TennisIDENTITY

Candy that's good for your game.

Candy that's good for you and your game?  Yup. SNAP Infusion's new low-calorie SUPERCANDY blends real fruit juice and organic sugar with potassium, sodium, vitamins C, E, B6 and B12, Biotin, Calcium, Phosphorus + carbs, to boost energy, support the immune system and balance hydration.

"Think Nike meets Willy Wonka," says Eric Stoll, President and Founder of SNAP Infusion." The taste? Darn good (far better than any low calorie candy I've ever had).

There are currently five varieties: Gum, Tart, Mel (caramel), Gummy and Bean. I adore the gummies and caramel; $1.99 per package. Certainly you still need to drink water on court but these little treats might be perfect on those days you forget your sports drink.

Find a retailer at EatPlaySnap. Whole Foods carries them which, to me, is a good vote of confidence.

Christina McHale finds a buddy.

Christina McHale has teamed up with Buddy Fruits, maker of easy to eat, pre-packed fruits. No more bruised apples or squished brown bananas in Christina's tennis bag. Read more:  www.tennisidentity.com/wta

Beat the Heat: Fight dehydration with Pedialyte. Sharapova does.

Summertime heat can be tough, especially on a hard court. In a press conference today Maria Sharapova revealed that she has used Pedialyte during high heat matches. Sharapova was certainly not endorsing the product but mentioned that during her run through the U.S. hard court season last year she remembers "Just trying to stay hydrated. Drinking a lot of Pedialyte."

According to Abbott Labs (makers of Pedialyte, a product for sick children) "Pedialyte provides a precise balance of electrolytes, sugars and water." Sports drinks can be high in carbohydrates (sugar) and too low in sodium (an important electrolyte lost during diarrhea/vomiting) and are not the best choice for kids fighting dehydration. 

Maintaining proper hydration is critical for both body and mind on court. Interesting that the Pedialyte formula looks to be useful in fighting dehydration for a heavy-sweating, high-level athlete as well as a sick child.

Sharapova's next stop will be the women's US Open Series season opener, the Bank of the West Classic in Stamford, CA. She enters as WTA world #5.

Find Pedialyte in your local supermarket or pharmacy. App. $10 USD for 8 powder packs that will each make 1 cup of the solution. It also comes in a liquid form. More on hydration and fitness here at Web MD.

Here's a quick way to kill that slump. Protein shots.

Provide Gold One-Shot protein is a new to market liquid protein for athletes. A one-ounce portion size is a nice feature for those who need quick and fast working fuel before and after a workout.

Provide Gold One-Shot Protein delivers 15 grams of hydrolyzed collagen protein in the single ounce. It requires no prep or refrigeration and is pre-digested with fruit enzymes for rapid cell absorption. “Because Provide Gold is concentrated and predigested, the complete amino acid profile is in a form that can be immediately used by the body to build muscle and aid in recovery – allowing athletes to enjoy the powerful benefits of hydrolyzed protein WHILE exercising,” said Dr. Joyce Gilbert, PhD, RD, LD/N Magaram Center for Food Science, Nutrition & Dietetics at California State University Northridge.

“Protein molecules are notoriously hard to break-down by the body," says Gilbert. "There is usually a long time lag between eating protein and its' eventual absorption and utilization by the body. For example, some protein products will not benefit the body for many hours...Provide Gold is different in that it benefits the body immediately rebuilding muscles and aiding in recovery.”

According to the company, the elixir is engineered to preserve fluid and pH balance as well as transport oxygen, vitamins, and minerals to target cells throughout the body. It helps to achieve a more balanced amino acid profile, improve action at the cellular level and deliver nutritional support. The product contains all the essential, non-essential and conditionally essential amino acids to help your body naturally reach peak performance levels of strength and endurance. No caffeine, lactose or banned substances.  Ingredients include enhanced amounts of taurine, cysteine, histidine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan.

Available in 30 oz bottles at Provide Gold. $35 for 30 oz in regular and sugar free flavors.  Recommended dose is 1 oz 30 mins before a workout and again 30 mins after (100 calories regular, 30 in the sugar-free).

So what's it taste like? My opinion, like a liquid Warhead. Super sweet/sour with a sticky consistency. Take a shot with a little food. It's a pretty potent option when you need that extra boost.

10 minutes with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. On Food, Fitness and Style.

First things I noticed about Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were his smile and his shoes, retro suede lace ups. The guy is a sharp dresser and quite charming to boot. Really nice guy.

Although recovering from a knee injury and not playing the Open, I caught up with Tsonga in New York:

How's the knee?

Getting better every day.

Where did you get those shoes?

adidas in France. I don't think they sell them here. You like them?

You're in great shape. What are you doing these days and what do you eat to stay trim and strong? (I'm always looking for tips..)

I eat pretty light, everything but not heavy or greasy: pasta, fish, no fried foods or cream sauces.

So no French foods?

laughs

Match day breakfast?

Cereal, eggs and grape juice

What do you do for fitness when you are healthy?

Run, lift weights..a little of everything. I work on fitness more than I hit balls.

What about massage? Is it important?

I see a physio after each practice and match. Massage and stretching are both important to my game. I believe you will be a better performer if you take care to recover after hard work.

What do you like to wear on court?

I love adidas and have been wearing it since I was a junior when I was buying my own clothes. Now they give me 2-3 shirts and 2-3 shorts for each tournament and I choose what I wear. It doesn't matter to me if something is close or loose fitting but I love bright flashy colors. They look good with my skin tone.

Tsonga looks to return to the ATP tour in Tokyo for the Rakuten Open next month.

Looking for a New Recovery Drink? Try Milk.

Mom was was onto something when she encouraged you to finish your milk. According to Maria Cheng, AP's medical writer, "researchers are giving scientific support to [the fact that] milk may be just as good or even better than sports drinks for serious athletes recovering from exercise. The health benefits of milk - which has carbohydrates, electrolytes, calcium and vitamin D - have long been established. But for athletes, milk also contains the two proteins best for rebuilding muscles: casein and whey."

Cheng adds, "Muscles get damaged after an intense bout of aerobic exercise like running, playing football, or cycling. The casein and whey proteins in milk are precisely what the body needs to regenerate muscles fast."

Sport drinks not marked as "recovery drinks" are good for replenishing carbs and electrolytes but don't do much for muscles that need to repair after a strenuous workout. Drinking milk immediately after a tough workout means that muscles will reap the benefits when they need them, before they start breaking down.

If you don't like the taste of milk, try mixing in some chocolate or strawberry protein powder for flavor.

Cheng's original story can be read here.

Serena Williams, Gatorade's Queen of Aces.

Gatorade celebrated Serena William's Wimbledon victory today with the release of this video set in 1919 London. In it Williams chugs the G Series, Gatorade's newest line of sport drinks. Fully fueled she proceeds to unload the serves.

The Gatorade G Series is designed to fuel your body before, during and after practice, training or competition. The 3 step formula (which requires you to buy three different bottles) prescribes Gatorade Prime 01 for energy 15 minutes before working out; Gatordade's thirst quencher (with carbs and electrolytes) during activity; and Recover 03, a protein and carb filled beverage to quench thirst, hydrate and facilitate muscle recovery.

Leave a comment if you've tried the G Series yourself. Let me know if you see an uptick in aces.

Find it in your local supermarket.

Melanie Oudin on Nutrition, Fitness, Tennis Fashion and Texting.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Melanie Oudin who is in Indian Wells for the BNP Paribas Open. At 18, Oudin is a teen with adult attitude and big talent, “Don’t ever give up on anything you want to do," she says on her website. "It takes a lot more than talent to reach your dreams; it takes heart.” Work too, I have to add, plus a lot more.

I asked her about how she stays energized, fit and fashionable on court. Oh, and how much she texts. Take a page...

Teens generally don't eat very well as they are always on the go and feel fairly invincible. Would you say you eat well?  

"As an athlete, I need to take care of my body, so I pay attention to what and how I eat. This is not to say that sometimes I don't treat myself, but usually, I eat healthy meals that will keep me fueled and energized for the duration of practice or a long match."

How important is nutrition for your tennis game to be at its best?
 
"It's very crucial. I have heard that athletes should treat their bodies as if they are expensive cars. It matters what fuel you put into your luxury car, so whatever you feed your body, like the car, will have an effect on how it performs."

What are your day-before-a-match meal favorites and day-of-match meal tips?
 
"I like pasta, fruit, and some dried fruit."

How much time out of a week do you spend on fitness?

"I usually do some fitness every day. Training depends on whether I am off or in season because off-season requires more muscle building, harder fitness trainings, while in season, I often do speed and agility workouts. I like both of them, they are different work-outs."

What kinds of things do you do for fitness?

"I run a lot to build stamina. To cool off, I usually jog for 15-20 minutes. I also use the bike a lot. I do balance exercises, and stretch a lot."

What's your on court -style -- the type of clothes that make you feel your best? Is what you wear something you have chosen based on your personal style? 

I like clothes that are dri-fit, that won't weigh a lot when I sweat. I like to feel comfortable in my clothes on court, and of course I like it when they look good. I like how adidas fits; I am happy with my gear.

Not tennis related at all but, on average, how many texts do you send per month?
 
"I love texting, I am almost addicted. I probably send over 30 texts every day. I also talk a lot on the phone, so I am guessing that my cool new Virgin Mobile* phone is going to be used a lot." 

Yup, she's a normal teen..in some ways.

*Oudin and Virgin Mobile USA have just announced a one-year contract. No dollar figures have been officially released.

ZICO, coo coo for coconuts. A natural for your tennis game.

Born in yoga studios and long consumed by the health conscious, ZICO coconut water has been discovered by athletes worldwide. Tennis players including John Isner, Bethanie Mattek-Sands (pictured below) and Magdalena Rybarikova drink the stuff. According to the company Isner requested the beverage during his U.S. Open 5th set vs. Andy Roddick to help with cramping. He went on to win the match in a tie-breaker.

They call it nature's sports drink. If you've ever had coconut milk out of a fresh coconut, that's the taste, a bit watery with light coconut flavor, exactly what the natural ZICO tastes like. I liked the mango and passion fruit flavored versions best. You must drink it cold in my opinion. It took a while to get used to because I am a diluted Gatorade devotee BUT the from-nature concoction definitely does the trick. I'll be adding these to my court side cooler. They feel really healthy.

Coconut milk is in fact packed with potassium, low in acidity and helps to rebuild blood volume.* One 11 oz. all-natural ZICO offers more potassium than a banana, zero fat, zero sugar and four essential electrolytes (plus the potassium). Drink it before, during and after your workout as a good-for-you sports drink alternative, just 60 calories.

Buy ZICO in natural food stores like Whole Foods or online at amazon . You can also learn more or find a complete retailer listing at ZICO. $25 USD for a pack of 12.

*Interesting fact: During WWII coconut water was used as a natural saline drip saving the lives of many allied soldiers. Sounds like a good fit for a court soldier in need of hydration.

Nutritional Supplements that Promote a Healthier Game.

Check out my most recent nutrition related article published today over at On the Baseline. Included are a range of products designed to help your body stay healthy and ready for your tennis game. Included are: Nordic Naturals Ultimate Omega, Joint Juice, Cherry Flex and Oxylent.

The Best Body Fuel for Your Tennis Game.

Sally Parsonage B.SC, Ph.D., R. Nutr., C.I.S.S.N., Nutrition Division Head at IMG Academies International Performance Institute offers her tips to tennis players looking for the best nutrition for their game. Check out the complete article by Karin Burgess, editor of Tennisidentity.com at OntheBaseline.

2008 Hydration Round-Up -- New For Today's Player Thinking Performance and Recovery

For today’s athlete, hydration involves far more than a drink of water. 2008 saw the release of some great new offerings:

  CherryPharm. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Forget about it. How about 50 cherries? This tart cherry juice drink is downright delicious. Drinking one 8 fl. oz. bottle of CherryPharm natural fresh is the equivalent of eating 50 fresh ones loaded with phyto-nutrients. According to test results CherryPharm has more antioxidants than any other beverage on the market. It has been clinically proven to lessen pain and speed recovery from exercise induced aches and pains  $49.99 USD for a case of 24 8 oz bottles. Visit CherryPharm to buy or learn more.

PureSport. PureSport offers athletes two pre-packaged drink mixes, one for during and one for after your workout. Both feature whey protein isolate, anti-oxidants, electrolytes and natural sugars in their formulation. We liked the taste (we tried fruit punch) and found it not too heavy. Olympic gold-medalist Michael Phelps uses and endorses the product, saying that he’s “noticed a huge difference in [his] productivity and energy level using PureSport.” That’s a decent endorsement seeing as the guy won 8 golds and broke 7 world records. Visit PureSport for more information or to buy. The starter kit pictured here is $19.99 (8 servings).

 Zym. This drink mix is a breeze to concoct -- absolutely no mess. Available in a tube of 10 tablets, toss one in a 16-20 oz water bottle and shake it up to fight off dehydration, fatigue, muscle pain and lactic acid build up while you play. Zym contains guarana caffeine for those who want the extra boost, plus sodium, magnesium, calcium, potassium and essential B12 vitamins. Visit Zym to learn more or buy. Also available at Tennis-Warehouse. Three tubes (30 tablets total) is $26.97.

Are You on Roctane? Energy Gel for Fight Time

Just out this month, GU's Roctane ultra endurance energy gel, is being billed as the most advanced energy gel ever made. This particular formulation provides high concentrations of branched chain amino acids and other performance critical ingredients. Roctane is designed especially for serious endurance athletes like ironmen and triathletes. It might be a just a tad more than the recreational player needs but then again, you be the judge. It's available in Blueberry Pomegranate and Vanilla Orange and retails for $2.50 per packet.

We HAVE seen quite a few on-tour pros sneaking extra energy between games from little packets like these however. Djokovic recently grabbed one AFTER a win, presumably for recovery.  We suspect the players are using one of Gu's other products, Gu energy gel which supplies sustained energy through its maltodextrin based carbohydrate formula. We've tried it ourselves and love the quick lift and clarity it gives when that slow, heavy feeling begins to dog you. We like chocolate outrage and vanilla bean best; they taste like frosting -- seriously. There are six other flavors to choose from, $1.25 each. This stuff really works.

Go to GU to learn more, see ingredients and find out where to buy.

GU2O for hydration and stamina in the heat of battle

We've been drinking Gatorade for a while now, often cutting it with water, because it feels a little heavy, especially in the heat. We saw this sports drink mix at a bike shop and decided to give it a try. GU2O is "engineered" for cyclists and other endurance athletes. How about three long sets in 90 degree heat?

Here's what's in it: Sodium (to replace what you sweat out), Potassium (to help regulate your body's electrical system), and Carbs (for sustained energy, "to stave off a bonk"). The flavoring, and it is VERY light, is an all natural blend of ingredients. Each serving delivers 140 very calculated calories. Mix the powder with water and you've got your hydration set. Flavors include: orange, raspberry, tango mango and lemon lime. Raspberry was a favorite.  Suggested retail for the individual packets is $1.10 USD and for the larger container $17.00. Find a retailer near you at www.gusports.com

Energize your game with tasty, nutritious body fuel

You wouldn't put bad gas in a Porsche, so why put junk in your body? These energy bars are a team favorite because they do the job and taste good; that's pretty tough in this category. Made with whole, all natural (70 percent organic) ingredients and 23 vitamins and minerals CLIF bars are actually quite healthy for you if you are exercising. When it comes to fueling your body nothing beats real food for energy. These offer a perfect mix of protein, fiber, carbs and essential nutrients that keep you going through extended periods of activity. Our favorites are pictured here -- plus chocolate brownie. Our teens even like them.  Around 250 calories per bar, eat one an hour before play or have a few bites between sets as a pick me up. Available in most supermarkets and convenience stores. You can also order or learn more online at clifbar.com. This is body fuel that is good for your game and good for the planet.