Kelsey HigginsonSports Nutrition Coach and Founder at Clutch Day Coaching

How to lift heavier as an athlete

7 May 2025 · 1 min

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In this brief coaching segment, the speaker explains how a simple change in an athlete's fueling strategy—specifically increasing carbohydrate intake before and after training—led to a 30‑pound increase in bench press (from 185 lb to 215 lb). The speaker describes the concept of muscle "energy tanks" that need to be filled with carbs to provide fuel during workouts and to support post‑exercise recovery when combined with protein. By ensuring these tanks are full, the athlete experiences better performance during the session, faster recovery, and improved readiness for subsequent training, ultimately translating to better on‑field performance later in the season.

Chapters

My athlete's bench went from 185 to 215, and all we did was change his fueling strategy. One of the biggest things we did was increase his carbs before his training session and after his training session, and here's why. Your muscles have energy tanks in them. Without those being full, you run out of gas during your training session. So we gas him up beforehand, we give him the carbs that he needs, and then afterwards he's able to eat the protein and carbs to repair the muscle and to refill those energy tanks so he's recovering faster and he's able to hit the next session the next day that much better. What's awesome is this is showing me that his nutrition plan is resulting in increased performance in the gym, which will then help him on the field that much more later in the season.