Iñigo Mujika, bachelor in Physical Education, Doctor in Physical activity and sports sciences and doctor in Biology of muscular exercise, has a very broad curriculum. He has over 110 publications, written 8 books, has taken part in over 300 conferences and international congresses and is also a teacher in several educational institutions.
We interviewed the new teacher for the Master in Training and Sports Nutrition, who told us about his expertise in the sports sector.
His passion for sports started when he was little, as his family was very sporty. Even before he turned 10, he was part of a swimming team in Pamplona, but he is also passionate about surf and mountaineering. He has also practiced other sports such as waterpolo, squash, basque pelota and volleyball.
He really enjoys practicing any kind of sports activity, although swimming, cycling and surfing are his favourites. “I don’t need to be in a competition to find motivation. My motivation is based on enjoying the activity and the good feeling it gives me”.
In April he joined the faculty of professors of the Masters in Training and Sports Nutrition at the Real Madrid Graduate School- Universidad Europea.
Mujika said: “I really enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with the students, coaches and all the people who have an interest in learning about sports training. Even though I’m a teacher, there is always plenty to learn from those who you are teaching.”
As a specialist in sports nutrition, he has remarked on the importance of diet in sports training. He said this is a basic pillar for training sessions, recovery and psychological preparation, as well as the adaptation of the athlete and his performance during competition.
He said that he tries to eat as healthy as he can, in both quantity and quality: fruits, vegetables, nuts and dairy on a daily basis; eggs, meat and fish every other day of the week and legumes, bread, pasta and rice from time to time, depending on his physical activity. He also practices sports every day and he alternates swimming with cycling, weight lifting and running. When the weather is good he always tries to go outside to ride his bike and, if the sea is good, he practices surfing. He is not keen on using the car unless it is strictly necessary. In his own words, he would rather use his bike to move around Vitoria-Gasteiz, the city where he lives.
To the many people who would like to become professionals in the training and sports nutrition world, the advice that he would give them is “I would encourage them, of course. The sports world is fascinating, always demanding and changeable; there are constant challenges and you have to keep updated on a regular basis. This implies that either you do it with passion and dedication, or you won’t reach your objectives” he said.
He also recommends students only follow the lead of people and entities of remarkable academic reputation, with a sound scientific base on social networks, as social media can be a good source of information, but also of mis-information.
Mujika adds that the sports nutrition sector has been changing a lot towards bespoke nutrition. Even if you can provide some generic recommendations that might apply to most athletes and circumstances, each athlete is a different “world” and they require specific nutritional plans that adapt to their requirements.
Furthermore, he added that the industry of sports training, at a high performance level, is facing a big challenge nowadays from globalization. Even though there are still some sports where the participation is limited to a certain countries, in most of them you can see that they are becoming global, which means that competitors can come from any part of the world.
His prestigious curriculum and experience are a privilege to the Real Madrid Graduate School – Universidad Europa, and helps students to once again learn from one of best professionals of the sports industry.