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Tournament recovery planner
An hour-by-hour plan for carbohydrate, protein, fluid and sodium between bouts on the same day.
Short answer: Between bouts on the same day, eat 1.0–1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg of bodyweight an hour, have 0.25–0.3 g/kg of protein straight after, and drink 125–150% of the fluid you lost with some sodium. In the last hour before you compete, stick to drinks, gels and very light snacks.
| After the bout | Carbohydrate | Protein | Fluid and sodium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0–1 h | 75–90 g | 19–23 g | 500 ml · 230–580 mg sodium |
| 1 h–2 h | 75–90 g | — | 500 ml · 230–580 mg sodium |
| 2 h–3 hDrinks, gels or very light snacks only | 40–75 g | — | 500 ml · 230–580 mg sodium |
Fluid in total: 1,250–1,500 ml (125–150% of what you lost). Sip it across the break rather than all at once.
Choose low-fibre, low-fat foods you know sit well: sports drinks, gels, jelly sweets, white bread with jam, bananas, rice cakes or a milkshake. If you weighed in and dropped weight to make a category, follow your sport's medical advice on rehydration. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.
Recovering in less than 8 hours
When the next bout is less than 8 hours away, the joint position statement advises 1.0–1.2 g of carbohydrate per kg an hour for the first 4 hours to refill glycogen quickly (Thomas et al., 2016). Small, frequent amounts are easier than one large meal.
Fluid and sodium between bouts
Replace 125–150% of the fluid you lost, because you keep losing fluid as urine while you rehydrate. Drinks with sodium of about 20–50 mmol per litre help you hold on to it (Sawka et al., 2007).
Easy foods for between matches
Choose low-fibre, low-fat and familiar foods. In the last hour, about 0.5–1 g/kg from drinks, gels or jelly sweets is usually easier on the stomach than solid food (Burke et al., 2011). For recovery after a single session, use the recovery nutrition calculator.
Scientific sources
- Thomas D. T., Erdman K. A. & Burke L. M. (2016). Nutrition and athletic performance: joint position statement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543–568.
- Burke L. M. et al. (2011). Carbohydrates for training and competition. Journal of Sports Sciences, 29(Suppl 1), S17–S27.
- Sawka M. N. et al. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390.
More endurance tools and guides: Sports nutrition, including the race fuelling and hydration calculator.
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Educational information for adults aged 18 and over. It does not diagnose, treat or manage any medical condition. If you have a health condition, or symptoms that worry you, speak to your doctor or a health professional.