The diet of human tower builders: What should we eat before and during a rehearsal or performance?

The human tower world has undergone a great evolution in the last decade in dedication and preparation. This translates into an increase in the intensity of rehearsals, better physical conditioning, and, lately, changes in diet. Joel Brugués, from Niños de Reus, believes that this interest in nutrition has been especially evident after the pandemic. The first week, which usually falls on Friday and has a high load of events, is followed by the human tower performance with three or four major peaks of effort and finally the lighter rehearsal. "The human tower activity is to carry maximum muscle glycogen and have maximum muscular endurance," he explains.

For the performance, he details that a higher protein load should be taken, while the lighter carbohydrate load should be left for Tuesday. On the other hand, he even recommends having a plate of pasta the night before.

A fork breakfast.

It's also quite traditional among human tower builders to have a full breakfast, especially on important days. Brugués points out that this meal should be eaten about two hours before the performance. He also points out that "if it's an extremely fatty meal, it won't be as advisable as if it's a meal consisting of beans, a sausage, and some roasted potatoes." Such a breakfast contains a lot of carbohydrates and protein and can be beneficial during the performance.

Adapting to the Heat

During performances, especially long ones, it's also important to stay hydrated and eat well. The rise in temperature has also impacted the dynamics of the groups, with performance schedules having to be adapted and their castellers in good shape during extended rehearsals and days.

Thus, it's becoming more common to see groups distributing fruit, especially watermelon and melon, among their castellers. "They're the best because they're more hydrating than a banana, but, at the end of the day, any fruit will provide us with sugar and water," she notes.

Brugués' main advice, however, is to hydrate with water. "During the activity, we should try to drink 200-300 milliliters of water every hour," she explains. She also recommends that the water not be excessively cold to avoid creating a significant temperature difference in the body, as well as eating nuts or isotonic drinks in between for occasional exertion.

The post-performance meal

Another great tradition is the group meals after the performance. The nutritionist explains that "what we should do to recover our muscle fibers is stock up on protein and carbohydrates." Thus, he says, since these meals usually include meat, fish, or eggs, they're a good option, and concludes that "a plate of macaroni is a fantastic meal."