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

I have relied on skim milk as my primary source of protein for the last thirty years (since I first read that John Gill slammed back milk protein after climbing). At 2.5 gallons of milk per week for more than thirty years, I’ve somehow consumed nearly 4,000 gallons of skim milk since I started climbing. All I can say is, “Got milk?”
    Even those who are lactose-intolerant can consume milk without any nasty side effects by purchasing acidophilus milk. Regardless, be sure to always select 1 percent or skim milk, since whole milk contains a significant amount of saturated fat.
SPORTS DRINKS
     
    Since the invention of Gatorade in the early 1970s, sports drinks have grown into a massive industry. It’s now hard to find a serious athlete who does not consume sports drinks to help replenish energy. Dozens of different sports drinks are available in bottled form, including Gatorade and Powerade, the two most popular drinks on the market right now. Many others are sold in a bulk powdered form ideal for mixing up at home before a workout or day at the crags.
    As you might expect, not all sports drinks are the same. Some are merely glorified sugar water, while others include electrolytes or any number of vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other nutrients said to increase athletic performance. Clearly, many of the claims are unsubstantiated—and at two bucks a bottle, some are just a big rip-off.
    The active ingredients in these products fall into two main categories: electrolytes and fuel replacements. A simple understanding of both will help you understand how these drinks might be of benefit to you.
    Electrolytes such as potassium, magnesium, calcium, sodium, and chloride are critical for concentration, energy production, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction. Fortunately, electrolyte loss during exercise is quite slow, so even a full day of climbing won’t cause significant depletion. A reasonable diet and multivitamin provide you with all the electrolytes you need for ordinary training or a day of climbing. Still, a sports drink with electrolytes may be beneficial if your food supply will be limited for a few days, as in big-wall or alpine climbing.

     
    Snack and rehydrate every hour or two. You’ll climb better all day long and top out on long routes with energy to spare! ERIC J. HÖRST
     

    Fuel sources in the sports drinks are mainly carbohydrates, including glucose, sucrose, fructose, maltodextrin, and lactates. Glucose and sucrose (table sugar) are the fuel sources in the original sports drink Gatorade and have since been adopted by many other companies. Ironically, some athletes now shun drinks with large amounts of glucose and sucrose to avoid a blood sugar spike. Unless you are engaged in an activity that continues steadily for a couple of hours (such as long-distance biking, running, or hiking), this quick increase in blood sugar may be followed by an energy crash as insulin kicks in to reduce the elevated blood sugar level. In a stop-and-go sport like climbing, this pullback on blood sugar can leave you feeling more fatigued and tired than before you consumed the drink!
    Consequently, you should avoid any drink whose first ingredient (after water) is glucose or high-fructose corn syrup—both are signs that the drink has a high glycemic index and will release sugar rapidly into the blood. Instead, shop around for powdered sports drink mixes that list fructose (not the same as high-fructose corn syrup) or a protein source such as whey as the first or second ingredient. These have a lower glycemic index and hence provide a slower, more sustained release of carbohydrate ideal for climbers. Accelerade by Pacific Health Labs or PowerBar’s Performance Recovery are two good choices.
    Carbohydrate (glycogen) depletion in the muscles and liver is a primary cause of fatigue when performing long-duration activities of more than ninety minutes. The traditional use of sports drinks is for situations when additional fuel is needed for prolonged activity lasting more than ninety minutes. Therefore, consuming a fructose-based or protein-containing sports drink during the course of a day at the crags will help maintain energy levels throughout the day, though consuming some food would be beneficial as well. Conversely, an hour or two of bouldering or a short gym workout will not benefit from the added fuel of a sports drink.
    While a slow-release, fructose-based or protein-containing sports drink is ideal for when