2008 US Open Final - Andy Murray and Roger Federer

Following the epic match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut at the beginning of Wimbledon 2010, Andy Murray tweeted ‘This is why tennis is one of the toughest sports in the world, this will never ever be matched again’.

After watching some of the world’s elite footballers play so disappointingly during the World Cup, supposedly their sports most prestigious competition, Murray’s point is justified. Football is a team competition; players can be rested during matches, be substituted when injured and even miss matches by suspensions. Even the winning team will have only played 7 matches of 90mins (with possible extra time of 30minutes) over a period of 4 weeks.

In comparison Isner and Mahut’s single match took a record breaking 11 hours and five minutes, with the final fifth set alone taking eight-hours 11-minutes. In total 980 points including 215 aces were played over 183 games, the final score at  6–4, 3–6, 6–7(9–7), 7–6(7–3), 70–68. However, when you see slightly overweight, middle aged people inspired by Wimbledon fortnight, playing tennis on your local courts tennis doesn’t seem so demanding.

So why should tennis be considered a tough sport?

Whilst a knock about on the beach or the local park does not seem that strenuous, professional competitive tennis requires a combination of physiological and unpredictable variables. Each match depends on adapting to a number of factors:

• Match duration (3 or 5 sets)
• Weather
• Opponent
• Surface
• Level of play

But within each match or indeed between each point there are also a number of variables that need to be considered:

• The length of the point
• Playing style of both players
• Velocity of shot
• Shot selections

Tennis players need to train specifically for their sport and playing style. During high level matches points have an average length of between 3 seconds to around 15 seconds on some of the faster surfaces such as grass and indoor. However the total playing time is only between 20-30% of the total match time and varies considerably between when the player in control of a rally is an attacking player who hits the net hard then consistently comes to the net, a whole court player, or a baseline player.

Is Tennis an Aerobic or Anaerobic Sport?

Tennis requires short explosive bursts of energy repeated hundreds of times per match which as we have seen can be of a long duration. This requires players to be trained anaerobically for performance and aerobically to aid recovery during and after play.

Maximum oxygen uptake (VO₂ max) is used as a marker of aerobic capacity. Generally VO₂ max and heart rate increases as the game progresses, decreasing during rest periods and end changes. VO₂ max in competitive high level tennis players has been reported to be greater than 50ml/kg/min classifying tennis players as highly aerobically trained with aggressive attacking players having a lower VO₂ max than baseline players.

The mean heart rate in trained players aged 20–30 years has reported to be between the ranges of 140–160 beats/min during singles matches. The long duration and moderate mean heart rate during a match suggests that tennis an aerobic sport.

However the explosive nature of the serve and ground strokes, along with rapid changes of direction requires a tennis player to have a high anaerobic capacity. Together with the need for a high percentage of fast twitch muscles tennis could be considered more as a predominantly anaerobic activity, needing high levels of aerobic condition to avoid fatigue and aid recovery between points.

Strength, Speed and Agility

In addition to stamina tennis players need fast reaction times to respond to every shot from the opponent. They are required to move not only forwards and backwards but also sideway and diagonally, so need to be agile, able to accelerate and move at a maximum speed.

Strength training is also important not only in muscles and joints for performance but also to reduce injuries. As well as the expected required strength in the shoulder and upper arm, tennis players require a firm wrist to direct the racket head under high speeds. Players also require a deal of flexibility, not only through reaching for or playing a racket shot but also when throwing the ball when serving.

There is no doubt that training as a competitive tennis player is demanding. You need to be both anaerobic and aerobically fit, have stamina, strength, speed, flexibility and agility, as well as being mentally aware to respond to your opponent’s shots. There are however other professional sports which could arguably also be considered some of the toughest in the world.

Triathletes competing at Ironman distances for example, may argue that a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bike and a marathon (26 miles 385 yards, 42.195 km) run, raced in that order and without a break, is also quite tough.  As might the cyclists competing in the Tour de France covering around 3,600 kilometres (2,200 mi) through 21 stages over 3 weeks.  But considering it took Rafael Nadal 17 and half playing hours, over the course of two week tournament to win 2010 Wimbledon championship I will concede to Andy Murray that professional competitive ‘tennis is one of the toughest sports in the world.’

Following a marathon or even just a hard training session I try to increase my protein intake but I find it difficult to consume enough. Whilst 1 chicken breast contains 39g, my vegetarian option is a high fat option of Cheddar cheese (10g protein in a 40g chunk) or a 150g pot of low fat yoghurt (6g), with sports protein bars really hard going to eat.

Now there is a new alternative product to animal, whey or soya protein from Higher Nature – Organic Milled Hemp Protein. Just one 30g scoop contains 15g protein – more than 2 boiled eggs! This protein powder is not only powerful enough for athletes and bodybuilders but is perfect for the whole family: from children to seniors. It is an excellent protein source for vegans, vegetarians, dieters and for travelling.

Organic Cold Milled Hemp Protein Nutritional Information Per 100g:

• Energy: 440kcal
• Protein: 50g
• Carbohydrates: 19.24g
• Total fat: 12g of which Saturates1.2g and Polyunsaturates 9g

Organic Cold Milled Hemp Protein is also:

• High in omega 3 (2.4g/100g) and omega 6 (6.6g/100g) essential fatty acids (EFAs). These EFA’s cannot be produced by the body and are important for supporting numerous body processes, including brain health, cardiovascular function and immune health.
• Cholesterol-free.
• Easy to digest.
• High in fibre, (15.54g/100g) which can help balance blood glucose levels, reduce fat absorption and manage appetite making hemp protein a popular choice with dieters too.
• Cold milled ensuring that valuable enzymes are not destroyed and vitamins, minerals and nutrients remain intact.

The Taste Test

Higher Nature did send me some recipes to use with the hemp powder although most included coconut which I’m not a fan off so I decided to try it in some of my own meals. The label says you can ‘blend it into drinks, smoothies and yoghurt, or sprinkle over cereal and fruit.’ I am admitting I am a very fussy eater and don’t believe that vegetables belong in a dessert such as in carrot cake, nor will you see me choosing to drink wheatgrass juice. So maybe it was unsurprising that I didn’t enjoy my first attempt of mixing 15g of hemp protein to my bowl of strawberry, banana and cold custard. It did have a nutty taste but the combination on my taste buds reminded me of eating un-ripened strawberries or tasting like I had accidentally left the stalks or leaves on. It wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t finish the bowl, although the green colour of my food didn’t add to the appeal.

I decided then that I would try it on savoury food. The label also recommends ‘you add to salad dressings, sauces, soups and cooked dishes. But is not suitable for cooking or baking’. I like to cook my pasta, cover in tomato sauce straight from the jar then sprinkle with grated cheese before grilling to toast the cheese and heat the sauce. I decided to sprinkle about 10g of the hemp protein on top of the sauce before hiding the greenness with cheese. I found that the taste of the hemp protein actually complimented the tomato and I enjoyed the nutty flavor. I even tried it on pizza sprinkling it over like parmesan cheese and again I found it added something to the taste of the food.

Overall

Whether you’re looking to maximise energy levels, tone your body and build muscle or shed a few extra pounds Organic Hemp Protein is a great alternative product to animal, whey or soya protein.

As a source of supplementary protein to a savoury meal I found it was a tasty addition. The nutty flavour of 30g of hemp powder in one smoothie drink may be a little too much every day, but on occasions when I need a high intake of protein I would probably choose it over a sports protein bar.

Organic Protein is available from Higher Nature (RRP £10.90)

Now a study from Victoria University, Australia has set out to examine the effects of creatine supplementation on the recovery of muscle proteins and force after eccentrically induced muscle damage.

Eccentric contractions are used to decelerate a body part or object, such as when you lower an object gently rather than just letting it drop. Damage caused by eccentric exercise is known to lead to a reduction in muscle force, increased muscle soreness and impaired muscle function.

During the study 14 untrained male subjects consumed either creatine and carbohydrate (Cr-CHO) or only carbohydrate (CHO) for five days before a resistance exercise session. The Cr-CHO group consumed a daily supplement of creatine (0.3 g per kg of body weight) and glucose (1.2 g per kg of body weight); The CHO group took glucose only.

The workout consisted of three exercises: 1) leg press; 2) leg extension and 3) leg curl. For each exercise their concentric 1-RM (repetition maximum) was determined. This is the maximum weight that a single repetition could be performed of a muscle shortening exercise, such as a curl. The resistance exercise session involved 4 sets of 10 eccentric only repetitions at 120% of their maximum concentric 1-RM, lowering the weight by themselves through the entire range of motion over 4 seconds.

Every day for 14 days whilst recovering from the exercises the Cr-CHO group took 0.1 g per kg of body weight of creatine and 0.4 g per kg of body weight of glucose, again the CHO group took glucose only.

The study found isokinetic strength, (where the muscle contracts and shortens at a constant speed), was 10% greater during recovery in the Cr-CHO group compared to the placebo group of CHO alone.

During isometric knee extension (where the muscle length stays the same even though it contracts), it was also found that the creatine supplemented groups had significantly greater strength (21%) during recovery from exercise induced muscle damage.

The paper’s author Matthew Cooke concluded that there is a significant improvement in the rate of recovery of knee extensor muscle function after creatine supplementation following injury. Blood creatine kinase (CK) activity was significantly lower by an average of 84% after 48hrs recovery in the creatine supplement group and peaked at 96hrs. Levels had returned to baseline by 7 days in both groups.

Blood CK levels can be raised from damage of the muscle tissue as a result of intense training, but also due to a number of other factors:

• Age – levels decline slightly with age
• Gender – at rest CK levels are lower in females than males.
• Race – black men usually have higher values than Caucasians.
• Climate – standard exercise in cold weather induces higher blood CK levels than the same exercise in warm weather.
• Muscle mass and physical activity – at rest CK levels in athletes are higher than in sedentary subjects, this may be due to persistent training which keeps the CK levels elevated.

However, if trained and untrained subjects do the same exercise the CK levels will still be lower in athletes than the untrained. This study published in the Journal of International Society Sports Nutrition did involve untrained subjects which may have resulted in the very high CK levels initially following the exercise.

The major finding of this study was the significantly higher muscle strength after creatine supplementation during recovery from a muscle damaging exercise session; this may be due in part to a faster muscle growth during the recovery period. The study did not report if the subjects gained weight before or after the exercise session as is often reported with taking creatine supplements.

It is not known how creatine may act to increase recovery although it may be that the reduced leakage of creatine kinase from the muscle is an indication of less initial damage to the muscle.  There appears to be a large number of studies supporting the use of creatine supplements whether to increase muscle mass or aiding recovery to allow further training. Maybe now scientists need to discover just how creatine supplements work so they can advise athletes on the ideal duration and concentration to use to aid recovery, optimise weight gain and avoid side effects.

Creatine is a natural occurring substance that helps supply energy to muscles. Half of stored creatine comes from food, mainly fresh meat, so as a vegetarian I am likely to have lower levels of muscle creatine.  The enzyme creatine kinase (CK) is responsible for the reversible reaction whereby creatine is converted along with ATP to create phosphocreatine and ADP to generate energy.

Whilst creatine has been shown to be beneficial for short high intensity exercises such as weight lifting, it has not shown to have any benefit to endurance activity performance. In fact as creatine is also responsible for weight gain of around 1kg when taking the ‘loading dose’ of 20g a day it may even slow an endurance athlete down without providing any benefit to performance. A study has however, looked at the benefits of creatine on muscle recovery following endurance running

In the study published in Life Sciences journal, subjects were given 4 doses a day of 5g of creatine and 15g of maltodextrine, while the control group received just maltodextrine for 5 days, before a 30km race. The runners were experienced marathon runners with personal best (PB) times of 2.5 -3 hours.

Blood CK levels can be raised from damage of the muscle tissue as a result of intense training and it is often used as a marker of muscle injury. In this study by the University of São Paulo, it was found that athletes from the control group had increased CK levels suggesting a high level of cell injury and inflammation while Creatine supplementation reduced these increases.

In short term studies of less than two weeks there have not been reported side effects of taking creatine supplements. Dr Santos, the papers author reported that ‘the runners finished in times equivalent to their PB, without any side effects such as cramping, dehydration or diarrhoea whilst taking the supplements or during the race.’ However athletes who have taken it long term have reported muscle cramping and kidney damage.

In 2007 International Society of Sports Nutrition published its position on the use of creatine supplementation and exercise. Amongst some of their statements they concluded that ‘there is no scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals. Creatine monohydrate supplementation is not only safe, but possibly beneficial in regard to preventing injury and/or management of select medical conditions when taken within recommended guidelines.’

Recovering from endurance exercise is important for the long distance runner, but is it worth taking creatine supplements in the days leading up to a marathon to prevent damage and aid recovery. Is it worth possible muscle cramps and other side effects during the race after all you don’t know how your individual body will react?

What’s your view? Are you an endurance athlete who has tried creatine supplements, or do you think we shouldn’t use any type of ergogenic aids? Let us know you experiences or opinions.

Also read related post Can creatine supplements enhance muscle recovery?

But the question is ‘What is the most effective way to improve muscle damage recovery after training or a competitive exercise?’ There are a number of theories about what you consume to improve recovery, but I am interested what you can actually do post exercise to enhance recovery.

A study in New Zealand followed 23 elite male rugby players to try to answer this question. Rugby is both an aerobic and anaerobic exercise, as well as involving direct impact. Compared with other sports, injuries from rugby are high so if a recovery technique does have an effect, there will be room for improvement following a professional rugby match. The players in the study were given four different post match strategies:

• Passive Recovery - Sitting on a bench before carrying out normal post match routine of showering, rehydrating and snacking.
• Contrast Water Therapy - Immersion to above the hips in two temperature controlled water baths, alternating between one minute in cold water (8-10^oC) and 2 minutes in hot water (40-42^oC) for approx 9 minutes then normal post match routine.
• Low Intensity Active Exercise - 7 minutes on an exercycle (80-100rpm ¬150W) before normal post match routine.
• Compression Garment - Normal post match routine before wearing a lower body compression garment (Skins®) until the following morning (approx 12 hrs).

The researchers measured creatine kinase (CK) to rate the muscle damage recovery, as strenuous exercise that damages skeletal muscle results in an increase in blood CK activity. They found that as a result of the match there were significant increases in CK activity.  The matches produced significant increases in CK concentration from 1023 IU pre- and 2194 IU post- competition.

At 36 and 48hrs active exercise, contrast water therapy or compression garment enhanced CK clearance compared to passive recovery and the magnitude of recovery in the passive recovery group was significantly worse than the other interventions.

After 48 hours Low Intensity Active Exercise showed 88.2% recovery, Contrast Water Therapy 85% and wearing a Compression garment 84.4%. Worst recovery was following Passive Recovery, 39%.

The theories behind each recovery strategy are:

• Low Intensity Active Exercise increases blood flow and change in distribution, maybe enhancing CK clearance.
• Contrast Water Therapy is thought to reduce oedema though a pumping action created by alternating the vasoconstrictor and vasodilator responses of blood vessels to temperature changes. Is also thought to reduce muscle spasm and influence inflammatory response.
• Compression Garments may work due to compression being often used as a therapeutic intervention following tissue injury as part of RICE, with ice and compression providing pain relief and reducing inflammatory responses and swelling.

Whilst the optimal duration and combination needs more study it does appear that doing something is better than nothing when it come to aiding recovery. Rugby is a physically demanding sport, but so is completing a triathlon or running a marathon. Introducing one or more of these strategies into your post exercise schedule and finding out which works better for you after different activities may allow you to train harder and more frequently whilst reducing the occurrence of muscle injuries.

It’s something I know I’m guilty of. Come back from a long run, get in the bath and forget all about eating and refuelling.

Endurance exercise affects skeletal muscle by reducing energy stores and increasing muscle protein breakdown. So after exercise it’s important to refuel and replace the bodies main source of stored energy, glycogen. During endurance exercise glycogen stored in skeletal muscle is reduced which can limit exercise duration and intensity. Therefore, it is important to replenishing these energy stores before your next training session or competition.

In addition, muscle protein breakdown is continuously occurring, even at rest, releasing amino acids to be used for protein synthesis. However, protein synthesis is stimulated by exercise and muscle protein breakdown is increased. So it’s important that consumption of food must offset breakdown to create a positive net muscle protein balance.

Taking these two facts into account suggests that the ideal recovery food must contain both carbohydrate and protein to provide substrate for glycogen synthesis and achieve net protein balance. But what’s the best fuel to use?

Commercial carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drinks are available for post exercise recovery, but how do they compare with eating regular food. A group of researchers from the University Texas have compared the effects of ingesting regular cereal and non-fat milk, with drinking carbohydrate-electrolyte sports drink immediately following endurance exercise, investigating muscle glycogen synthesis and the regulation of proteins controlling protein synthesis.

Whilst many studies use untrained subjects or exercise to exhaustion Dr Kammer’s study a more realistic training scenario. The study published in Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition involved trained cyclists and triathletes who completed 2 hours of cycling at 60-65% of their predetermined VO₂MAX  (this is the maximum volume of oxygen that can be used during one minute of maximal exhaustive exercise).

Immediately after exercise the subjects consumed either a drink (containing 78.5 g carbohydrate) or cereal (77 g carbohydrate, 19.5 g protein and 2.7 g fat). The researchers found that after 60 min following refuelling with either the drink or cereal:

• blood glucose levels was similar between both drink and cereal;
• significant changes did occur in glycogen levels following both methods of refuelling;
• glycogen and muscle proteins were not different between treatments.

BUT

• after cereal blood insulin levels was significantly higher;
• after cereal blood lactate was significantly lower;
• only cereal significantly affected glycogen synthase.

The researchers were able to conclude that while the drink provided carbohydrate, only the cereal and milk provided carbohydrate and essential amino acids necessary to support both glycogen and protein synthesis. This is due to the cereal option also providing easily digestible and quality protein in the milk. The benefits of the findings to the everyday athlete is that cereal and non-fat milk provide a less expensive whole food option as compared to sports drinks.

Whilst Dr Kammer and colleagues now suggest cereal and non-fat milk as a potential option for athletes who refuel at home, the down side was that to eat the necessary amounts of carbohydrates required consuming the equivalent of two potions according to the recommended sizes on the box.

So now we know what to eat, I just need to schedule time for it straight after training, before I head for the bath.