The goals of every rugby player may differ, but may include the following:
To increase muscle mass
To maintain muscle mass – or in some cases, even to lose a little bit of the bulkiness in order to increase speed
To lose fat mass
To increase explosive power and short-term energy bursts interspersed in a 80-minute game of power and endurance
To provide sustained energy and stamina that will last for months in order to partcipate in one of the fiercest competitions in the world
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A rugbyplayer's eating plan should:
Be balanced
Include a variety of foods
Include enough carbohydrates as primary energy force, with the emphasis on the correct carbohydrates (low GI) for sustained energy thoughout the day, the weeks and the months of the competition
Include enough protein to help with muscle building
Only contain limited amounts of fats, especially animal fats and harmful trans-fatty acids
Be assessed and revised on a regular basis
Phase 1: To increase muscle mass during the first few months
During the first few months of training (usually November to January), the diets of most rugby players are planned with one major goal in mind: to increase muscle mass.
The protein:carbo:fat ratio should be 50:40:10 during this bulking-up phase.
Phase 2: To increase speed and endurance during the competition phase
As soon as the official rugby competitions kick off, the players' eating plans and training regimes should be adapted. The primary focus should shift from increasing muscle mass to facilitating speed and endurance.
For speed and endurance work, the protein:carbo:fat ratio should be 45:45:10. Rugby players should lower their protein intake and increase their carbo intake during the season.
Ideally, the fat intake should only be 10% of the total energy intake. This is much less than the average fat intake of the average South African rugby supporter, which is as high as 20 to 40% of his/her total energy intake.
How much protein does a rugby player need to increase muscle mass?
Scientific studies have shown that an athlete needs 1,8 g to 1,9 g protein per kg body weight to increase his muscle mass, and 1,2 g to 1,5 g protein per kg merely to maintain existing muscle mass.
This means that a typical lock forward weighing 100 kg needs about 190 g of protein per day if he wants to increase his muscle mass. A speedy center or wing weighing 70 kg will need 105 g of protein daily to ensure that he does not lose muscle mass.
How much meat should a rugby player eat?
In order to consume 190 g protein per day, a rugby player weighing 100 kg needs to eat 949 g of chicken/lean red meat, or 1 kg fish, or 800 g cheese, or 38 eggs, 5,7 litres of milk, or nine cups of lentils per day. These are staggering amounts of food.
Many of the foods containing protein are also rich in fat. In fact, the fat content of these foods are sky high. For example, an 800 g steak fillet contains 16 - 24 teaspoons of fat (100 g fat), 38 eggs contain 150 g fat (half a cup), while 800 g cheese contains 260 g (30%) fat.
It is just not possible to increase your protein intake without increasing your fat consumption. The phenomenon of protein and amino acid supplements provides a new option. Many rugby players use creatine and other protein supplements. There is sufficient scientifc evidence to support the notion that creatine supplementation and whey protein supplementation are beneficial.
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