Training for Climbing, 2nd: The Definitive Guide to Improving Your Performance (How To Climb Series)

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Optimal Macronutrient Ratio
     
    As you may have gleaned from the previous sections, the optimal macronutrient ratio for a climber depends on the type of climbing activity. High-intensity, stop-and-go climbing like bouldering or cragging is best fueled with a 65:15:20 ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fat, respectively. The long, slow distance training and climbing of an alpine climber would demand a higher total calorie count per day than the typical rock climber, and this need would be more easily met with a higher-fat diet (though adequate carbohydrates are still necessary). Consequently, a macronutrient ratio of 55:15:30 would be more suitable. See table 9.3 for sample calorie counts for a typical male and female rock climber, though you personally could have significantly different requirements.

Micronutrients and Sports Supplements
     
    The subject of micronutrients and sports supplements is so broad that it’s impossible to discuss in a comprehensive manner in an instructional text like this. Still, the use of vitamin supplements and functional foods is so common in sports that the subject is worthy of at least a primer.
    Sales of vitamin and sports supplements is a multibillion-dollar industry that bombards us with multilateral, never-ending advertising. Some of the weight-loss and strength-gain claims are truly remarkable, but very few of these claims are backed by reliable scientific studies. Many products are promoted with strong anecdotal claims and well-paid pitchmen, but very few actually do what the advertisers claim.
    It’s my belief that up to 90 percent of the sports supplements on the market are nothing other than modern-day snake oil, yet a serious athlete looking to maximize performance must be careful not to throw the baby out with the bathwater. On the pages that follow, we’ll sort out the handful of products that could potentially enhance your training response and climbing performance.

Micronutrients
     
    Vitamins and minerals are the essential dietary micronutrients. Although the body needs only very small amounts of these nutrients (compared with the macronutrients), they do play a vital role in almost every bodily function—from muscular growth and energy metabolism to neural conduction and memory. Consequently, your health and athletic performance can suffer in a number of ways if you are not consuming enough of these micronutrients.
    Studies have shown that as much as two-thirds of self-selected diets contain less than the recommended daily allowances (RDA) of certain vital vitamins and minerals. Furthermore, despite being updated in recent years, RDAs are still believed by many experts to represent low-end requirements for a serious athlete.
VITAL VITAMINS
     
    High-intensity and high-volume exercise (as in bouldering and alpine climbing, respectively) both place great metabolic demands on the body and generate elevated levels of free radicals, which may slow recovery and increase your chance of illness. The antioxidants that combat these free radicals, like vitamin C and vitamin E, are crucial micronutrients you would be wise to consume in greater than the RDA-suggested amounts.
    One study showed that supplementing with 1,200 IUs of vitamin E modulated free-radical production and reduced the amount of muscle damage following heavy weight training, in comparison with a placebo group (McBride 1998). Vitamin C has also been shown to help reduce muscle damage, in addition to being necessary for the formation of collagen (the substance that forms connective tissue in the skin and muscles) and supporting the immune system. Therefore, it would be wise to consume extra vitamin C and vitamin E, above and beyond what you can acquire through your diet or from a daily multivitamin. Consider taking one gram of vitamin C and 400 IUs of vitamin E daily, split into two doses (morning and evening).
    Certainly there are a host of other vitamins that you might benefit from consuming in amounts higher than the RDA guidelines. Still, eating a decent well-rounded diet and taking a generic daily multivitamin supplement should adequately meet your needs for these other vitamins.
PRECIOUS MINERALS
     
    Magnesium and zinc are two minerals shown to be consumed in less than recommended amounts by a majority of the population. For athletes, a deficiency in these minerals could mean you’re getting short-changed on training response. Several recent studies have shown a statistically