Our Apeiron Life Scientific Advisory Board members review each perspective post.
As you enter into the final few weeks before any tournament, you need to start focusing your body and brain in different ways. Below we've put together the ultimate guide to getting the most out of each golf week. Some of the points may seem minor but it all adds up, so follow them to the best of your ability. However, most importantly, listen to your body's cues before, during, and after the tournament. Please reach out to your Client Advocate with any questions or concerns.
Let's get started!
THE WEEK BEFORE THE TOURNAMENT
Your objective: Get your body feeling rested, energized, and strong -- so you enjoy the tournament more.
Do:
Taper your training.
Scale back your resistance and cardio training to maintenance levels.
Focus more on stretching and mobility, less on muscle and fitness development. For example, light full-body weights and cardio training at zone 2-3.
Focus on quality sleep.
Proper rest is essential for recovery and preventing fatigue.
Aim for at least 7 hours of time spent asleep. You'll need to allocate more time in bed to achieve this: about 30 minutes to fall asleep and an hour to wake up.
Try not to look at screens (phone, TV) for an hour before bed.
Wind down with breathing exercises or a guided meditation (use an app like Headspace or Calm).
Eat wholesome meals.
Aim for half a plate of non-starchy vegetables at lunch and dinner.
Focus on lean proteins: poultry without skin, fish, beans.
Eat a whole grain or whole starch such as potato with skin, beans, wild rice, or whole-wheat starches.
Add a few spoonfuls of healthy fats, such as avocado, olives, nuts, or seeds.
Stay hydrated.
Aim for at least 7-8 glasses of water a day, until you're urinating often and your urine is clear-ish.
Consult with your doctor about supplement and medication use.
Some players may use NSAIDs during tournaments to help manage inflammation or CBD supplements to help promote focus.
Try to avoid:
Restricting your calories too much.
You want to ensure your muscles are fueled for the tournament. Calorie restriction can place unwanted stress on your body.
Processed foods, fried foods, sweets.
Foods that lead to gastrointestinal distress, like fatty foods, big meals, and your known trigger foods.
Excess alcohol
Less is better. Alcohol can impair your sleep, recovery, and energy levels.
Try to stick to one drink max, or drink a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks.
Instead of cocktails, try bubbly water with lemon, lime, or a splash of bitters.
DURING THE TOURNAMENT
Your objective: Help your body play at its best potential, recover properly, and reduce your risk of injuries.
Do:
Enjoy the practice rounds, but don't drain your whole battery.
Try not to beat up your body physically or mentally.
Consider playing 9-18 holes on January 28th and 29th and then taking January 30th a bit easier with some time spent on your short game chipping and putting. Resist the common desire to load up on the driving range on the final two days prior to the tournament resulting in an accumulation of fatigue that can carry over into day one of the tournament. Stretch and warm-up before the round.
Consider light cardio (e.g., 15 minutes biking).
Avoid drastically new warm-up routines - tournaments are not the time to try something completely new.
Aim for a gradual warm-up; this will help make sure that a vigorous swing with tight muscles doesn't hurt you.
Listen to your body during warm-up. If particularly tight or sore, reduce swing intensity during play.
Consider getting stretched by the PT team at the Contestant Tent HQ.
Fuel your body with whole foods.
Aim for half a plate of non-starchy vegetables at lunch and dinner.
Focus on lean proteins: poultry without skin, fish, beans.
Eat a whole grain or whole starch such as potato with skin, beans, wild rice, or whole-wheat starches.
Add a few spoonfuls of healthy fats, such as avocado, olives, nuts, or seeds.
Eat breakfast before your round.
Aim for a balanced plate with protein, carbs, and fats to ensure you get all nutrients.
Examples:
Whole grain toast, egg, avocado
Yogurt, fruit nuts
Protein (e.g., eggs, chicken), vegetables, potato
Oatmeal, nuts, yogurt, fruit, with an egg on the side
Smoothie with protein powder, fruit, nuts, avocado, and greens
Pack snacks in your bag.
Have a bite once an hour to fuel yourself; avoid eating too much at one time.
Examples:
Nuts (macadamia, almond, etc.)
Whole food bar or energy bites (no processed ingredients)
Fruit and nuts
Cut up veggies with nuts and seeds.
PB&J sandwich - whole grain bread, natural peanut butter and jelly, cut in bite-sized quarters
Turkey or ham sandwich - cut in bite-sized quarters
Whole-grain crackers and almond butter
Drink plenty of water.
The morning of, drink at least a liter of water to flush out your system. You should urinate a couple times before start time.
During the tournament, aim to drink a whole bottle every 2-3 holes.
If blood pressure is not an issue for you, add a bit of salt to the water for extra electrolytes.
Consider having caffeine.
Tip from Geoff: he has found that a caffeine cube supplement before the round and mid-round helps him with focus and energy. We don't recommend trying this for the first time at the tournament, so if you want to test it out, do so in advance. Also, be sure to get a green light from your doctor first, especially if you're sensitive to caffeine or have digestive or heart-related health issues.
Wear appropriate clothing
Better to dress warm - your body will spend less energy on warmth.
Consider compression tights to reduce swelling in your legs and keep you warm during the round.
Eat a full meal afterward, sitting when possible
Take the opportunity to eat post-round (around 2-4 pm).
Have a balanced mix of vegetables, lean protein, wholesome starch, and healthy fats.
On tournament days, try to eat sitting down to rest your feet and support proper digestion.
Recover your muscles following play
Try to avoid:
"Playing through" sharp pains
Recognize that dull pain and soreness is a signal that you are reaching your limit.
Modify the intensity of your effort during long-range shots – focus on technique, not effort.
Restricting your calories too much.
You want to ensure your muscles are fueled for the tournament. Calorie restriction can place unwanted stress on your body.
Processed foods, fried foods, sweets.
Choose from the list of snack ideas above.
Try to avoid energy bars or candy during rounds.
Foods that lead to gastrointestinal distress, like fatty foods, big meals, or your known trigger foods.
Excess alcohol
Less is better. Alcohol can impair your sleep, recovery, and energy levels.
Try to stick to one drink max, or drink a glass of water in between alcoholic drinks.
Instead of cocktails, try bubbly water with lemon, lime, or a splash of bitters.
Exhausting your schedule
The tournament has a festival atmosphere and it's easy to busy yourself with socializing. Try to give yourself some downtime.
Good luck and enjoy yourself. We're here to support you.
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