Two-a-Day Practice Tips From the Experts

Long days of practices can be hard on an athlete's body. Follow these tips to stay healthy and perform your best throughout the season.

Hydration and Nutrition

• Drink 80 oz. or half of your body in ounces daily (whichever is higher).
• Avoid high-fat and fried foods.
• Fuel your body for intense exercise by pairing a carbohydrate with a protein:
  • Whole-grain cereal + low-fat milk or calcium-fortified almond, soy or rice milk
  • Fresh fruit + nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, cashews)
  • Whole-grain crackers + 2 tablespoons nut butter
  • Dried fruit + dried coconut, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds
  • Berries + non-fat Greek yogurt
  • Raw vegetables + hummus

Strength Training

Continue your strength training and schedule it to complement each day's practice (unless strength training is part of your two-a-days).

Warm Up & Cool Down

Teams should always warm up and cool down together, but get to practice early to make sure you feel warm before you start. Stay a few minutes late to make sure you recover after each session.

• Before practice – always do an active or dynamic warm-up:
  • Foam roll to help relieve soreness and break up lactic acid
  • 8-10 moving stretches
  • Work on light standing and running mechanics
• After practice – cool down with:
  • Light cardio
  • Gentle static stretching for the muscle groups you used most during practice

Recover

• Sleep is the best thing you can do for recovery. Studies suggest that 9-10 hours of sleep is ideal for athletes.
• Have a salty snack and 16 - 20 oz. of water before bed to help with hydration the next day.
• Apply ice or compression to help control inflammation and decrease soreness.
• Monitor your weight during two-a-days. If body weight is down 2% or more from the day before, you should NOT practice.
• Avoid sweat-wicking clothing! Sweat naturally cools the body down, and the sweat-absorbing material counters the effectiveness of sweat.
• Wear loose-fitting cotton on extra-hot days.
• Notify your athletic trainers about medications you're taking. ADHD medications can affect the body's metabolism and thermoregulation.