TRISHA STAVINOHA, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS
FUELING FOR THE UPPER BODY ROUND ROBIN
The Upper Body Round Robin (UBRR) is a fitness test used by
many tactical athletes and special operations in the military (5).
The military services generally use timed push-ups, sit-ups, and a
run of 1 – 3 mi to assess physical fitness (1). Service members on a
physically limiting profile may walk, swim, or bike as an alternate
cardio event. This test takes at most an hour with over half of that
hour composed of mandatory rest. Scores are based on gender
and age. On the other hand, the UBRR is made up of nine events,
seven of which measure strength and muscular endurance (bench
press, sit-ups, push-ups, pull-ups, kip-ups, dips, and a rope climb),
a shuttle run for sprint/agility, and a 5-mi run or ruck. The UBRR
test takes about 50 min if the tactical athlete chooses the run and
about 85 min if they select the ruck. This does not include optional
rest between events.
Due to the mixture of strength and endurance exercises, brief
break times, and duration of the event, the UBRR can be a fueling
challenge. For the typical physical fitness tests, no pre-test fueling
is required. The athlete should be hydrated of course, but a pretest carbohydrate load is not necessary. For the UBRR, not fueling
60 – 90 min before the event and during could have negative
effects on performance. The fuel systems used during the first
portion of high-intensity, short duration (60 s) event will quickly
deplete carbohydrate stores by the time the athlete gets ready for
the run/ruck. This makes fueling for the UBRR challenging.
Tactical athletes preparing for the UBRR should maintain sufficient
hydration levels with a minimum of 125 oz for most men and 91
oz for most women per day (2). More fluid may be needed when
exercising, particularly in hot, cold, or high altitude environments.
Alcohol the night before is never a good idea. Carbohydrate
loading will probably not be necessary, but the tactical athlete
can do a modified carbohydrate load by performing less activity
while eating the same amount in preparation. The night before the
UBRR, the tactical athlete should also pack the fuel they will need
for the next day.
butter, quick oats made with milk, cereal with milk and a banana,
or an energy bar. With so many bar varieties, check the labels to
ensure they contain at least 40 g carbohydrate since many bars
now have really low amounts of carbohydrate and high amounts
of protein. The most important thing for the tactical athlete is to
consume carbohydrates that have shown to be tolerable in past
workouts. Whatever they choose, (not eating is not a choice) it
should be something they have previously consumed prior to a
workout. For example, if the tactical athlete normally does not eat
pancakes before a workout, I would not recommend that as a meal
before the UBRR, or any testing event for that matter.
During the event, the tactical athlete should have fluid available
to maintain hydration status. Often, the best option is a sports
drink that contains electrolytes and carbohydrates. Beverages
containing 6 – 8% carbohydrate are recommended for exercise
events lasting longer than 1 hr (4).
However, fueling for any event does not end when the tactical
athlete crosses the finish line. Post-workout or post-competition
fueling is critical to ensure recovery, reduce muscle soreness, and
set the tactical athlete up for subsequent success. The tactical
athlete should immediately rehydrate with 16 – 24 oz of fluid per
pound of bodyweight lost during the event (3). Since most people
do not weigh before and after, most tactical athletes can assume
that at least one pound was lost. Finally, a carbohydrate intake of
0.5 – 0.7 g per pound of bodyweight lost is recommended within
the 30 min immediately post-exercise (3).
Critical event specific fueling begins the morning of the UBRR.
Eating before exercise, as opposed to exercising in the fasting
state, has been shown to improve performance (3). The American
Dietetic Association recommends meals with approximately 200
– 300 g of carbohydrates should be consumed 3 – 4 hr prior to
exercise for enhanced performance (3). However, this is not always
a realistic option for all tactical athletes. This recommendation
is more realistic if the event is later in the day but if the tactical
athlete only has 1 – 2 hr to fuel because the event is in the
morning, 100 g is more realistic. From experience with the UBRR,
I recommend meal replacement drinks or energy bars that contain
about 40 g of carbohydrate and 10 g of protein during the 1 – 2 hr
before the event. Some options include a large bagel with peanut
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NSCA’S TSAC REPORT | ISSUE 33