By Joel Clark, Sports Performance Nutritionist
Season Preparations
The pre-season is a critical time for baseball and softball players. It allows you to fine-tune your skills, build strength, endurance and prepare yourself for the demands of the upcoming season. Often the focus of pre-season is what you do on the pitch, but it’s also important to not overlook the role your nutrition can have. Fueling well around your training sessions can help ensure you’re performing well in training and recovering quickly after each session.
The Big Three
Think of carbohydrates, protein and hydration as first, second and third base. Getting these three areas dialled in are fundamental to your nutrition and performance just as the bases are to baseball and softball.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are your body's preferred fuel source, especially for high-intensity movements like sprinting, throwing and batting. It’s important to make sure you have enough fuel available so that you can nail your training.
Having a high carbohydrate snack containing 1 g/kg body mass of carbohydrates 1 hour before your training session will make sure you’re well fuelled for the upcoming session. This could be as simple as a slice of toast with some jam or having a nice bowl of fruit.
It’s also just as important to have some carbohydrates after training so that you are restoring your glycogen stores so you can recover well and perform your best in the next session. You should aim for 1.2 g/kg body mass in the first hour after training.
Protein: Protein is essential for both recovery and maximising the benefits of your training. The goal is to consume around 1.2-2 g/kg of body mass per day so that you have enough to restore and repair your muscles after training.
Hydration: Getting your hydration right is also really important to both your performance and recovery.
Dehydration of as little as 2% loss in body mass can lead to reduced exercise performance and decreased cognitive performance (things like concentration and reaction time).
Dehydration can also affect your sleep, which is a really important component to make sure you recover well after exercise.
During training drinking to your thirst is enough to keep you hydrated above the 2% body mass threshold. However, fluid should be replaced after training to ensure you are well hydrated. Electrolytes help to increase water retention (the amount of water you keep in your body after drinking), so adding electrolytes to your drink can help you become more hydrated.
Final Thoughts
Getting your nutrition right in the pre-season and season doesn’t need to be complicated. To start getting the most out of your training, consider having some quick carbohydrates before hitting the field so you’re fuelled well. Eating a snack high in carbohydrates after practice will help with recovery. Make sure over the day you’re consuming enough protein to also help with recovery and drink enough water after training so that you can avoid becoming dehydrated. Getting these three areas dialled in will help you to knock your pre-season preparations out of the park.
About Joel Clark
Joel is a qualified Sports Performance Nutritionist with an MSc in Physiology and Nutrition of Sport and Exercise from Loughborough University and a BSc in Sports and Exercise Science from Swansea University.
An accomplished endurance athlete, Joel has competed in events ranging from 10Ks to ultra-marathons, all while balancing training, work, and social life. His personal experience provides valuable insight into the challenges of training, racing, recovery, and maintaining balance.
Joel is passionate about helping others thrive not only in their sport but in everyday life. He emphasizes the importance of nutrition as both a tool for performance and a source of enjoyment. With a practical, science-based approach, Joel offers tailored advice to help individuals achieve their best in training, race day, and recovery while maintaining a positive relationship with food.
Visit Joel's website and Instagram.
