UC Davis Sports Performance and Wellness

Happy World Health Day!

In honor of World Health Day, it is prudent to discuss one of the most important metrics of health and longevity, VO2 max. A person's VO2 max is defined as the maximum rate at which the body can consume oxygen. VO2 max is reached during a bout of maximal exercise, it is measured in mL/kg/min, and is the strongest predictor of all-cause mortality.

The best way to increase VO2 max is through endurance exercise. By effectively combining low intensity and high intensity cardio at about a 4:1 ratio respectively you can optimize performance and cardiac health.

The low intensity consists of easy work at a Zone 2 intensity (50-65% of max heart rate). At this intensity, you are primarily using fat as a fuel source. This builds an aerobic base and increases mitochondrial mass, allowing the body to become more oxygen efficient.

The high intensity work should consist of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). These are shorter intervals (2-5 minutes) followed by a rest period (2-5 minutes). Each interval is performed at over 85% max heart rate and places the body under high metabolic stress. This primarily uses glycogen as a fuel but burns high amounts of fat post-exercise. This is very effective for increasing VO2 max and additionally, sprint intervals (about 20 seconds each) can be used to increase the body's ability to regenerate ATP and phosphocreatine.

Combining all of these factors will contribute to a higher VO2 max and with it, a longer and healthier life.

As we get older, we tend to lose density in our bones which means that they are much more susceptible to breaking. One effective way to postpone the weakening of our bones is to perform high-impact movements, such as jumping.

Jumping creates a mechanical stress that encourages bone growth and new bone formation. Bone-building cells, known as osteoblasts, are responsible for creating this new bone tissue. Our ability to effectively perform these high-impact movements lessens if we don't regularly practice these actions. This is why it is important to incorporate jumping into our workout routines!

Schedule a visit with us at the UC Davis Sports Performance Clinic to ensure that you are practicing correct form and have optimal alignment when performing these high-impact movements!

The Importance of Plyometric Training!

Plyometrics is often associated with athletes trying to run faster or jump higher, but it is increasingly recognized as a vital component of long-term healthy aging for a couple of reasons.

1. It Increases Bone Mineral Density
Due to the nature of plyometric exercises, your bones are heavily stressed due to rapidly loading and unloading them. This is proven to be one of the best ways to stimulate bone growth and will help you preserve your skeletal health over a long period of time. As we age, bone density naturally decreases and plyometrics are a great way to combat that.

2. Strengthens Connective Tissue
One of the biggest problems as you age is your tendons and ligaments becoming stiff and injury prone. Plyometrics also directly train your tendons and muscles by safely stretching and contracting them under load. This makes your joints more robust as you continuously improve their elasticity, resilience and structural makeup.

3. Reduced Fall Risk
With the two above put together, plyometrics greatly reduces your chances of falling. Preventing a fall needs you to be able to react and produce force fast enough to catch yourself. Plyometrics train both your muscles and your nervous system to fire quicker and more efficiently, directly aiding in preventing falls.

Overall, plyometrics is among the best preventive exercises you can do to keep yourself healthy in the long term. However, as a word of caution, plyometrics are high impact so start with what you are comfortable with.

Carbohydrates are the most essential macronutrient for optimizing performance. How much and when you eat them can directly impact your energy levels and results.

Carbohydrate Recommendations for Exercise
• General fitness / light training: ~3–5 g/kg body weight per day
• Moderate training (about 1 hour/day): ~5–7 g/kg/day
• Endurance / intense training (1–3+ hours/day): ~6–10+ g/kg/day

When to Eat Carbs
Before Exercise (1–4 hours prior):
• Aim for ~1–4 g/kg depending on timing and workout intensity
• Focus on easily digestible carbs (rice, oats, fruit, toast)
• Helps top off glycogen stores and improve performance

During Exercise (if >60–90 minutes):
• ~30–60 g carbs per hour
• Up to 60–90 g/hour for long endurance sessions
• Sports drinks, gels, bananas, or chews work well
• Maintains blood glucose and delays fatigue

After Exercise (within ~2 hours):
• ~1.0–1.2 g/kg to replenish glycogen
• Pair with protein to support recovery
• Especially important if training again within 24 hours

Bottom line: Fuel for the work required. The longer and harder you train, the more carbs you need. Prioritize total daily intake, then time carbs strategically to support performance and recovery.

Protein plays a major role in how your body functions day to day, from maintaining muscle and supporting your immune system to helping you recover from workouts and stay full longer. Whether you’re active, training hard, or just trying to stay healthy, understanding protein intake can make a big difference.
Protein Recommendations
• General adults: ~0.8 g protein per kg body weight per day
• Active / exercising: ~1.2–2.0 g/kg/day
• Muscle building / intense training: ~1.6–2.2+ g/kg/day
When to Eat Protein
• Focus on hitting your total daily protein first — that’s most important
• Spread protein across meals (every 3–4 hours is a good target)
• Aim for ~20–40 g protein per meal
• Around workouts: protein within a few hours before or after can support recovery
• Optional: protein before bed may help overnight muscle repair
Bottom line: Consistency beats perfect timing. Hit your daily protein goal and spread it through the day for best results.

Proper Hydration

Hydrating before, during, and after a workout is essential for supporting performance, recovery, and overall well-being. Knowing when and how much to drink can make a noticeable difference. Here’s a simple breakdown.

Before Exercise:

Hydration before a workout is arguably the most important step. A general guideline is to drink 16–20 ounces of water about 1–2 hours before exercise. This gives your body time to absorb fluids and eliminate excess. Proper pre-hydration helps your heart work more efficiently, supports oxygen delivery, reduces fatigue from sweating, and improves how you feel during your workout. Electrolytes can also be beneficial, especially before intense or prolonged exercise. Just be sure to follow the brand’s recommended dosage.

During Exercise:

Staying hydrated during exercise helps maintain performance and regulate body temperature. While your body may not absorb all fluids immediately, consistent intake supports cooling through sweating and helps prevent dehydration and heat-related illness. A good rule of thumb is to sip 7–10 ounces of water every 10–20 minutes, adjusting based on workout intensity, duration, and environmental conditions.

After Exercise:

Post-workout hydration is key for recovery. Replacing lost fluids and electrolytes helps restore balance, reduce muscle fatigue, and prepare your body for the next training session. Drinking water along with electrolytes, especially after heavy sweating, can speed up recovery and rehydration.

Bottom Line:

Staying on top of hydration is critical, particularly during vigorous or prolonged exercise. Listening to your body and hydrating consistently can improve performance, recovery, and overall health.

When training the lower extremities, the hip flexors are a commonly overlooked muscle group. Beyond their role in hip flexion, they help anchor the pelvis, thus limiting excessive anterior pelvic tilt and lumbar extension. This pelvic control allows the gluteal muscles to function with greater mechanical advantage, enhancing force production during sprinting and jumping.

In cyclical activities such as cycling and running, the hip flexors also play a critical role in controlling the swing phase and repositioning the limb, which contributes to improved movement economy. Incorporating targeted hip flexor strengthening can therefore enhance both performance and injury prevention.

Effective exercises include dead bugs with a hip-flexion bias, step-ups with an active knee drive, and hanging knee raises performed with controlled pelvic positioning.

Balance Training: A Key to Preventing Ankle and Knee Injuries
Balance training improves proprioception; your body's ability to sense joint position and react to movement. By strengthening stabilizing muscles around the ankle and knee, athletes can improve control, reduce injury risk, and enhance overall performance. In performance training, single-leg balance and stability exercises play a critical role in keeping athletes strong, stable, and game-ready.

What is the difference between Mobility vs Flexibility?
Flexibility is the ability of a muscle to lengthen. Mobility is the ability of a joint to move through its full range with control. You can be flexible without being mobile, but true athletic performance and injury prevention require both. Prioritizing mobility helps athletes move better, feel stronger, and stay healthy on and off the field.

Cardiovascular training offers substantial benefits across fitness regimens; however, distinguishing between different modalities is essential when tailoring exercise to specific goals.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves brief, near-maximal bursts of effort (typically ~30 seconds) performed as sprint intervals, rowing, or assault biking. The high metabolic demand of this training enhances glycolytic capacity through increased carbohydrate utilization and can contribute to improvements in VO₂max.

In contrast, long slow endurance (LSE) training consists of sustained, steady-state activity performed at Zone 2 intensity for extended durations. Due to its lower intensity, the body shifts toward fatty acid oxidation, making this form of cardiovascular exercise particularly effective for improving metabolic efficiency and supporting fat loss.

A common question is whether cardiovascular training should be performed before or after resistance exercise. The answer depends largely on an individual’s training goals and the intensity of the cardiovascular work.

Aerobic training can complement any training regimen and plays an important role in maintaining cardiovascular fitness. When the primary goal is maximizing hypertrophy, strength, or power, cardiovascular exercise is best performed after resistance training or in a separate session on a different day. This approach helps avoid an interference effect, as endurance training can reduce neural drive and compromise force production — both of which are critical for high-quality resistance training. Similarly, for individuals focused on fat loss, completing resistance training first can deplete glycogen stores, thereby shifting subsequent aerobic exercise toward greater fat oxidation.

Conversely, when the primary objective is to improve endurance or aerobic capacity, performing cardiovascular training prior to resistance exercise is more appropriate. In this case, resistance training should be kept shorter in duration and focused on technique, movement quality, and injury prevention to ensure that the quality of the aerobic stimulus is preserved.