Ancient Sports Nutrition And Exercise
Believe it or not, sports nutrition and exercise have been a part of human life and culture since the ancient time. Of course, the sport during this period is known as the athletics. Earliest forms of athletics, however, were part of man’s basic survival needs, or to gather food or protect his family from physical damage.
For a simple caveman who does not know martial arts, a solid bones from his last meal may serve as a weapon against wild animals. What remains of bones, along with some sharpened stone chips from his cave, is used for hunting. Finally, his regular hunting activities has developed into a form of physical acts, not so much need to hunt.
Athletics was born. Athletics finally developed into a contest of strength, speed, and other skills. Sports developed as a result, with the simple process of becoming a more complex form of physical activity and with it the need for subsistence, the completion of the equation of sports nutrition and exercise.
But even for the first time, athletics or sport has never been a male monopoly. In the Heraen Games for example, women racing in honor of the goddess Hera. The Egyptians had their acrobatic gymnastics for activities related to their temple. And, of course, the sport has evolved dance related religious dance performed at all major temples of antiquity.
For the early Greeks, however, the honor of raising the sport in an art form. The Olympics is the strongest argument for it. Also, the Greeks, apparently aware that the sports nutrition and exercise are two important factors in any exercise. Even during this period, the Greeks have particular food for their athletes.
- Nutrition patterns of the early Greeks. In the Mediterranean world, especially the Greeks, goats are the most common source of meat, and sometimes, meat from a sacrificed cattle. Just as in modern times, the milk was also considered a necessity for a good meal, especially for athletes. Sports nutrition and exercise among the first Greeks, also means the inclusion of other sources of protein, fish, for example, that the seas of the Mediterranean is known in ancient times. Poultry was also part of the first Greek food.Vegetables and carbohydrates were also considered as an important element of sports nutrition and exercise among older people. Even among the soldiers of the Roman Empire, a balanced diet is important to maintain their strength, both in the battlefield and during exercise.
Alexander the Great, is known to have discovered the nutritional value of the onions that of Egypt, he brought some of these specimens and planted and later cultivated in other parts of its empire. The Romans, like the Greeks, cabbage used not only as food but also as an antidote for their drunken soldiers. Beets, turnips, artichokes and radishes are also the long list of vegetables grown and used during this period.
- The ancient athlete nutrition. Like today, coaches, trainers during the night time occupied a high place among their people, and also among the athletes themselves. They not only provide exercise regimen for their athletes, but also directly involved them in preparing food for their expenses. Sports nutrition and exercise, apparently, is a concept not lost to the top coaches and athletes.From the food which included the regular diet of ancient athletes, such as cheese, figs, and meal cakes, the attempt by the ancient trainers developed special meals for the athletes were apparent.
Although the meat was not consumed in large quantities by athletes during the origin, it was later observed that athletes who regularly receive a dose of meat for protein source, had a long lasting duration. It was in the fifth century BC, when the meat has become a craze among ancient athletes.
During this time, Slymphalos, an Olympic champion in the long distance race, introducedthe meat diet to help athletes in their exercises. It was the first attempt by a professional athlete to achieve a systematize sports nutrition and exercise. Milo of Croton, won five Olympic awards 536 to 520 BC, was said to have consumed 9 kg of meat during the training period.
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