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A Toast to Resolutions...

Thursday, 19 December 2013 05:10

By Woody Woodward (ironguides.net / xtri.com)

The New Year can bring out the best in athletes such as new focus and better habits—but it can also lead to a very quick breakdown and loss of motivation. Athletes love to make New Year's resolutions. We are always thinking about every possible way to get more from our bodies so we can perform better....

A popular resolution is to stop drinking alcohol. I always find this interesting as athletes believe it to be a magic bullet: if they stop consuming alcohol, surely they will be leaner, fresher and faster—no question!

I remember hearing that before the 2004 Olympics Ivan Rana from Spain, one of the favorites in the triathlon, had decided to completely forego alcohol for one year leading into the Games so that he could focus everything in his life to his one goal of winning Olympic gold.

Instead, Rana had one of his worst seasons ever.

While we can’t say that his decision to stop drinking was the only reason for his slump, it for sure played its part. Many people have said that beer (in moderation) is one of the best recovery drinks. Taking away what was once a source of calories and some nutrients can wreak havoc on the body. READ MORE