stimulate hypertrophy and strength gains when combined with low-load resistance training but there was a distinct lack of research on how this was happening.  

Field Sport Conditioning

As teams across the country are forced to suspend all collective training, we thought we would help out with a sample session that can be completed individually and modified to suit!
This session includes work in all energy systems to maximise transfer to your sport.
Give it a go and pass it along to your team mates if you think they would benefit. Feel free to get in touch with any questions!

Repetition Tempo

Tempo is a training variable equal in importance to reps and sets. This programming tool allows coaches to target specific adaptations in an athletes programme and is a key component of a training plan. Essentially, in resistance training, tempo refers to the speed that an exercise is performed. The tempo that each rep is performed at will dictate the total time under tension (TUT) for any given set, and this component is one of the major keys to achieving the desired training response.

Maximal Aerobic Speed

In recent years Maximal Aerobic Speed has become popular among team sports in particular, primarily because it presents a simple and effective method of testing aerobic power. However, the real value of this method is that the data from testing can be used directly in the prescription of conditioning loads. This article aims to provide detailed instructions on how to effectively administer an MAS test, in a team setting, and examples of how to effectively use this data.

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