Villanova’s commitment to nutrition has them higher than ever
The Villanova Wildcats, one of the NCAA’s most prestigious athletic programs in the country, are currently in the Final Four and on Saturday will face fellow #2 Oklahoma for the right to play in the National Championship. Of course, this comes after their big victory over the Kansas Jayhawks last weekend, but did you know that there’s some serious discipline and planning behind every Wildcats’ diet, exercise, and recovery?
In a wonderful article by Stack, they examined just how serious the program is about the nutrition and health behind their teams. From daily meals and consistent target heart rates to getting enough sleep, Villanova has it covered. Here, head coach Jay Wright explains:
“We take everybody’s body fat and weight once a week, and we have goals for them to reach by their diets,” he said. “We eat well, serving a certain type of meal before a game. So it’s a meal and then a snack with multiple essentials nutrients, and it’s important to hydrate. Hydration gets tested before every practice and before every game. And they can’t practice unless they have a certain pH level. Our strength and conditioning coach sets certain hours, like 10 hours of sleep. We put them to bed at a certain time, like 10 o’clock, and make sure they have breakfast in the morning.”
Much like that intense diet of Tom Brady that we featured, there’s clearly a correlation between eating healthy and success in sports. Yes, talent and skill plays a large role, but preparing your body is so crucial as well. The full piece has a couple of other incredible quotes, so we suggest checking it out.
But if you’re ready to start eating better, go download the free CoachUp Cookbook! How do you eat and train? Do you sleep enough? Are you ready to commit to the cause?
Stack — Villanova’s Meticulous Approach to Nutrition and Recovery Has the Wildcats in the Elite 8
(Thanks for the photo, Villanova, and good luck against Oklahoma!)
