MA test, nutrition advice

[tee]

I am the mother of a 17 year old boy who is taking his black belt test in 2 months. He has been training hard for 5 years. He has been a vegetarian for 4 of those years and is in great health. He gets plenty of protein from sietan, tofu, beans and so on. I am just looking for some way to give him a little edge. I was told once to start him on a diet in complex carbohydrates. He is good about eating well, especially for his age. As his mother I am just sick about this test and excited for him at the same time. He needs to have some energy at the end of his test for the sparring. At least enough to hold his darn guard up. Any advice?? We are starting to walk each night to build him up cardio-wise. He doesn't do much exercise other than the MA. Hopefully in 2 months we can make a difference there also. Hope to hear from you soon.

[osopardo]

At 17 and training for 5 years, your son should be strong and healthy enough to pass the test without any problems. A good instructor would not schedule him for the blackbelt test if he felt your son wasnt ready. His worst problems may well be nothing more than nerves, which I sense in your post, but that may be more your problem than his.

As for preparation, besides the obvious, I would recommend that he train for performing beyond the requirements; if he's supposed to do 100 push-ups he should be training to do 200, if he's expected to run 3 miles, he should be running 5, etc. etc. He should be doing this on his own time in addition to m.a. class. Do you have a list of all the requirements for the test? He should be gradually targeting specific goals off a checklist every day at home.

Cardio is going to be a very important factor; he should be running, not walking. If you cant keep up with him, get on a bicycle but dont do anything that may hinder him from pushing himself harder.

Complex carbs will give him a longer duration of sustained energy (important) but simple carbs will give him a good spike of energy for short-term performance, such as sparring or running. Some athletes do a simple-carb load up just before competing, like eating a candy bar or slugging down an energy drink just before a race. Not necessarily healthy as a lifestyle but it gets results in performance-oriented situations.

You might want to start him on some supplements such as whey or soy protein. Some of these products are loaded with other things besides proteins which are essential for lean muscle growth, bone density, after-training recovery and to boost the immune system.

Mke sure he's well-hydrated before during and after the test. He should be drinking so much water his urine should be almost clear.

Keep us posted on his progress and

Good Luck!