As strength or performance coaches, it’s easy to focus all of our energy on training.

Because sure we want to help our athletes get bigger, faster and stronger – but what if they’re doing all the hard work in in the gym, yet not taking care of business in the kitchen?

Kobe was famous for saying that NUTRITION was the last arrow in his quiver – the final thing he could do to put the icing on the cake of his game.

So if you want to learn more about how proper nutrition can help you build better basketball players, you’re going to LOVE today’s episode!

Charles Ashford is a performance nutritionist with a decade of experience working with elite athlete, and he currently serves as the performance nutritionist for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA.

And today, we’re going to get an inside look at what nutrition coaching really looks like at the elite level!

Nutrition periodization is aligning one’s nutrition based upon their training and competition demands.

– Charles Ashford

This Week on the Physical Prep Podcast:

• Charles’s background and the long and winding journey to the Dallas Mavericks.


• The 3T’s of Nutrition: Total, type and timing.


• The crucial role nutrition periodization plays in supporting athletic demands.


• Two of the BIGGEST MISTAKES athletes make when trying to bulk up.


• The triangle of muscle gain: Energy intake, evenly distributed protein, and optimizing peri-workout nutrition.


• How to shift an athlete’s nutrition if their goal is shedding body fat.


• The role of “stacking” carbohydrates at specific times to support performance and lose body fat.


• Why protein must stay high and consistent throughout a fat loss phase.


• The role lifestyle factors play in supporting an athletes body composition and performance.


• Finding balance between an athlete’s favorite food choices, and those that will support their goals.


• Charles’ thoughts on supplements, and the ones he’s most likely to suggest for his athletes.


• Collagen: Yeah or nah?


• The BIG Question


• A really fun lightning round where we talk moving from football to basketball, dogs, and his soon-to-be-released Quadrant Nutrition book!

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Connect with Charles:

• Linked In


• Quadrant Nutrition

Become an ELITE Performance Coach at IFAST Basketball Insiders!

If you want to give your athletes real-world strength that will carry over to the court…

…help them build the power and explosiveness to blow by defenders or finish at the rim…

…or give them the brakes they need to stop on a dime and stay healthy, you need to join IFAST Basketball Insiders!

Each and every month, you’re going to get access to high-end content from myself and trusted experts that will help you write better programs, coach more effectively, and get the absolute most out of your workouts.

With everything from sample programs you can swipe and deploy, to case studies showing real-world results, and even exercise breakdowns and tutorials, my goal is to make sure that every program you write and exercise you coach is more effective for your basketball players.

But the content is really just the starting point, as every month we’ll have a Q&A call where you can ask me anything about your basketball players.

And last but not least, when you join IBI you’re going to be surrounded by a community of basketball strength and conditioning coaches – people who are not only doing this at a high-level themselves, but who also want to help you succeed as well.

If you’re serious about taking your basketball strength and conditioning skills to the next level, just head over to IFASTBasketballInsiders.com to get signed up.

I can’t wait to see you in there!

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Thanks for tuning into this week’s episode of The Physical Preparation Podcast with Mike Robertson – your one-stop-shop for fitness trainers, coaches, and athletes.

If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts and leave your honest review. I’d also love to connect via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit our website.

Thanks so much for your support – love and appreciate you!

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