Many of us enjoy the morning on the sea. Especially when the sun is just rising and the temperatures are perfect for a rowing trip. This is exactly the perfect moment for many of us to be on the water. But just as important – especially early in the morning – is the first cup of coffee. But how do the two go together? Is it okay to have a coffee before Coastal Rowing? In collaboration with our partner website from Rowperfect, we took a closer look.

A cup of coffee before the rowing training

Having coffee before exercising is generally not a bad thing. Neither is Coastal Rowing with caffeine. On the contrary – Before rowing, many go for a little caffeine shot. But why? Coffee is supposed to boost our performance naturally. But is that really true? We found some facts in a sports magazine: Here are more coffee facts.

Coffee, but also certain types of tea, gets its effect from the caffeine it contains. While rowing with caffeine in your system, the active ingredient stimulates the nervous system: it stimulates the production of norepinephrine and thus has a performance-enhancing, stimulating effect. This is especially beneficial after a short night or our well-known performance slump after lunch. So if you still have 30 min from your home to the beach/boat, that’s perfect: the effect reaches coffee about 30 minutes after drinking.

The effect of coffee

The International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism has published a study on coffee as a natural booster.

The tendency of the study summarised:

• Significant improvements in athletic endurance
• Effort is perceived as less intense
• Breathing is experienced as more easily.
• However, it has not been proven that caffeine has a positive effect on muscle strength.

Does that mean: One more cup is okay?

How many cups of coffee should it be? Before a workout, one espresso is enough to boost your performance. I find that more than two cups doesn’t do me any good. I usually eat a piece of white bread to keep the coffee from hitting my stomach directly. But of course, that is a matter of taste. Especially if you tend to an overacidification of the stomach, you should be careful not to have only coffee in your stomach. But you certainly know what’s best for yourself!

Positive effects of coffee before Coastal Rowing

Coffee before coastal rowing can have quite the positive effect. Especially if you drink a cup of coffee half an hour before training. To sum up:

• Drinking coffee and taking caffeine stimulates the production of the hormone norepinephrine, your senses are heightened, and it keeps you awake. You feel energetic from the moment you enter the boat.
• Taking caffeine boosts fat metabolism. Rowers can thus conserve their valuable glycogen reserves in the muscles and liver for longer and optimize their fat burning.
• Consuming caffeine leads to improved oxygen uptake because it relaxes the respiratory muscles.
• The consumption of coffee can relieve muscle pain after exercise.
• Coffee is rich in antioxidants and protects the body from inflammation, among other things.

Negative Effekte durch Kaffee vor dem Sport

Aber natürlich ist nicht alles Gold, was glänzt – Nicht jeder verträgt Kaffee generell oder vor sportlicher Anstrengung. Jeder Sportler sollte für sich abwägen, in welchem Maße ihm eine Tasse nützt: Zu viel Kaffee reizt die Schleimhäute.

• Wer vor dem Sport am Morgen Kaffee trinkt, sollte berücksichtigen, dass Koffein die Darmflora aktiviert. Für Sensible gilt: Toilettengänge müssen eingeplant werden. Und das kann, gerade am Strand, durchaus zu Problemen führen.
• Nach dem Konsum von Koffein kann der Blutfluss zum Herzen um bis zu 22 Prozent zurückgehen.
• Der Konsum von Koffein verringert die Eisen-Aufnahmefähigkeit des Körpers. Eisen wird zur Blutbildung benötigt, ein niedriger Eisenspiegel wirkt sich negativ auf die Ausdauerleistungsfähigkeit aus.

Wie bei allem gilt natürlich auch bei Kaffee: Die Menge machts. Eine Tasse ist für mich perfekt. 3 oder 4 Tassen vorher mag ich mir gar nicht vorstellen.

Übrigens:
Kaffee und Doping – Die WADA, die Welt-Anti-Doping-Agentur, führte Koffein bis 2004 auf der Liste der verbotenen Substanzen. Kaffee, besser gesagt Koffein, gilt inzwischen aber nicht mehr als Dopingmittel.

Was denkt ihr? Eine Tasse Kaffee vor dem Rudern okay? Oder verzichtet ihr vor dem Training darauf?

Negative effects of coffee before sports

But of course, not everyone tolerates coffee in general or before exercising. Every athlete should decide for himself to what extent a cup will benefit him: Too much coffee irritates the mucous membranes.

• Those who drink coffee in the morning before sports should take into account that caffeine activates the intestinal flora. For those who are sensitive, toilet trips will be necessary. And that can definitely lead to problems, especially on the beach.
• After consuming caffeine, blood flow to the heart can decrease by up to 22 percent.
• Consuming caffeine reduces the body’s ability to absorb iron. Iron is needed for blood formation, and low iron levels have a negative effect on endurance performance.

As with everything, of course, with coffee it’s the quantity that counts. One cup is perfect for me. I don’t even like to imagine 3 or 4 cups before an extensive time on the water.

By the way:
Coffee and doping – WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, kept caffeine on the list of banned substances until 2004. However, coffee, or rather caffeine, is no longer considered a doping substance.

What do you think? Is a cup of coffee before rowing okay? Or do you do without it before training?