Nutritional Suggestions for Taekwon-Do Training
(Part 4: Fat)
By Boosabumnim Sanko Lewis
The main source used for this article is The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition by Anita Bean (2003). This article
can be considered as a collage of direct summaries of selected sections from Bean’s book. The Complete Guide to
Sports Nutrition is published by A & C Black Publishers Ltd (37 Soho Square, London W1D 3QZ) and can be ordered
from their website: http://www.acblack.com .
Health Power: Healthy by Choice, Not Chance by Aileen Ludington and Hans Diehl (2000) is another influential
source, published by Review and Herald Publishing Association (http://www.reviewandherald.com) and can be
ordered at http://www.adventistbookcentre.com .
This article is for personal use only and may not be used for commercial means. The author, affiliates and sources
referred to, cannot accept responsibility for any injury or loss sustained as a result of the use of this material. Always
consult a professional health practitioner before making any lifestyle changes.
Fat
Sports people tend to recoil from fat, always striving to have less-and-less body fat. Although
it is true that less body fat and more lean muscle can contribute to better performance, it is
not necessarily beneficial to optimal health.
Fat and performance
Excess body weight in the form of fat is definitely a disadvantage, because it can negatively
affect strength, speed and endurance. Excess fat is excess weight that uses up more energy.
This is especially detrimental in explosive sports such as Taekwon-Do, known for its quick
movements and jumping techniques, since excess body fat is non-functional weight that
slows you down, and decreases your mechanical efficiency.
In sparring which has weight-divisions, there is a focus on weight. The competitor with more
muscle weight and less body fat has the advantage. Emphasis is therefore on reducing body
fat, while maintaining lean mass.
In Taekwon-Do where body momentum is used as part of power generation (refer to Mass in
Taekwon-Do’s Theory of Power), it is considered beneficial to be heavier – especially in
power breaking, as a heavier body can generate more momentum. There is no reason for
this weight to be from fat, instead of muscle. If two people weigh the same, the one with the
most muscle and least fat will have the advantage.
Although mass is an important consideration, it is of no use if it cannot be accelerated
properly (refer to Speed in The Theory of Power). The focus should therefore rather be on
mass in the form of muscle that contributes to speed, rather than mass in the form of fat.
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How much body fat?
Our bodies need fat to survive. Fat can be categorized in two ways, essential fat and storage
fat.
Essential fat forms part of your cell membranes, brain tissue, nerve sheaths, bone marrow
and fat surrounding your organs, providing insulation, protection and cushioning against
physical damage. Essential fat comprises about 3% of body weight in a healthy individual.
Women have an additional sex-specific essential fat requirement, which is stored primarily in
the breasts and around the hips. This makes up for another 5-9% of body fat, which is
involved in oestrogen processes. Clearly, essential body fat is crucial for a healthy body.
Storage fat, which is stored under the skin and around the organs is used as an energy
reserve and is continuously used by your body as needed.
A preferred range of body fat would be around 6-15% for men and 12-25% for women. Of
cause a too high percentage of body fat will hamper performance, but a too low percentage
can lead to various health risks. Too low body fat in women has a negative influence on her
hormonal levels, decreases fertility and may lead to loss in bone minerals. Men with less than
5% body fat experience a drop in testosterone levels, decease in sperm count, libido and
sexual activity. Fortunately, once body fat is increased to a healthy level, the negative effects
disappear.
Fat in the diet
As mentioned already, fat is a necessary part of the body’s makeup. Dietary fat is therefore
important.
A very low-fat diet can lead to a deficiency in many nutrients and be the cause of several
health problems. You will most likely be lacking certain essential fatty acids as well as the fatsoluble vitamins A, D and E.
However a high-fat diet will hamper your performance.
Too much fat can cause
atherosclerosis – a hardening or narrowing of the arteries that supply food and oxygen to the
body. Furthermore, excess fat makes the blood thick and sticky. The red blood cells clump
together in bunches, causing slowed circulation. The bundling of red blood cells also
decreases their surface area, so that the blood cells cannot carry their full load of oxygen, and
blood is incapable of navigating small capillaries. Deprived of proper circulation and with an
inadequate supply of oxygen your body is incapable of performing to a high standard.
Sportspeople need a fat intake of about 15-30% of total calorie intake. If you eat 3000 kcal a
day you would require about 67-83 g of fat. Most of your fat intake should come from
unsaturated fats, found in vegetable oils (e.g. olive, rapeseed, sunflower), nuts, seeds (e.g.
sunflower, sesame, pumpkin), oily fish (e.g. sardines, salmon), peanut butter and avocado.
Fatty acids
Dietary fats and oils consist mainly of triglycerides, which are made up of a unit of glycerol
and three fatty acids. The latter are a chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms with a carboxyl
group (-COOH) at one end and a methyl group at the other end (-CH3). Fatty acids are
grouped into saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated, depending on the chemical
structure, and are handled differently by the body.
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Saturated fats
Saturated fats are hard at room temperature and is usually derived from animal products such
as butter, cheese and meat fat. Palm oil and coconut oil are examples of non-animal
saturated fats.
These fats are considered the cause of many contemporary diseases, such as heart disease.
For peak sports performance you should avoid saturated fats altogether.
Monounsaturated fats
Monounsaturated fats are usually liquid (oils) at room temperature, but may solidify at cold
temperatures. Examples are olive oil, rapeseed oil, groundnut oil, hazelnut oil, almond oil,
avocados, olives, nuts and seeds.
Temperate use of monounsaturated fats are considered to have health benefits, such as
reducing LDL cholesterol. Monounsaturated fatty acids should make up to 12% of your total
calorie intake.
Polyunsaturated fats
Oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids are liquid at both room and cold temperatures. Rich
sources include most vegetable oils and oily fish. Polyunsaturated fats are also considered
beneficial if used moderately. A recommended maximum of 10% of total calorie intake is
advised.
Essential fatty acids
A sub-category of polyunsaturated fats which cannot be made in the body and therefore
needs to be obtained from the diet, are called essential fatty acids (EFA). EFA are the
building blocks for many hormones and hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins,
and eicosanoids. These contribute to various metabolic processes in the body. A lack in or
imbalance in EFA can cause various illnesses.
There are three categories of EFA:
Omega 3
Polyunsaturated
Linolenic acid (LNA)
Linseed (flax) (most)
Canola
Soya
Borage
Linseed
Dried beans
Starflower
Evening primrose
Deep see fish oil
Wheat germ
Omega 6
Polyunsaturated
Linoleic acid (LA)
Sunflower
Corn
Soya
Sesame
Dried beans
Omega 9
Monounsaturated
Olive
Canola
Almonds
Avocado
People have usually too much Omega 6 EFA consumption. In large quantities Omega 6 EFA
is known to be inflammatory. Omega 3 and Omega 9 EFA are considered anti-inflammatory.
The sportsperson should increase amounts of Omega 3 EFA and decrease Omega 6 EFA.
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Bean (2003:111) gives a list of the benefits that Omega 3 EFA have for the sportsperson:
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improved delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells because of reduced blood
viscosity
more flexible red blood cell membranes and improved oxygen delivery
enhanced aerobic metabolism
increased energy levels and stamina
increase exercise duration and intensity
improved release of growth hormone in response to sleep and exercise,
improving recovery and promoting anabolic (or anti-catabolic) environment
anti-inflammatory, preventing joint, tendon, ligament strains
reduction of inflammation caused by over-training, assisting injury healing.
To ensure adequate consumption of Omega 3 EFA, you could opt for one to two portions of
oily fish per week. Add nuts to your diet. Linseed (flax seed) is extremely high in Omega 3
EFA, and is a fairly inexpensive option – add it liberally.
Trans fatty acids
When liquid oils are hydrogenated, through highly pressurised heat treatment, to form solid or
spreadable fats, the chemical structure changes into an unusual trans form. Hydrogenated
fats are used in many foods, such as cakes, biscuits, margarine, pastries and low-fat spreads.
Check the ingredients for “hydrogenated” fats or oils. The problem is that not all nutritional
labels list them.
Trans fatty acids are considered worse than saturated fats and should be avoided. Trans
fatty acids should make up no more than 2% of your total calorie intake – no more than 5 g
per day.
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