Explain glycogen loading and its importance for endurance athletes.
How to lay out the answer. Follow the frame, then write it in your own words.
1 · Open in two lines. Glycogen loading raises muscle glycogen well above normal before endurance events. It delays fatigue in events lasting over about 90 minutes.
2 · Who benefits. Marathon, road cycling, triathlon, long-distance swimming; not sprints, throws or short team games.
3 · Methods.
Classic: depletion + low carbohydrate, then high carbohydrate.
Modified (Sherman): taper with 50% then 70% carbohydrate.
Modern: 10-12 g/kg/day for 36-48 hours with a taper.
4 · Draw a loading-week plan. [Table: day, training minutes (tapering), carbohydrate g/kg rising to 10-12 in the last 2 days]
5 · Nutrition link. Low-fibre Indian foods (rice, idli, potato, banana, sweet lassi); expect 1-2 kg water weight.
6 · Close in one line. Loading helps only long events and must be practised before race day.
Scoring tip: State the 90-minute rule and the modern g/kg figure in your first three lines; that alone secures half the marks.
