Dear Coaches,
Here’s what’s coming up today:
Expert Opinion
Dr. Morehen’s Camp Wisdom
"There's nothing worse than running out of water supplies."
Camp life strips away the theoretical and exposes what actually matters.
Dr. James Morehen's latest England rugby camp in Argentina delivered the usual performance insights—but also something more valuable.
A masterclass in practical execution.
While most nutrition education focuses on what to deliver, Morehen's camp wisdom centers on how to deliver it reliably.
Take his approach to MD fluid preparation: "I prepare them the day before, tape the tops, label everything. I know if they've been tampered with, they stay cool."
Then comes the crucial detail: "You can't leave creatine overnight—it disrupts product integrity."
This is where experience separates good from great. The protocol matters, but so does knowing when to break it.
The blender beats the shaker bottle every time.
"Hydra Fuel mixes so much better in a blender than shaking. Four bottles at a time—much nicer for the players to drink."
It's a small change with outsized impact on compliance.
His resourcefulness shows in unexpected places. Hotel veggie boxes become perfect shaker storage. Borrowed serving boards elevate mid-training snacks. 15-20L water drums replace the tedious bottle-by-bottle approach.
"There's nothing worse than running out of water supplies," Morehen notes. "I've been in too many situations where hotel staff say you have loads and there's minimal left."
Your protocols are only as good as your ability to execute them consistently under pressure.
Actionable Takeaway: Audit your current systems for single points of failure. Where could things go wrong? What's your backup plan when the "guaranteed" supplies don't arrive?
Your reputation depends on what you deliver, not what you planned to deliver.
Resource Roundup
News & Resources
Football Sodium Predictions
Should sports scientists and coaches provide sodium supplementation?
Performance Tech
Amacx Ice Gel
High-intensity endurance athletes face two brutal performance limiters: fuel depletion and heat stress.
Traditional approach? Carry separate cooling strategies and energy gels.
The Amacx Ice Gel eliminates this trade-off.
The Science Stack:
Advanced 1:0.8 glucose-to-fructose formulations allow higher oxidation rates.
While the concept of consuming 120g of carbohydrates per hour during exercise is gaining attention, research indicates that the human body can only oxidise a portion of that amount.
Internal cooling via ice slurry consumption: the phase change from ice to water absorbs thermal energy from core tissues, helping moderate temperature rise and potentially extending performance in heat.
Real-World Validation:
Team Visma-Lease a Bike pioneered ice gel strategies three years before commercial availability, winning all three 2023 Grand Tours using this integrated approach.
When WorldTour teams invest in additional logistics and equipment, the performance returns are measurable.
The Practitioner Advantage:
Your heat-sensitive athletes get simultaneous fuelling and cooling without flavour fatigue or gut compromise.
Two formulations available: Energy Line (30g carbs, 2:1 ratio) and Turbo Line (40g carbs, 1:0.8 ratio).
