If you are endurance athletes in sports such as triathlon or cycling, or if you have in program to make a career of medium or long distance, surely you will have raised the use of energy gels to have a supply of extra energy while you train or compete.

The energy gels are a good help when performing competitions or long-term training. It is a product more or less thick and with a different depending on the brand and the product composition gel format, but we usually provide about 20 to 30 grams of carbohydrates (to replenish spent glycogen during exercise) together with mineral salts (for better assimilation of these carbohydrates).

Its format in gel form makes them how two to carry and practical to take in the middle of training or competition. But do we take them correctly? There go the three keys that can not be overlooked when taking energy gels.

• Gels practice in training: if we know that the race day should not brand new shoes or shirt (for what might happen), so does the gels. Always we have to be tested before in training because we do not know how we are going to sit the stomach or what about the going to tolerate.If any of the aid stations career gels offer us but we have not practiced before them, it is best to be cautious and not take them.
• Always taking along with water: thus the didgeridoos faster and begin before its action. However, we must be aware that the gels are not instantaneous, and can take 5 to 10 minutes to take effect. In addition, the water will make us feel better stomach and not fall as a mazacote: some cyclists or runners dissolve them in a container of water to go taking them gradually.
• Always taking them in small sips: and not all flip. Gels are concentrated carbohydrates that come directly to our stomach and hence its nutrients into the bloodstream. Receive a high amount of gel can sit bad stomach and create us discomfort or even cause vomiting. And take what you need: you may not need one medium whole gel, but, this alone will know if you practiced before consuming gels in your workouts.

Remember that in the short distance races do not need gels; In fact, if you do a good intake at dinner and breakfast before the race, or if your body is very efficient,it may not the you need at middle distance races.

Practice, practice, practice. Try different brands, compositions and flavors until you find those gels with which you feel more comfortable and you feel better. Rate on what kind of training or competition the need to benefit from its effects and they do not become your enemy.