WHY PLAYERS GET INJURED

My last post was about Malawi Flames Acclimatizing. Instead of camping in Salima they will camp in Mangochi I guess because there are no quality training facilities in Salima.

I am glad to hear that the Flames are working on fitness. Good all around conditioning balances the body and helps players to avoid injuries. If a player is in good condition, he is less likely to get injuries.

Let me just add that physical fitness and proper nutrition/hydration go together. Proper nutrition and hydration are important. A bad diet will prevent a player from recovering from training sessions making him more prone to injury. Players must drink plenty of water especially when the weather is hot. Also, players must get enough sleep because they are not training when they are training, they are training when they are recovering.

The two things that separate professionals from local players are physical fitness and proper nutrition. Most professional players have personal trainers/dieticians. Eating consciously gives your body the building blocks necessary to achieve maximum endurance, coordination, and skill. With proper nutrition every system, organ and cell can function more effectively. The net result is greater athletic potential.

Most local players underperform during competitive matches because of unfitness and improper nutrition. Most Malawi local teams only focus on playing skills and not on physical fitness / proper nutrition. Two/three weeks of national team camp is not enough to make up for 10 years of unfitness and improper nutrition. Fitness and proper nutrition should start at club level.

I know some of you might say, “Oh, I know so-and-so; he plays well and doesn’t watch his diet at all!” I say imagine what he would be able to accomplish by giving his body the tools it needs to perform optimally! What you get out of your body is a function of what you put into it.

The local players don’t get paid a lot of money so they end up buying kanyenya ndi tchipisi chapachiwaya (English Tanslation?). Players should avoid foods that have high fat content or foods high in calories because these slow down the digestion process. Some foods that are high in fat or calories are: butter, margarine, mayonnaise, nuts, seeds, salad dressings, cream cheese, fried foods, sauces, gravies, etc.

Players should also cut down on foods that are high in protein and high in fat such as: meat (yummy), fish (luscious), poultry (scrumptious), cheese, milk (unless skim milk), nuts, and seeds.

Disclaimer: The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional