Nutrition and psychological workshops for the Chojrak Judo Club

Proper nutrition and working with emotions, have a huge impact on both health and performance in sports. Young athletes in particular can find it difficult to cope with all the challenges on their own - daily training, preparation for competitions, participation in them, etc. Therefore, we wanted to support them and share our expertise and experience.

We held 8 workshops for several age groups. During the nutrition part of the workshop, young athletes received a 3-step training, starting with the basics of healthy nutrition, through its detailed principles, up to specific nutrition solutions in judo. They were able to put the newly acquired information into practice - for example, arranging various products on a nutritional pyramid, creating their own pre-workout meal and isotonic drink, individually calculating their daily nutrient requirements, and testing their knowledge in quizzes.

The psychological part included discussions about emotions, in particular fear and anxiety, which our athletes experience on the mat during training and at competitions. In addition to recognizing and naming them, workshop participants were also invited to draw them and then look at them from the side and regain control. The fears and anxieties that arise are part of each of us, but just like the pictures made, they do not represent us and should not take over us. During this part of the training, the players also had the opportunity to learn some techniques to further prepare and control their emotions in difficult moments.

We are pleased that there is a growing awareness among coaches that not only training, but also proper nutrition and hydration, a psychological approach, as well as recovery and sleep are essential elements of the holistic development of young athletes.

We would like to thank the coaches of the Chojrak Judo Club for their fruitful cooperation and desire for further development.