Raptor Advantage
Tennis players need to have a high level of anaerobic fitness, muscular endurance, speed, agility, and flexibility. They also have to have a good aerobic capacity to help recover from points, games, and sets. For professionals, tennis matches can last 3-5 hours with fatigue often being a deciding factor. The Raptor bar can help tennis players gain a competitive edge by helping them meet their nutritional needs to optimize performance and recovery.

The first goal in optimizing performance of tennis players is to prevent dehydration. Tennis players often have to play in hot and humid environments and have a limited number of breaks which can make it difficult to maintain hydration. This is particularly true when playing in tournaments in which an athlete may compete in singles, doubles, and/or mixed doubles. Recent research indicates that athletes may need more electrolytes than typically found in sports drinks in order to maintain hydration during intense exercise. The Raptor bar contains recommended levels of sodium and other electrolytes needed to promote hydration and help reduce the incidence of muscle cramping during exercise. In addition, the Raptor bar contains glycerol which has been shown to help promote fluid retention. Therefore, ingesting a Raptor bar prior to playing tennis and consuming a quarter of a Raptor bar after each set can help tennis players retain the fluids they need to perform at their best.

The second nutritional goal for tennis players is to provide carbohydrate to sustain blood glucose levels. Competitive tennis players expend a large amount of energy that depletes muscle carbohydrate availability and may limit exercise performance toward the end of a match. In addition, since pre-match meals are typically 3-4 hours before the match, they may be playing the end of the match 5-7 hours after their last meal. The Raptor bar contains a mixture of fast, intermediate, and slow releasing carbohydrates that can provide a sustained release of carbohydrate over time. Ingesting a Raptor bar 30-minutes prior to warm-ups and consuming one quarter of a Raptor bar after each set can help maintain carbohydrate availability throughout the match.

The third nutritional goal to optimize performance of tennis players is to provide nutrients that can enhance exercise performance. Research has shown that sodium and calcium phosphates and β-alanine can help buffer muscle acidity and increase anaerobic threshold. In addition, sodium phosphate supplementation has been reported to increase maximal aerobic capacity. The Raptor bar contains high levels of sodium and calcium phosphate as well as β-alanine content that can help tennis players maintain high intensity exercise and recover between intense points.

The fourth goal to optimize performance of tennis players is to help them maintain mental focus throughout the match. Often times, mental focus and concentration declines throughout a match leading to unforced errors. The Raptor bar contains branched chain amino acids (BCAA), taurine, and choline that can help maintain mental focus and concentration throughout the match.

The fifth goal of optimizing performance of tennis players is to minimize the catabolic and immune-suppressive effects of intense exercise. The Raptor bar contains the right amount and type of protein and amino acids that can help minimize catabolism during exercise and promote protein synthesis after exercise. The Raptor bar also contains a rich source of antioxidants (Vitamin E, Vitamin C, selenium, Coenzyme Q10, alpha lipoic acid, and taurine) that have been reported to minimize the effects of intense exercise on muscle damage. In addition, the Raptor bar contains high levels of nutrients that support the immune system (i.e., L-glutamine, Vitamin C, zinc). For tennis players, ingesting a Raptor bar 30-minutes prior to warm-ups and one quarter of a Raptor bar after each set can help minimize the catabolic effects of intense training and play, promote recovery from practice and matches, and support the immune system.

The final nutritional goal for tennis players is to provide nutrients after practices and matches to promote recovery. Ingesting carbohydrate, protein/amino acids, electrolytes, antioxidants, and nutrients that support the immune system can help tennis players recover from intense exercise and tolerate training to a better degree.

Exercise

• 5-8 hours per week of running, resistance-training, conditioning drills, and practice during off-season to increase aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, speed, agility, flexibility, and fitness
  
  
• 2-2.5 hours of high intensity intermittent exercise during practices
  
  
• 2-5 hours of intermittent high intensity exercise during matches
  
  
• 1-2 hours per week of resistance-training, stretching, and conditioning drills in-season to help maintain strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility
  
  

Nutrition

• Fluids and electrolytes to prevent dehydration and muscle cramping
  
  
• Carbohydrate to sustain blood glucose levels and exercise capacity throughout the match
  
  
• Nutrients that support anaerobic capacity, muscle buffering, and recovery from points, games, and sets
  
  
• Nutrients to help maintain mental focus during matches
  
  
• Protein/amino acids and antioxidants to reduce muscle breakdown, oxidative stress, and muscle damage from exercise
  
  
• Nutrients to promote recovery and support the immune system following exercise

Refueling

• Consume a high carbohydrate/low fat meal 3-4 hours prior to practice, training sessions, and/or matches
  
  
• Ingest one Raptor bar 30-60 minutes prior to practice, training sessions, and/or matches
  
  
• Consume 1-2 cups of water and/or sports drinks during each break and set with a goal of not losing more that 2% of body weight (e.g., 3-4 lbs for a 150-200 lbs athlete) as a result of dehydration during exercise.
  
  
• Ingest one quarter of a Raptor bar after each set with 1-2 cups of water and/or sports drink
  
  
• Ingest one Raptor bar within 30 minutes following practice, training sessions, and/or matches
  
  
• Consume a high carbohydrate/low fat meal within 2 hours following practice, training sessions, and matches
  
  
• Consume enough fluids to regain weight lost from exercise (3 cups per pound lost)
  
  
• Consume Raptor bars as a nutrient dense snack between meals and matches